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Commentary on Daniel 2 verses 14–23
When the king sent for his wise men to tell them his dream, and the interpretation of it (Dan 2:2), 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.
I. Daniel by prudence knew how to deal with men, and he prevailed with them. When Arioch, the captain of the guard, that was appointed to slay all the wise men of Babylon, the whole college of them, seized Daniel (for the sword of tyranny, like the sword of war, devours one as well as another), he answered with counsel and wisdom (Dan 2:14); he did not fall into a passion, and reproach the king as unjust and barbarous, much less did he contrive how to make resistance, but mildly asked, Why is the decree so hasty? Dan 2:15. And whereas the rest of the wise men had insisted upon it that it was utterly impossible for him ever to have his demand gratified, which did but make him more outrageous, Daniel undertakes, if he may but have a little time allowed him, to give the king all the satisfaction he desired, Dan 2:16. The king, being now sensible of his error in not sending for Daniel sooner, whose character he began to recollect, was soon prevailed upon to respite the judgment, and make trial of Daniel. Note, The likeliest method to turn away wrath, even the wrath of a king, which is as the messenger of death, is by a soft answer, by that yielding which pacifies great offences; thus, though where the word of a king is there is power, yet even that word may be repelled, and that so as to be repealed; and so some read it here (Dan 2:14): Then Daniel returned, and stayed the counsel and edict, through Arioch, the king's provost-marshal.
II. Daniel knew how by prayer to converse with God, and he found favour with him, both in petition and in thanksgiving, which are the two principal parts of prayer. Observe,
1.His humble petition for this mercy, that God would discover to him what was the king's dream, and the interpretation of it. When he had gained time he did not go to consult with the rest of the wise men whether there was anything in their art, in their books, that might be of use in this matter, but went to his house, there to be alone with God, for from him alone, who is the Father of lights, he expected this great gift. Observe, (1.) He did not only pray for this discovery himself, but he engaged his companions to pray for it too. He made the thing known to those who had been all along his bosom-friends and associates, requesting that they would desire mercy of God concerning this secret, Dan 2:17, Dan 2:18. Though Daniel was probably their senior, and every way excelled them, yet he engaged them as partners with him in this matter, Vis unita fortior - The union of forces produces greater force. See Est 4:16. Note, Praying friends are valuable friends; it is good to have an intimacy with and an interest in those that have fellowship with God and an interest at the throne of grace; and it well becomes the greatest and best of men to desire the assistance of the prayers of others for them. St. Paul often entreats his friends to pray for him. Thus we must show that we put a value upon our friends, upon prayer, upon their prayers. (2.) He was particular in this prayer, but had an eye to, and a dependence upon, the general mercy of God: That they would desire the mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret, Dan 2:18. We ought in prayer to look up to God as the God of heaven, a God above us, and who has dominion over us, to whom we owe adoration and allegiance, a God of power, who can do everything. Our savior has taught us to pray to God as our Father in heaven. And, whatever good we pray for, our dependence must be upon the mercies of God for it, and an interest in those mercies we must desire; we can expect nothing by way of recompence for our merits, but all as the gift of God's mercies. They desired mercy concerning this secret. Note, Whatever is the matter of our care must be the matter of our prayer; we must desire mercy of God concerning this thing and the other thing that occasions us trouble and fear. God gives us leave to be humbly free with him, and in prayer to enter into the detail of our wants and burdens. Secret things belong to the Lord our God, and therefore, if there be any mercy we stand in need of that concerns a secret, to him we must apply; and, though we cannot in faith pray for miracles, yet we may in faith pray to him who has all hearts in his hand, and who in his providence does wonders without miracles, for the discovery of that which is out of our view and the obtaining of that which is out of our reach, as far as is for his glory and our good, believing that to him nothing is hidden, nothing is hard. (3.) Their plea with God was the imminent peril they were in; they desired mercy of God in this matter, that so Daniel and his fellows might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon, that the righteous might not be destroyed with the wicked. Note, When the lives of good and useful men are in danger it is time to be earnest with God for mercy for them, as for Peter in prison, Act 12:5. (4.) The mercy which Daniel and his fellows prayed for was bestowed. The secret was revealed unto Daniel in a night-vision, Dan 2:19. Some think he dreamed the same dream, when he was asleep, that Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed; it should rather seem that when he was awake, and continuing instant in prayer, and watching in the same, the dream itself, and the interpretation of it, were communicated to him by the ministry of an angel, abundantly to his satisfaction. Note, The effectual fervent prayer of righteous men avails much. There are mysteries and secrets which by prayer we are let into; with that key the cabinets of heaven are unlocked, for Christ has said, Thus knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
2.His grateful thanksgiving for this mercy when he had received it: Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven, Dan 2:19. He did not stay till he had told it to the king, and seen whether he would own it to be his dream or no, but was confident that it was so, and that he had gained his point, and therefore he immediately turned his prayers into praises. As he had prayed in a full assurance that God would do this for him, so he gave thanks in a full assurance that he had done it; and in both he had an eye to God as the God of heaven. His prayer was not recorded, but his thanksgiving is. Observe,
(1.)The honour he gives to God in this thanksgiving, which he studies to do in a great variety and copiousness of expression: Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever. There is that for ever in God which is to be blessed and praised; it is unchangeably and eternally in him. And it is to be blessed for ever and ever; as the matter of praise is God's eternal perfection, so the work of praise shall be everlastingly in the doing. [1.] He gives to God the glory of what he is in himself: Wisdom and might are his, wisdom and courage (so some); whatever is fit to be done he will do; whatever he will do he can do, he dares do, and he will be sure to do it in the best manner, for he has infinite wisdom to design and contrive and infinite power to execute and accomplish. With him are strength and wisdom, which in men are often parted. [2.] He gives him the glory of what he is to the world of mankind. He has a universal influence and agency upon all the children of men, and all their actions and affairs. Are the times changed? Is the posture of affairs altered? Does every thing lie open to mutability? It is God that changes the times and the seasons, and the face of them. No change comes to pass by chance, but according to the will and counsel of God. Are those that were kings removed and deposed? Do they abdicate? Are they laid aside? It is God that removes kings. Are the poor raised out of the dust, to be set among princes? It is God that sets up kings; and the making and unmaking of kings is a flower of his crown who is the fountain of all power, King of kings and Lord of lords. Are there men that excel others in wisdom, philosophers and statesmen, that think above the common rate, contemplative penetrating men? It is God that gives wisdom to the wise, whether they be so wise as to acknowledge it or no; they have it not of themselves, but it is he that gives knowledge to those that know understanding, which is a good reason why we should not be proud of our knowledge, and why we should serve and honour God with it and make it our business to know him. [3.] He gives him the glory of this particular discovery. He praises him, First, For that he could make such a discovery (Dan 2:22): He reveals the deep and secret things which are hidden from the eyes of all living. It was he that revealed to man what is true wisdom when none else could (Job 28:27, Job 28:28); it is he that reveals things to come to his servants and prophets. He does himself perfectly discern and distinguish that which is most closely and most industriously concealed, for he will bring into judgment every secret thing; the truth will be evident in the great day. He knows what is in the darkness, and what is done in the darkness, for that hides not from him, Psa 139:11, Psa 139:12. The light dwells with him, and he dwells in the light (Ti1 6:16), and yet, as to us, he makes darkness his pavilion. Some understand it of the light of prophecy and divine revelation, which dwells with God and is derived from him; for he is the Father of lights, of all lights; they are all at home in him. Secondly, For that he had made this discovery to him. Here he has an eye to God as the God of his fathers; for, though the Jews were now captives in Babylon, yet they were beloved for their father's sake. He praises God, who is the fountain of wisdom and might, for the wisdom and might he had given him, wisdom to know this great secret and might to bear the discovery. Note, What wisdom and might we have we must acknowledge to be God's gift. Thou hast made this known to me, Dan 2:23. What was hidden from the celebrated Chaldeans, who made the interpreting of dreams their profession, is revealed to Daniel, a captive-Jew, a babe, much their junior. God would hereby put honour upon the Spirit of prophecy just when he was putting contempt upon the spirit of divination. Was Daniel thus thankful to God for making known that to him which was the saving of the lives of him and his fellows? Much more reason have we to be thankful to him for making known to us the great salvation of the soul, to us and not to the world, to us and not to the wise and prudent.
(2.)The respect he puts upon his companions in this thanksgiving. Though it was by his prayers principally that this discovery was obtained, and to him that it was made, yet he owns their partnership with him, both in praying for it (it is what we desired of thee) and in enjoying it - Thou hast made known unto us the king's matter. Either they were present with Daniel when the discovery was made to him, or as soon as he knew it he told it them (heurēka, heurēka - I have found it, I have found it), that those who had assisted him with their prayers might assist him in their praises; his joining them with him is an instance of his humility and modesty, which well become those that are taken into communion with God. Thus St. Paul sometimes joins Sylvanus, Timotheus, or some other minister, with himself in the inscriptions to many of his epistles. Note, What honour God puts upon us we should be willing that our brethren may share with us in.
We find in the books of Kings the very holy woman Hannah fulfilling the precepts of this Gospel teaching. For while praying without uttering a sound, in her heart and in the sight of God she poured out her desire in her prayers. She was immediately found worthy to be heard by the Lord. In the same way the Lord granted to Daniel, who always prayed in secret with three servants, to understand the interpretations of his dream and the secrets of revelation. Cornelius too, not yet instructed in the gospel, prayed secretly and faithfully in his room and was found worthy to hear the voice of the angel speaking.
Truly, much that is true is found in the midst of the lies. Those who seek God are the friends of truth, while those who depend on human reason alone are wicked and in all they say and do attempt to seduce people. But the friends of truth adhere to nothing apart from that which comes from on high. They call on the One who rules over all, taking heed to depend on prayer, standing steadfast, not distressed, not at this moment or in this place, but standing against the onslaught of human reason. And through the testimony of blessed Daniel, we see the beloved youth given straightaway the revelation concerning the dream, not because of his calculations but simply because it was proper time to hand over to the one who prays. He alone was of great courage, but at the same time his companions jointly took up the prayer. For none had abandoned the hope.
What a skillful workman the Spirit is! There is no question of delay in learning. It no sooner touches the mind in regard to anything it chooses than it teaches; its very touch is teaching. It changes a human mind in a moment to enlighten it; suddenly what it was no longer is, suddenly it is what it was not.
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SUMMARY
Daniel 2:18 encapsulates a critical moment of profound faith and urgent intercession, revealing Daniel's immediate and decisive response to King Nebuchadnezzar's decree to execute all the wise men of Babylon. Facing imminent death for himself and his three companions, Daniel turns not to human ingenuity or political maneuvering, but to the "God of heaven," seeking divine mercy and revelation concerning the king's forgotten dream and its interpretation. This pivotal verse powerfully underscores the absolute reliance on God's sovereignty and the indispensable role of intercessory prayer in the face of seemingly insurmountable human challenges, setting the stage for God's miraculous intervention.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several potent literary devices that amplify its theological and narrative impact. Irony is powerfully present in the stark contrast between the "wise men" of Babylon, renowned for their occult knowledge and wisdom, who are utterly helpless and condemned before the king's demand, and Daniel, a captive Hebrew, who confidently turns to the one true source of wisdom—the "God of heaven"—for the impossible revelation. This highlights the futility of human wisdom apart from divine truth. The phrase "God of heaven" functions as a powerful epithet, emphasizing God's transcendence, His supreme authority over all earthly powers and circumstances, and His distinctness from the localized, limited deities of Babylon. The "secret" (Aramaic: raz) acts as a central motif throughout Daniel 2, representing divine knowledge inaccessible to human reason, which only God can disclose, thereby demonstrating His unique power, omniscience, and sovereignty. Finally, the collective "Daniel and his fellows" underscores the theme of solidarity and the profound spiritual strength found in communal prayer and shared faith in the face of shared adversity.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Daniel 2:18 serves as a profound testament to the efficacy of prayer and God's sovereign control over human affairs, even in the most desperate and seemingly impossible circumstances. It establishes a clear pattern seen throughout biblical history where God's people, when faced with overwhelming odds, turn to Him in humble dependence, recognizing Him as the ultimate source of wisdom, mercy, and deliverance. This act of seeking "mercies of the God of heaven" foreshadows the greater revelation of God's overarching plan for humanity, a plan that consistently unfolds through seemingly insurmountable obstacles and divine interventions. The "secret" of Nebuchadnezzar's dream is a microcosm of the larger mysteries of God's kingdom and His redemptive purposes, which He alone has the power to reveal to those who seek Him diligently and faithfully.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Daniel 2:18 offers a timeless and profoundly practical model for navigating life's most daunting challenges and crises. When confronted with circumstances that appear insurmountable, where human wisdom, resources, or connections prove utterly insufficient, our first, most confident, and most effective recourse should be to "desire mercies of the God of heaven." This verse calls us to cultivate a life of profound and unwavering dependence on God, recognizing that He is not only intimately aware of our deepest needs and most desperate situations but is also infinitely able and willing to intervene with divine wisdom, supernatural guidance, and miraculous deliverance. It serves as a powerful reminder that prayer is not merely a last resort to be employed when all else fails, but rather a primary and powerful means of engaging directly with the sovereign Lord of the universe, who holds all things in His hands. Furthermore, Daniel's intentional act of gathering his "fellows" underscores the vital importance of communal prayer and spiritual solidarity within the body of Christ. In a world that often promotes rugged individualism and self-reliance, Daniel exemplifies the immense strength, encouragement, and spiritual power found in shared faith and corporate intercession, encouraging us to seek the support of our spiritual community when facing trials.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "God of heaven" signify in Daniel 2:18?
Answer: The title "God of heaven" (Aramaic: Elah shamayyin) is a significant theological designation used frequently in post-exilic books like Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. In Daniel 2:18, it profoundly emphasizes God's transcendence, His supreme authority, and His universal sovereignty. It contrasts sharply with the localized, often impotent, and idolatrous pagan deities of Babylon. By invoking this title, Daniel declares that the God whom he serves is not confined to a particular land, temple, or national boundary, but is the Creator and absolute Ruler of the entire cosmos, distinct from and infinitely superior to all earthly powers and false gods. This title underscores His omnipotence and His ability to intervene decisively in human affairs from His heavenly throne, revealing hidden secrets and controlling the rise and fall of kingdoms, as powerfully demonstrated in Daniel 2:28 and Nebuchadnezzar's later confession in Daniel 4:34-35.
Why did Daniel and his friends need to pray "concerning this secret"?
Answer: King Nebuchadnezzar had a profoundly disturbing dream that he could not remember, yet he demanded that his wise men not only interpret it but first reveal the dream itself, under penalty of death. This was an utterly impossible task for human wisdom, pagan divination, or any form of occult knowledge. The "secret" (Aramaic: raz) refers to this divinely hidden knowledge—the forgotten dream and its interpretation. Daniel and his friends needed to pray "concerning this secret" because only the "God of heaven" possessed the ability to disclose such a profound mystery. Their very lives, and the lives of all the wise men in Babylon, depended on this divine revelation. Their prayer was a humble yet confident recognition that human ingenuity and Babylonian magic were utterly insufficient, and only God could provide the necessary insight and deliverance, as He indeed miraculously did in Daniel 2:19.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Daniel 2:18, with its desperate plea to "desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret," finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the "secret" Daniel sought was a specific, temporal revelation for a particular crisis, Christ Himself is the ultimate "mystery" of God, long hidden from ages and generations but now gloriously revealed to His saints (Colossians 1:26-27). In Jesus, the transcendent "God of heaven" has drawn near to humanity, embodying divine mercy and revealing the deepest secrets of God's redemptive plan for all creation. He is the very wisdom of God, through whom all things are known, understood, and created (1 Corinthians 1:24 and Colossians 2:2-3). Just as Daniel's life was miraculously spared through divine revelation, so too is humanity's eternal salvation secured through the revelation of God's Son, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). The corporate intercession of Daniel and his friends foreshadows the perfect, perpetual, and all-sufficient intercession of Christ on behalf of His people, who ever lives to make intercession for those who draw near to God through Him (Hebrews 7:25). Furthermore, the "perishing" that Daniel and his fellows faced is ultimately overcome by Christ, who, through His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, conquered the ultimate perishing—spiritual death and eternal separation from God—and offers abundant, eternal life to all who believe in Him (John 3:16 and John 10:10). Thus, Daniel's desperate plea for mercy points forward to the boundless and ultimate mercy found in the person and redemptive work of Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and perfectly reveals the very heart and character of the "God of heaven" (John 1:18).