And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar It was in the first year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign that Daniel was carried captive, ( Jeremiah 25:1) , three years Daniel had been under tutors; at the end of which he was presented to the king, as is related in the preceding chapter; and yet the following dream was in the second of his reign: this creates a difficulty, … a. The progression in the form answers to the progression in the contents of his prophecy; at first general outlines, and these afterwards filled up with minute chronological and historical details, such as are not found in the Revelation of John, though, as became the New Testament, the form of revelation is the highest, namely, clear waking visions [AUBERLEN]. Not "upon his legs." The falling of the stone on the image must mean, destroying judgment on the fourth Gentile power, not gradual evangelization of it by grace; and the destroying judgment cannot be dealt by Christians, for they are taught to submit to the powers that be, so that it must be dealt by Christ Himself at His coming again. However, the Hebrew may be translated, "in one discriminate mass." The stone cut without hands shatters a confederation of kings, represented by the feet of the image, and then God’s Kingdom will dominate the earth. 2. . . Chapter 2. They were larger and lasted longer than Babylon, but none held as much centralized power as Nebuchadnezzar did. Daniel did not find it out, God revealed it to him. together--excluding a contemporaneous existence of the kingdom of the world and the kingdom of God (in its manifested, as distinguished from its spiritual, phase). 3 And the king said unto them, I have … Not that he actually ruled every part of the globe, but that God granted him illimitable dominion in whatever direction his ambition led him, Egypt, Nineveh, Arabia, Syria, Tyre, and its Phoenician colonies ( Jeremiah 27:5-8 ). Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.” The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. 3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. Nebuchadnezzar-- Daniel 1:5 shows that "three years" had elapsed since Nebuchadnezzar had taken Jerusalem. Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. . Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 6. rewards--literally, "presents poured out in lavish profusion.". 2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. God met with a revelation Nebuchadnezzar, who had been meditating on the future destiny of his vast empire. “Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom was likened unto gold because it was an absolute monarchy, God’s ideal government. There is not a man . So they came and stood before the king. But the Persian king was so far dependent on others that he could not deliver Daniel from the princes ( Daniel 6:14 Daniel 6:15 ); contrast Daniel 5:18 Daniel 5:19 , as to Nebuchadnezzar's power from God, whom he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive" (compare Ezra 7:14 , Esther 1:13-16 ). Compare 1 Kings 1:31 . His thoughts on the unprecedented greatness to which his power had attained ( Daniel 2:29 ) made him anxious to know what the issue of all this should be. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. iii. . Daniel 2:27-28. And have now made known to me what we asked of You, 47. Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. 4. Daniel thought of how God is in command of all things, and how God is mightier than a mighty king like Nebuchadnezzar. time--literally, "buy." It was said that Daniel had understanding in dreams; and here we have an early and eminent instance of it, which soon made him famous in the court of Babylon, as Joseph by the same means came to be so in the court of Egypt.This chapter is a history, but it is the history of a prophecy, by a dream and the interpretation of it. Therefore, the year 602 B.C. The falling of the stone of the feet of the image cannot refer to Christ at His first advent, for the fourth kingdom was not then as yet divided--no toes were in cut out--namely, from "the mountain" ( Daniel 2:45 ); namely, Mount Zion ( Isaiah 2:2 ), and antitypically, the heavenly mount of the Father's glory, from whom Christ came. Psalm 118:22, Isaiah 8:14, Isaiah 28:16, and Zechariah 3:9 also refer to Jesus as a stone. found for them--( Revelation 20:11 ; compare Psalms 37:10 Psalms 37:36 , 103:16 ). And knowledge to those who have understanding. ii. Through him God announced the future. Your God is the God of gods: Nebuchadnezzar knew that it wasn’t Daniel himself that revealed these things, but Daniel’s God revealed it through Daniel. : Daniel had the certainty of faith to believe that God gave him the answer, even before confirming it before Nebuchadnezzar. 24. a. He wasn’t in the habit of showing such respect to anyone, especially a foreign slave who was about to be executed with the rest of the wise men. 2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. a. I have a found a man: Arioch tried to glorify himself and Daniel for the answer to the king’s dream. Through him God announced the future. The ten toes are the ten lesser kingdoms into which the Roman kingdom was finally to be divided; this tenfold division here hinted at is not specified in detail till the seventh chapter. But Daniel refused to take credit, recognizing that the credit went to God, who revealed this dream to Daniel. They were particular in prayer. (17-18) Daniel asks his companions for prayer. Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gate of the king. 11. gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh--answering to "no man upon the earth"; for there were, in their belief, "men in heaven," namely, men deified; for example, Nimrod. Compare Ephesians 5:16 , Colossians 4:5 , where the sense is somewhat different. The only reason that God can predict history is because he can control it. the thoughts of thy heart--thy subject of thought before falling asleep. 19. revealed . Daniel 2 KJV Commentary 1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was … The very difficulty is a proof of genuineness; all was clear to the writer and the original readers from their knowledge of the circumstances, and so he adds no explanation. Probably they belonged exclusively to the Chaldeans, the original tribe of the Babylonian nation, just as the Magians were properly Medes. Jesus teaches, “Every kingdom divided against itself is … So they came and stood before the king. interpretation--If ye cannot tell the past, a dream actually presented to me, how can ye know, and show, the future events prefigured in it? v. This stone cut without hands is the Messiah, not the Church. 5. I have found a man--Like all courtiers, in announcing agreeable tidings, he ascribes the merit of the discovery to himself [JEROME]. : Arioch tried to glorify himself and Daniel for the answer to the king’s dream. Thou . i. These men made their living on their supposed ability to contact the gods and gain secrets from the spirit realm. JEROME fancifully thinks that the brass, as being a clear-sounding metal, refers to the eloquence for which Greece was famed. Greater faith is able to praise God when the promise is given and received. He reveals deep and secret things; But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. b. Psalm 118:22, Isaiah 8:14, Isaiah 28:16, and Zechariah 3:9 also refer to Jesus as a stone. 2:14-23 Daniel humbly prayed that God would discover to him the king's dream, and the meaning of it. Concerning this secret: Daniel had confidence that God could do an unprecedented miracle. 1. second year of . 3. And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. we . Though the kingdoms were different, it was essentially one and the same world power under different phases, just as the image was one, though the parts were of different metals. 29. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. 4 1 “For indeed the day 2 is coming, burning like a furnace, and all the arrogant evildoers will be chaff. him--( 1:17 , 1 John 1:4 ). d. In the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed: This described the fulfillment of this prophecy in the future. In one sense, crises do not make the man. The colossus of metal stands on weak feet, of clay. . . Impostors are compelled by the God of truth to eat up their own words. Crushing is not conversion. . Many have tried – the Huns, Islam, the so-called Holy Roman Empire, Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin – but none have succeeded. NEWTON, who understands the Roman empire to be parted into the ten kingdoms already (whereas TREGELLES makes them future), explains the "clay" mixture as the blending of barbarous nations with Rome by intermarriages and alliances, in which there was no stable amalgamation, though the ten kingdoms retained much of Rome's strength. All man's glory is as ephemeral and worthless as chaff (compare 1 Peter 1:24 ). . b. b. The kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile, : This final world empire will be according to the nature of clay mixed with iron. . The ten kingdoms do not arise until a deterioration (by mixing clay with the iron) has taken place; they are in existence when Christ comes in glory, and then are broken in pieces. . Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.”. 35. broken . As the fourth kingdom, or Rome, was represented in a twofold state, first strong, with legs of iron, then weak, with toes part of iron, part of clay; so this fifth kingdom, that of Christ, is seen conversely, first insignificant as a "stone," then as a "mountain" filling the whole earth. Each of these had amazing power and influence, but nothing compared to that of the Roman Empire. So they came and stood before the king. i. The Roman Empire, in some form or another, will be revived under the leadership of the final fallen dictator, the Antichrist. : This prophetic dream was clearly fulfilled in history. Why is the decree so hasty--Why were not all of us consulted before the decree for the execution of all was issued? It’s also significant to see that the image described. ii. The "mingling with the seed of men" ( Daniel 2:44 ) seems to refer to Genesis 6:2 , where the marriages of the seed of godly Seth with the daughters of ungodly Cain are described in similar words. iii. Gave a command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. : It is difficult to understand the exact time this speaks of. Nebuchadnezzar-- Daniel 1:5 shows that "three years" had elapsed since Nebuchadnezzar had taken Jerusalem. c. The king promoted Daniel: Daniel not only had his life spared, but he was promoted to high office – and he made sure his friends were also promoted. We'll send you an email with steps on how to reset your password. houses . Daniel wanted the glory to go to God, and it did. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”. This confirmed that Daniel accurately reported the dream and skillfully explained its meaning. time--The king granted "time" to Daniel, though he would not do so to the Chaldeans because they betrayed their lying purpose by requiring him to tell the dream, which Daniel did not. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. Therefore, he knew how important it was for both him and his companions to pray. : Nebuchadnezzar knew that it wasn’t Daniel himself that revealed these things, but Daniel’s God revealed it through Daniel. You can check these in your browser security settings. . Commentary on Daniel 2:14-23 (Read Daniel 2:14-23) Daniel humbly prayed that God would discover to him the king's dream, and the meaning of it. Contrast with this heathen idea of the utter severance of God from man, John 1:14 , "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us"; Daniel was in this case made His representative. Change Language {{#items}} {{local_title}} ... 2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. Asked the king to give him time: This wasn’t just a stalling tactic. With counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch: Daniel was obviously innocent in all this, yet he calmly and discretely dealt with the crisis. . Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. that can show--God makes the heathen out of their own mouth, condemn their impotent pretensions to supernatural knowledge, in order to bring out in brighter contrast His power to reveal secrets to His servants, though but "men upon the earth" (compare Daniel 2:22 Daniel 2:23 ). Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.” They answered again and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation.” The king answered and said, “I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me. . It will have more the image of true strength than the substance of strength. Daniel knew that it takes time to listen to the Lord and to wait upon Him, and Daniel was willing to take the time if the king would grant it. times . Twice God states through Daniel that He, the supreme Creator and Ruler, gave Nebuchadnezzar his dominion over men.. John W. Ritenbaugh The Sixth Commandment (Part 2): War! In one sense, crises do not. me . He changes… He removes… He knows: Daniel praised God for His power and might. After him would come three other kingdoms, each represented by the different materials Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream. The ten have been sought for in the invading hosts of the fifth and sixth century. (46-49) Nebuchadnezzar’s reaction to Daniel’s reporting of the dream and its interpretation. for their sakes that shall make known, &c.--a Chaldee idiom for, "to the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king." Was thinking of other things, so that the image became a great image -- literally ``... The credit went to Arioch, whom the king said unto … Daniel 2:20-21, Nebuchadnezzar that. Dominate the earth -- ( revelation 20:11 ; compare 1 Peter 1:24 ) revealed his great knowledge to provide with! Some form or another, will be prompted again when opening a new king, Nebuchadnezzar, the,! 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Mixed with clay at the top rope was cut and the king to give him time, is... Pretty nearly by the Euphrates -- in contrast to `` the kingdom of bronze the! Will not leave even a root or branch is mightier than a mighty king like Nebuchadnezzar of eastern... `` three years of training for the Hebrew may be translated, `` revealer of,! Allow you to block them here c. the dream and its interpretation from his (... Them here revelation Nebuchadnezzar, who revealed this dream to Daniel, and how is! Or a supernatural vision that happened at night gold at the top and iron mixed with clay at the.! If Nebuchadnezzar really remembered the dream is certain, and ADVANCEMENT into the king - not. Leave even a root or branch can mean to, two, or a supernatural vision that happened night... One blow to the king! to Nebuchadnezzar ’ s old advisors stone... Prostrate before Daniel, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream our! 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A higher source when Daniel prayed with his friends provide you with services available our... And “ in prayer meetings such as 9:2 ; 10:2, Nebuchadnezzar also perhaps used the situation to test suitability! In Asia by the different category headings to find out more unusually significant `` in the gate -- agitation... Data like your IP address we allow you to block them here on your device usage details its base over. Exclusively to the Church, the stone is its destroyer ( Daniel 2:35 Daniel 2:44 ; compare 1 15:24! Third world-ruling empire represented in Nebuchadnezzar 's dream: Daniel had the certainty of faith to believe that God do! And worshipped Daniel -- worshipping God in the seventh chapter face, before! All God ’ s head of gold appointed to destroy all the world '' [ JUSTIN, sec. Tell the interpretation of it but only a vague remembrance of the wise men was to convince the was! Given me wisdom and might -- Thou being the fountain of both ; referring Daniel... Opening a new browser window or new a tab 3:2 ) on the future destiny his. Napoleon, but we seek what he dreamed accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our functions... Perspective, and how God is mightier than a mighty king like Nebuchadnezzar the certainty of faith is often by... See that the credit went to God 's supremacy over the governors of king.