TRV
Translation
King James Version
¶ And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
Complete Jewish Bible
In the second year of the reign of N'vukhadnetzar, N'vukhadnetzar became so troubled by a series of dreams he had that he couldn't sleep.
Berean Standard Bible
In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled his spirit, and sleep escaped him.
American Standard Version
And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep went from him.
World English Bible Messianic
In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep went from him.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And in the seconde yeere of the raygne of Nebuchad-nezzar, Nebuchad-nezzar dreamed dreames wherewith his spirite was troubled, and his sleepe was vpon him.
Young's Literal Translation
And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, dreamed hath Nebuchadnezzar dreams, and his spirit doth move itself, and his sleep hath been against him;
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Commentary on Daniel 2 verses 1–13
1 ¶ And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
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. So they came and stood before the king.
3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.
4 Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.
5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.
6 But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.
7 They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.
8 The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.
9 But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.
10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.
11 And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
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, Dan 2:1. 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, Dan 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,
I. The perplexity that Nebuchadnezzar was in by reason of a dream which he had dreamed but had forgotten (Dan 2:1): He dreamed dreams, that is, a dream consisting of divers distinct parts, or which filled his head as much as if it had been many dreams. Solomon speaks of a multitude of dreams, strangely incoherent, in which there are divers vanities, Ecc 5:7. This dream of Nebuchadnezzar's had nothing in the thing itself but what might be paralleled in many a common dream, in which are often represented to men things as foreign as are here mentioned; but there was something in the impression it made upon him which carried with it an incontestable evidence of its divine original and its prophetic significancy. Note, The greatest of men are not exempt from, nay, they lie most open to, those cares and troubles of mind which disturb their repose in the night, while the sleep of the labouring man is sweet and sound, and the sleep of the sober temperate man free from confused dreams. The abundance of the rich will not suffer them to sleep at all for care, and the excesses of gluttons and drunkards will not suffer them to sleep quietly for dreaming. But this recorded here was not from natural causes. Nebuchadnezzar was a troubler of God's Israel, but God here troubled him; for he that made the soul can make his sword to approach to it. He had his guards about him, but they could not keep trouble from his spirit. We know not the uneasiness of many that live in great pomp, and, one would think, in pleasure, too. We look into their houses, and are tempted to envy them; but, could we look into their hearts, we should pity them rather. All the treasures and all the delights of the children of men, which this mighty monarch had command of, could not procure him a little repose, when by reason of the trouble of his mind his sleep broke from him. But God gives his beloved sleep, who return to him as their rest.
II. The trial that he made of his magicians and astrologers whether they could tell him what his dream was, which he had forgotten. They were immediately sent for, to show the king his dreams, Dan 2:2. There are many things which we retain the impressions of, and yet have lost the images of the things; though we cannot tell what the matter was, we know how we were affected with it; so it was with this king. His dream had slipped out of his mind, and he could not possibly recollect it, but he was confident he should know it if he heard it again. God ordered it so that Daniel might have the more honour, and, in him, the God of Daniel. Note, God sometimes serves his own purposes by putting things out of men's minds as well as by putting things into their minds. The magicians, it is likely, were proud of their being sent for into the king's bed-chamber, to give him a taste of their office, not doubting but it would be for their honour. He tells them that he had dreamed a dream, Dan 2:3. They speak to him in the Syriac tongue, which was then the same with the Chaldee, but now they differ much. And henceforward Daniel uses that language, or dialect of the Hebrew, for the same reason that those words, Jer 10:11, are in that language because designed to convince the Chaldeans of the folly of their idolatry and to bring them to the knowledge and worship of the true and living God, which the stories of these chapters have a direct tendency to. But ch. 8 and forward, being intended for the comfort of the Jews, is written in their peculiar language. They, in their answer, complimented the king with their good wishes, desired him to tell his dream, and undertook with all possible assurance to interpret it, Dan 2:4. But the king insisted upon it that they must tell him the dream itself, because he had forgotten it and could not tell it to them. And, if they could not do this, they should all be put to death as deceivers (Dan 2:5), themselves cut to pieces and their houses made a dunghill. If they could, they should be rewarded and preferred, Dan 2:6. And they knew, as Balaam did concerning Balak, that he was able to promote them to great honour, and give them that wages of unrighteousness which, like him, they loved so dearly. No question therefore that they will do their utmost to gratify the king; if they do not, it is not for want of good-will, but for want of power, Providence so ordering it that the magicians of Babylon might now be as much confounded and put to shame as of old the magicians of Egypt had been, that, how much soever his people were both in Egypt and Babylon vilified and made contemptible, his oracles might in both be magnified and made honourable, by the silencing of those that set up in competition with them. The magicians, having reason on their side, insist upon it that the king must tell them the dream, and then, if they do not tell him the interpretation of it, it is their fault, Dan 2:7. But arbitrary power is deaf to reason. The king falls into a passion, gives them hard words, and, without any colour of reason, suspects that they could tell him but would not; and instead of upbraiding them with impotency, and the deficiency of their art, as he might justly have done, he charges them with a combination to affront him: You have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me. How unreasonable and absurd is this imputation! If they had undertaken to tell him what his dream was, and had imposed upon him with a sham, he might have charged them with lying and corrupt words; but to say this of them when they honestly confessed their own weakness only shows what senseless things indulged passions are, and how apt great men are to think it is their prerogative to pursue their humour in defiance of reason and equity, and all the dictates of both. When the magicians begged of him to tell them the dream, though the request was highly rational and just, he tells them that they did but dally with him, to gain time (Dan 2:8), till the time be changed (Dan 2:9), either till the king's desire to know his dream be over, and he grown indifferent whether he be told it or no, though now he is so hot upon it, or till they may hope he has so perfectly forgotten his dream (the remaining shades of which are slipping from him apace as he catches at them) that they may tell him what they please and make him believe it was his dream, and, when the thing which is going, is quite gone from him, as it will be in a little time, he will not be able to disprove them. And therefore, without delay, they must tell him the dream. In vain do they plead, 1. That there is no man on earth that can retrieve the king's dream, Dan 2:10. There are settled rules by which to discover what the meaning of the dream was; whether they will hold or no is the question. But never were any rules offered to be given by which to discover what the dream was; they cannot work unless they have something to work upon. They acknowledge that the gods may indeed declare unto man what is his thought (Amo 4:13), for God understands our thoughts afar off (Psa 139:2), what they will be before we think them, what they are when we do not regard them, what they have been when we have forgotten them. But those who can do this are gods, that have not their dwelling with flesh (Dan 2:11), and it is they alone that can do this. As for men, their dwelling is with flesh; the wisest and greatest of men are clouded with a veil of flesh, which quite obstructs and confounds all their acquaintance with spirit, and their powers and operations; but the gods, that are themselves pure spirit, know what is in man. See here an instance of the ignorance of these magicians, that they speak of many gods, whereas there is but one and can be but one infinite; yet see their knowledge of that which even the light of nature teaches and the works of nature prove, that there is a God, who is a Spirit, and perfectly knows the spirits of men and all their thoughts, so as it is not possible that any man should. This confession of the divine omniscience is here extorted from these idolaters, to the honour of God and their own condemnation, who though they knew there is a God in heaven, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secret is hid, yet offered up their prayers and praises to dumb idols, that have eyes and see not, ears and hear not. 2. That there is no king on earth that would expect or require such a thing, Dan 2:10. This intimates that they were kings, lords, and potentates, not ordinary people, that the magicians had most dealings with, and at whose devotion they were, while the oracles of God and the gospel of Christ are dispensed to the poor. Kings and potentates have often required unreasonable things of their subjects, but they think that never any required so unreasonable a thing as this, and therefore hope his imperial majesty will not insist upon it. But it is all in vain; when passion is in the throne reason is under foot: He was angry and very furious, Dan 2:12. Note, It is very common for those that will not be convinced by reason to be provoked and exasperated by it, and to push on with fury what they cannot support with equity.
III. The doom passed upon all the magicians of Babylon. There is but one decree for them all (Dan 2:9); they all stand condemned without exception or distinction. The decree has gone forth, they must every man of them be slain (Dan 2:13), Daniel and his fellows (though they knew nothing of the matter) not excepted. See here, 1. What are commonly the unjust proceedings of arbitrary power. Nebuchadnezzar is here a tyrant in true colours, speaking death when he cannot speak sense, and treating those as traitors whose only fault is that they would serve him, but cannot. 2. What is commonly the just punishment of pretenders. How unrighteous soever Nebuchadnezzar was in this sentence, as to the ringleaders in the imposture, God was righteous. Those that imposed upon men, in pretending to do what they could not do, are now sentenced to death for not being able to do what they did not pretend to.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–13. Public domain.
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TertullianAD 220
ON THE SOUL 47
There is a type of dream that comes from God, since he has promised to pour out the grace of the Holy Spirit on all flesh and has ordained that his sons and handmaidens shall utter prophecies and dream dreams. Such dreams may be compared with the grace of God as being honest, holy, prophetic, inspired, edifying and inducing to virtue. Their bountiful nature causes them to overflow even to the unbelievers since God with divine impartiality causes the rain to fall and the sun to shine on just and unjust alike.
JeromeAD 420
St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER TWO
Verse 1. "In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar saw a dream and his spirit was terrified, and his dream fled from him." If the three lads had entered before him at the end of three years, as he himself had commanded, how is it that he is now said to have seen the dream in the second year of his reign? The Hebrews solve the difficulty in this way, that the second year refers here to his reign over all the barbarian nations, not only Judah and the Chaldeans, but also the Assyrians and Egyptians, and the Moabites and the rest of the nations which by the permission of God he had conquered. For this reason Josephus also writes in the tenth book of the Antiquities: After the second year from the devastation of Egypt Nebuchadnezzar beheld a marvelous dream, and "his spirit was terrified and his dream fled from him." The impious king beheld a dream concerning things to come, in order that he might give glory to God after the holy man had interpreted what he had seen, and that great consolation might be afforded the captive (Jews) and those who still served God in their captive state. We read this same thing in the case of Pharaoh, not because Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar deserved to behold visions, but in order that Joseph and Daniel might appear as deserving of preference over all other men because of their gift of interpretation.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
ON VARIOUS QUESTIONS TO SIMPLICIAN 2:1.1
The Spirit of prophecy does not affect everyone in the same way. The Spirit’s infusion in some people confers images of things; others are granted the mental fruit of understanding; others are given both by inspiration; and still others know nothing. But the Spirit works through the infusion in two ways. The first way comes during sleep, and not only to saints, but even Pharoah and King Nebuchadnezzar saw what neither of them was able to understand but both of them were able to see. The second way is through demonstration in ecstasy (which some Latins translate as “trembling”—astonishingly idiosyncratic, but close in meaning nonetheless), where the mind is separated from the bodily senses so that the human spirit, which is assumed by the divine Spirit, might be free of perceiving and intuiting ideas, as, for instance, when it was shown to Daniel what he had not understood, and to Peter, the sheet let down from heaven by its four corners, who only later recognized what this vision represented. One way is through the mental fruit of understanding, when the significance and relevance of the things demonstrated through images is revealed, which is a more certain prophecy, for the apostle calls such prophecy “greater,” as Joseph deserved to understand but Pharaoh only to see, and as Daniel explained to the king that he saw but did not know.
Theodoret of CyrusAD 458
COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 2:1
We learned earlier that at the beginning of his [Nebuchadnezzar’s] reign, he advanced with the army to Judea in the third year of the reign of Joachim.… So most blessed Daniel, recalling the first year after the capture of the Jews, … now adds, “in the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream.” He [Daniel] added this not without reason but that we should know the time with precision. This is like the divine ways of the prophets, noting the facts related to the kings, a sure reference to the number of years.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Daniel 2:1 introduces a pivotal moment in biblical prophecy, detailing how King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon experienced a series of unsettling dreams early in his reign. These dreams so profoundly disturbed his spirit that they robbed him of sleep, setting the stage for a divinely orchestrated revelation of God's sovereign plan for future world empires, which only Daniel, empowered by God, would be able to interpret. This verse establishes the dramatic tension and the immediate need for divine intervention that drives the narrative of Daniel chapter 2.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Daniel 2:1 employs several key literary devices to set the stage for the unfolding narrative. Foreshadowing is prominent, as the king's forgotten dream and profound distress hint at the monumental revelations that are about to be unveiled, specifically the succession of world empires and the establishment of God's eternal kingdom. There is a strong element of Dramatic Irony, where the audience (and Daniel) understands that God is the ultimate orchestrator behind Nebuchadnezzar's troubled state, even though the king himself is initially unaware of the divine hand at work. The dream itself functions as a powerful Symbolism, representing God's chosen medium for communicating profound truths about the future to a pagan ruler. Furthermore, the description of Nebuchadnezzar's "troubled spirit" and lost "sleep" serves as a vivid Metonymy for his overall state of anxiety and the profound impact of the divine encounter on his entire being, indicating a distress that goes beyond mere physical discomfort and demands a supernatural resolution.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Daniel 2:1 serves as a powerful testament to God's active involvement in human history and His sovereign control over all earthly powers. It demonstrates that even the most powerful rulers are subject to divine influence, and that God can use unexpected means, such as a pagan king's dream, to reveal His eternal purposes. This initial disturbance in Nebuchadnezzar's spirit underscores humanity's inherent need for divine revelation to comprehend ultimate truth and find true peace. The inability of the king's own wisdom and his court's resources to provide answers highlights the insufficiency of human wisdom apart from God's intervention, preparing the way for Daniel to demonstrate the unique power and knowledge of the God of Israel.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The profound distress experienced by Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2:1 resonates deeply with the human condition. Like the king, we often encounter situations that trouble our spirits, rob us of peace, and leave us searching for answers that human wisdom alone cannot provide. These "troubled dreams" in our lives—whether anxieties about the future, existential questions, or the chaos of world events—can be God's way of prompting us to look beyond ourselves and our limited understanding. Just as Nebuchadnezzar's inability to recall his dream forced him to seek external help, our own moments of confusion and helplessness can drive us to seek divine revelation. This verse reminds us that true peace and understanding are found not in human ingenuity or power, but in humbly acknowledging God's sovereignty and seeking His wisdom, which alone can interpret the mysteries of life and history. It calls us to trust that even in our deepest unrest, God is at work, orchestrating events for His purposes and preparing to reveal His truth, ultimately leading us to a deeper reliance on Him.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is the specific dating "in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar" important?
Answer: The dating is crucial for several reasons. First, it clarifies the timeline within the book of Daniel, distinguishing it from Daniel's arrival in Babylon mentioned in Daniel 1:1, which occurred in Nebuchadnezzar's third year as co-regent. The "second year" here refers to his second year as sole monarch after his father Nabopolassar's death, solidifying his power. Second, it means Daniel and his companions, who arrived as captives, had already completed their three-year training period (as per Daniel 1:5) and were now ready to serve in the king's court. This positions Daniel perfectly to be God's chosen instrument for interpreting the dream, demonstrating God's meticulous timing and preparation for His prophetic revelation.
Why was Nebuchadnezzar so troubled by a dream he couldn't remember, and why couldn't his wise men help him?
Answer: Nebuchadnezzar's profound trouble stemmed from the nature of the dream itself. In the ancient Near East, dreams were considered divine messages, and a dream that caused such deep spiritual agitation, yet could not be recalled, would be terrifying. It suggested a powerful, unknown force at work, potentially portending disaster for his kingdom. His wise men, comprising magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and Chaldeans, were expected to interpret omens and divine messages. However, their inability to recall the dream (a prerequisite for interpretation) exposed the limits of their human wisdom and occult practices. This was a divinely orchestrated scenario to demonstrate that only the true God of heaven could reveal such secrets, as Daniel later declares in Daniel 2:28. The king's demand was impossible for human means, forcing a reliance on divine intervention and setting the stage for God's glory to be revealed through Daniel.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Daniel 2:1, though set in the Old Testament, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate revelation and reign of Jesus Christ. Nebuchadnezzar's troubled spirit and the inability of human wisdom to interpret his dream highlight humanity's desperate need for a divine revealer. Just as God revealed His plans through Daniel, He has ultimately revealed Himself and His eternal kingdom through His Son, Jesus Christ, who is the "radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature" (Hebrews 1:3). The dreams of earthly kingdoms, though vast and powerful, are ultimately transient, destined to be replaced by an eternal kingdom established by God Himself. This is the very kingdom that Jesus inaugurated through His life, death, and resurrection, and which He will fully establish at His second coming (Revelation 11:15). Christ is the true "stone cut from the mountain without human hands" (Daniel 2:45) who crushes all earthly kingdoms and establishes an everlasting dominion. His sovereignty transcends all human power, and His revelation brings ultimate peace to troubled spirits, unlike the temporary relief offered by human wisdom. He is the ultimate interpreter of God's will and the King of the eternal kingdom, fulfilling the prophetic vision initiated by Nebuchadnezzar's unsettling dream and offering true rest to all who believe in Him, as He promises in Matthew 11:28-30.