11 And it is a rare H3358 thing H4406 that the king H4430 requireth, H7593 and there is H383 none H3809 other H321 that can shew H2324 it before H6925 the king, H4430 except H3861 the gods, H426 whose dwelling H4070 is H383 not H3809 with H5974 flesh. H1321
There is H383 a man H1400 in thy kingdom, H4437 in whom is the spirit H7308 of the holy H6922 gods; H426 and in the days H3118 of thy father H2 light H5094 and understanding H7924 and wisdom, H2452 like the wisdom H2452 of the gods, H426 was found H7912 in him; whom the king H4430 Nebuchadnezzar H5020 thy father, H2 the king, H4430 I say, thy father, H2 made H6966 master H7229 of the magicians, H2749 astrologers, H826 Chaldeans, H3779 and soothsayers; H1505
For thus saith H559 the high H7311 and lofty One H5375 that inhabiteth H7931 eternity, H5703 whose name H8034 is Holy; H6918 I dwell H7931 in the high H4791 and holy H6918 place, with him also that is of a contrite H1793 and humble H8217 spirit, H7307 to revive H2421 the spirit H7307 of the humble, H8217 and to revive H2421 the heart H3820 of the contrite ones. H1792
And Pharaoh H6547 said H559 unto Joseph, H3130 Forasmuch H310 as God H430 hath shewed H3045 thee all this, there is none so discreet H995 and wise H2450 as thou art:
But G1161 Jesus G2424 beheld G1689 them, and said G2036 unto them, G846 With G3844 men G444 this G5124 is G2076 impossible; G102 but G1161 with G3844 God G2316 all things G3956 are G2076 possible. G1415
And G2532 I heard G191 a great G3173 voice G5456 out of G1537 heaven G3772 saying, G3004 Behold, G2400 the tabernacle G4633 of God G2316 is with G3326 men, G444 and G2532 he will dwell G4637 with G3326 them, G846 and G2532 they G846 shall be G2071 his G846 people, G2992 and G2532 God G2316 himself G846 shall be G2071 with G3326 them, G846 and be their G846 God. G2316
And G1161 what G5101 agreement G4783 hath the temple G3485 of God G2316 with G3326 idols? G1497 for G1063 ye G5210 are G2075 the temple G3485 of the living G2198 God; G2316 as G2531 God G2316 hath said, G2036 G3754 I will dwell G1774 in G1722 them, G846 and G2532 walk in G1704 them; and G2532 I will be G2071 their G846 God, G2316 and G2532 they G846 shall be G2071 my G3427 people. G2992
Jesus G2424 answered G611 and G2532 said G2036 unto him, G846 If G1437 a man G5100 love G25 me, G3165 he will keep G5083 my G3450 words: G3056 and G2532 my G3450 Father G3962 will love G25 him, G846 and G2532 we will come G2064 unto G4314 him, G846 and G2532 make G4160 our abode G3438 with G3844 him. G846
Even the Spirit G4151 of truth; G225 whom G3739 the world G2889 cannot G3756 G1410 receive, G2983 because G3754 it seeth G2334 him G846 not, G3756 neither G3761 knoweth G1097 him: G846 but G1161 ye G5210 know G1097 him; G846 for G3754 he dwelleth G3306 with G3844 you, G5213 and G2532 shall be G2071 in G1722 you. G5213
And G2532 the Word G3056 was made G1096 flesh, G4561 and G2532 dwelt G4637 among G1722 us, G2254 (and G2532 we beheld G2300 his G846 glory, G1391 the glory G1391 as G5613 of the only begotten G3439 of G3844 the Father,) G3962 full G4134 of grace G5485 and G2532 truth. G225
In G1722 the beginning G746 was G2258 the Word, G3056 and G2532 the Word G3056 was G2258 with G4314 God, G2316 and G2532 the Word G3056 was G2258 God. G2316 The same G3778 was G2258 in G1722 the beginning G746 with G4314 God. G2316 All things G3956 were made G1096 by G1223 him; G846 and G2532 without G5565 him G846 was G1096 not G3761 any thing G1520 made G1096 that G3739 was made. G1096
For I will cleanse H5352 their blood H1818 that I have not cleansed: H5352 for the LORD H3068 dwelleth H7931 in Zion. H6726
Daniel H1841 answered H6032 in the presence H6925 of the king, H4430 and said, H560 The secret H7328 which the king H4430 hath demanded H7593 cannot H3202 H3809 the wise H2445 men, the astrologers, H826 the magicians, H2749 the soothsayers, H1505 shew H2324 unto the king; H4430 But H1297 there is H383 a God H426 in heaven H8065 that revealeth H1541 secrets, H7328 and maketh known H3046 to the king H4430 Nebuchadnezzar H5020 what H4101 shall be H1934 in the latter H320 days. H3118 Thy dream, H2493 and the visions H2376 of thy head H7217 upon H5922 thy bed, H4903 are these; H1836
Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 The heaven H8064 is my throne, H3678 and the earth H776 is my footstool: H7272 H1916 where is the house H1004 that ye build H1129 unto me? and where is the place H4725 of my rest? H4496 For all those things hath mine hand H3027 made, H6213 and all those things have been, saith H5002 the LORD: H3068 but to this man will I look, H5027 even to him that is poor H6041 and of a contrite H5223 spirit, H7307 and trembleth H2730 at my word. H1697
Behold, I and the children H3206 whom the LORD H3068 hath given H5414 me are for signs H226 and for wonders H4159 in Israel H3478 from the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 which dwelleth H7931 in mount H2022 Zion. H6726
This is my rest H4496 for ever: H5703 here will I dwell; H3427 for I have desired H183 it.
Thou hast ascended H5927 on high, H4791 thou hast led captivity H7628 captive: H7617 thou hast received H3947 gifts H4979 for men; H120 yea, for the rebellious H5637 also, that the LORD H3050 God H430 might dwell H7931 among them.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Daniel 2
Commentary on Daniel 2 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 2
It was said (ch. 1:17) 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. Pharaoh's dream, and Joseph's interpretation of it, related only to the years of plenty and famine and the interest of God's Israel in them; but Nebuchadnezzar's dream here, and Daniel's interpretation of that, look much higher, to the four monarchies, and the concerns of Israel in them, and the kingdom of the Messiah, which should be set up in the world upon the ruins of them. In this chapter we have,
Dan 2:1-13
We meet with a great difficulty in the date of this story; it is said to be in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, v. 1. Now Daniel was carried to Babylon in his first year, and, it should seem, he was three years under tutors and governors before he was presented to the king, ch. 1:5. How then could this happen in the second year? Perhaps, though three years were appointed for the education of other children, yet Daniel was so forward that he was taken into business when he had been but one year at school, and so in the second year he became thus considerable. Some make it to be the second year after he began to reign alone, but the fifth or sixth year since he began to reign in partnership with his father. Some read it, and in the second year, (the second after Daniel and his fellows stood before the king), in the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar, or in his reign, this happened; as Joseph, in the second year after his skill in dreams, showed and expounded Pharaoh's, so Daniel, in the second year after he commenced master in that art, did this service. I would much rather take it some of these ways than suppose, as some do, that it was in the second year after he had conquered Egypt, which was the thirty-sixth year of his reign, because it appears by what we meet with in Ezekiel, that Daniel was famous both for wisdom and prevalence in prayer long before that; and therefore this passage, or story, which shows how he came to be so eminent for both these must be laid early in Nebuchadnezzar's reign. Now here we may observe,
Dan 2:14-23
When the king sent for his wise men to tell them his dream, and the interpretation of it (v. 2), Daniel, it seems, was not summoned to appear among them; the king, though he was highly pleased with him when he examined him, and thought him ten times wiser than the rest of his wise men, yet forgot him when he had most occasion for him; and no wonder, when all was done in a heat, and nothing with a cool and deliberate thought. But Providence so ordered it; that the magicians being nonplussed might be the more taken notice of, and so the more glory might redound to the God of Daniel. But, though Daniel had not the honour to be consulted with the rest of the wise men, contrary to all law and justice, by an undistinguishing sentence, he stands condemned with them, and till he has notice brought him to prepare for execution he knows nothing of the matter. How miserable is the case of those who live under arbitrary government, as this of Nebuchadnezzar's! How happy are we, whose lives are under the protection of the law and methods of justice, and lie not thus at the mercy of a peevish and capricious prince!
We have found already, in Ezekiel, that Daniel was famous both for prudence and prayer; as a prince he had power with God and by man; by prayer he had power with God, by prudence he had power with man, and in both he prevailed. Thus did he find favour and good understanding in the sight of both, and in these verses we have a remarkable instance of both.
Dan 2:24-30
We have here the introduction to Daniel's declaring the dream, and the interpretation of it.
Dan 2:31-45
Daniel here gives full satisfaction to Nebuchadnezzar concerning his dream and the interpretation of it. That great prince had been kind to this poor prophet in his maintenance and education; he had been brought up at the king's cost, preferred at court, and the land of his captivity had hereby been made much easier to him than to others of his brethren. And now the king is abundantly repaid for all the expense he had been at upon him; and for receiving this prophet, though not in the name of a prophet, he had a prophet's reward, such a reward as a prophet only could give, and for which that wealthy mighty prince was now glad to be beholden to him. Here is,
Dan 2:46-49
One might have expected that when Nebuchadnezzar was contriving to make his own kingdom everlasting he would be enraged at Daniel, who foretold the fall of it and that another kingdom of another nature should be the everlasting kingdom; but, instead of resenting it as an affront, he received it as an oracle, and here we are told what the expressions were of the impressions it made upon him.