Daniel 2:17

Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:

Then {H116} Daniel {H1841} went {H236} to his house {H1005}, and made the thing {H4406} known {H3046} to Hananiah {H2608}, Mishael {H4333}, and Azariah {H5839}, his companions {H2269}:

Dani'el went home and made the matter known to Hananyah, Misha'el and 'Azaryah, his companions;

Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:

Commentary

Daniel 2:17 marks a pivotal moment in the biblical narrative, showing Daniel's immediate and faithful response to an impossible royal decree. Faced with the threat of execution for all the king's wise men, Daniel turns not to human strategy but to divine intervention, involving his most trusted companions.

Context

This verse follows King Nebuchadnezzar's troubling dream and his outrageous demand for his wise men to not only interpret the dream but also to reveal its content, as he himself had forgotten it. The penalty for failure was death. Daniel, a Hebrew exile serving in the Babylonian court, had just successfully petitioned the king for a delay, promising to provide the answer. Daniel 2:17 illustrates his first crucial step: seeking support and prayer from his fellow believers. This decision underscores the immense pressure Daniel was under and his profound reliance on God, rather than his own wisdom or political standing, to resolve the crisis.

Key Themes

  • Fellowship and Support: Daniel did not attempt to solve this life-threatening problem alone. He immediately sought out his three trusted companions, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who were also known by their Babylonian names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. This highlights the indispensable value of spiritual community and mutual support, especially when facing daunting challenges.
  • Dependence on God: Daniel's primary action was not to consult scholars or strategize politically, but to gather his friends for what would become a crucial session of intercessory prayer. This demonstrates his deep faith and conviction that only God could reveal the king's forgotten dream and its interpretation, thereby saving their lives and honoring His name.
  • Urgency and Faith: The phrase "Then Daniel went..." indicates the immediate and purposeful nature of his actions. He understood the gravity and urgency of the situation, yet he approached it with unwavering faith that God would provide the necessary wisdom and deliverance. This act of "making the thing known" to his companions was a call to united prayer, trusting in God's miraculous intervention.

Linguistic Insight

The Hebrew phrase translated "made the thing known" is yadaสฟ (ื™ึธื“ึทืข), which means "to know," "to understand," or "to cause to know." In this context, it signifies Daniel's deliberate act of sharing the dire situation with his friends, not merely as information, but as a critical disclosure that necessitated their collective engagement and fervent prayer. It was an invitation to participate in seeking God's will.

Practical Application

Daniel 2:17 offers profound lessons for believers today:

  • Seek Godly Counsel and Support: When faced with overwhelming problems, especially those that seem humanly impossible, we are encouraged to involve our spiritual community. Sharing burdens with trusted friends who share our faith can provide invaluable support and strengthen our collective prayers.
  • Prioritize Prayer: Daniel's immediate turn to prayer with his companions reminds us that our first response to crises should be to seek God's wisdom and intervention. It underscores the power of united prayer in bringing about divine solutions.
  • Trust in Divine Revelation: Like Daniel, we are called to trust that God can reveal hidden truths and provide guidance even in the most obscure or challenging circumstances. This verse sets the stage for God's miraculous revelation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream and its interpretation.

This verse, though brief, powerfully sets the stage for a miraculous demonstration of God's sovereignty and Daniel's unwavering faith, emphasizing the critical role of fellowship and prayer in the face of daunting challenges.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Daniel 3:12 (2 votes)

    There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

  • Daniel 1:11 (2 votes)

    Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

  • Daniel 1:6 (2 votes)

    Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

  • Daniel 1:7 (2 votes)

    Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel [the name] of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.