TRV
Translation
King James Version
The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?
Complete Jewish Bible
The king said to Dani'el (who had been renamed Belt'shatzar), "Can you tell me what I dreamt and what it means?"
Berean Standard Bible
The king responded to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to tell me what I saw in the dream, as well as its interpretation?”
American Standard Version
The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?
World English Bible Messianic
The king answered Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?
Geneva Bible (1599)
Then answered the King, and sayde vnto Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to shew me the dreame, which I haue seene, and the interpretation thereof?
Young's Literal Translation
The king hath answered and said to Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, `Art thou able to cause me to know the dream that I have seen, and its interpretation?'
Study This Verse
Commentary on Daniel 2 verses 24–30
24 ¶ Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.
25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.
26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?
27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;
28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.
30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.
We have here the introduction to Daniel's declaring the dream, and the interpretation of it.
I. He immediately bespoke the reversing of the sentence against the wise men of Babylon, Dan 2:24. He went with all speed to Arioch, to tell him that his commission was now superseded: Destroy not the wise men of Babylon. Though there were those of them perhaps that deserved to die, as magicians, by the law of God, yet here that which they stood condemned for was not a crime worth of death or of bonds, and therefore let them not die, and be unjustly destroyed, but let them live, and be justly shamed, as having been nonplussed and unable to do that which a prophet of the Lord could do. Note, Since God shows common kindness to the evil and good, we should do so too, and be ready to save the lives of even bad men, Mat 5:45. A good man is a common good. To Paul in the ship God gave the souls of all that sailed with him; they were saved for his sake. To Daniel was owing the preservation of all the wise men, who yet rendered not according to the benefit done to them, Dan 3:8.
II. He offered his service, with great assurance, to go to the king, and tell him his dream and the interpretation of it, and was admitted accordingly, Dan 2:24, Dan 2:25. Arioch brought him in haste to the king, hoping to ingratiate himself by introducing Daniel; he pretends he had sought him to interpret the king's dream, whereas really it was to execute upon him the king's sentence that he sought him. But courtiers' business is every way to humour the prince and make their own services acceptable.
III. He contrived as much as might be to reflect shame upon the magicians, and to give honour to God, upon this occasion. The king owned that it was a bold undertaking, and questioned whether he could make it good (Dan 2:26): Art thou able to make known unto me the dream? What! Such a babe in this knowledge, such a stripling as thou are, wilt thou undertake that which thy seniors despair of doing? The less likely it appeared to the king that Daniel should do this the more God was glorified in enabling him to do it. Note, In transmitting divine revelation to the children of men it has been God's usual way to make use of the weak and foolish things and persons of the world, and such as were despised and despaired of, to confound the wise and mighty, that the excellency of the power might be of him, Co1 1:27, Co1 1:28. Daniel from this takes occasion, 1. To put the king out of conceit with his magicians and soothsayers, whom he had such great expectations from (Dan 2:27): "This secret they cannot show to the king; it is out of their power; the rules of their art will not reach to it. Therefore let not the king be angry with them for not doing that which they cannot do; but rather despise them, and cast them off, because they cannot do it." Broughton reads it generally: "This secret no sages, astrologers, enchanters, or entrail-cookers, can show unto the king; let not the king therefore consult them any more." Note, The experience we have of the inability of all creatures to give us satisfaction should lessen our esteem of them, and lower our expectations from them. They are baffled in their pretensions; we are baffled in our hopes from them. Hitherto they come, and no further; let us therefore say to them, as Job to his friends, Now you are nothing; miserable comforters are you all. 2. To bring him to the knowledge of the one only living and true God, the God whom Daniel worshipped: "Though they cannot find out the secret, let not the king despair of having it found out, for there is a God in heaven that reveals secrets," Dan 2:28. Note, The insufficiency of creatures should drive us to the all-sufficiency of the Creator. There is a God in heaven (and it is well for us there is) who can do that for us, and make known that to us, which none on earth can, particularly the secret history of the work of redemption and the secret designs of God's love to us therein, the mystery which was hidden from ages and generations; divine revelation helps us out where human reason leaves us quite at a loss, and makes known that, not only to kings, but to the poor of this world, which none of the philosophers or politicians of the heathens, with all their oracles and arts of divination to help them, could ever pretend to give us any light into, Rom 16:25, Rom 16:26.
IV. He confirmed the king in his opinion that the dream he was thus solicitous to recover the idea of was really well worth enquiring after, that it was of great value and of vast consequence, not a common dream, the idle disport of a ludicrous and luxuriant fancy, which was not worth remembering or telling again, but that it was a divine discovery, a ray of light darted into his mind from the upper world, relating to the great affairs and revolutions of this lower world. God in it made known to the king what should be in the latter days (Dan 2:28), that is, in the times that were to come, reaching as far as the setting up of Christ's kingdom in the world, which was to be in the latter days, Heb 1:1. And again (Dan 2:29): "The thoughts which came into thy mind were not the repetitions of what had been before, as our dreams usually are" -
Omnia quae sensu volvuntur vota diurno
Tempore sopito reddit amica quies -
The sentiments which we indulge throughout the day
often mingle with the grateful slumbers of the night.
- Claudian
"But they were predictions of what should come to pass hereafter, which he that reveals secrets makes known unto thee; and therefore thou art in the right in taking the hint and pursuing it thus." Note, Things that are to come to pass hereafter are secret things, which God only can reveal; and what he has revealed of those things, especially with reference to the last days of all, to the end of time, ought to be very seriously and diligently enquired into and considered by every one of us. Some think that the thoughts which are said to have come into the king's mind upon his bed, what should come to pass hereafter, were his own thoughts when he was awake. Just before he fell asleep, and dreamed this dream, he was musing in his own mind what would be the issue of his growing greatness, what his kingdom would hereafter come to; and so the dream was an answer to those thoughts. What discoveries God intends to make he thus prepares men for.
V. He solemnly professes that he could not pretend to have merited from God the favour of this discovery, or to have obtained it by any sagacity of his own (Dan 2:30): "But, as for me, this secret is not found out by me, but is revealed to me, and that not for any wisdom that I have more than any living, to qualify me for the receiving of such a discovery." Note, It well becomes those whom God has highly favoured and honoured to be very humble and low in their own eyes, to lay aside all opinion of their own wisdom and worthiness, that God alone may have all the praise of the good they are, and have, and do, and that all may be attributed to the freeness of his good-will towards them and the fulness of his good work in them. The secret was made known to him not for his own sake, but, 1. For the sake of his people, for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, that is, for the sake of his brethren and companions in tribulation, who had by their prayers helped him to obtain this discovery, and so might be said to make known the interpretation - that their lives might be spared, that they might come into favour and be preferred, and all the people of the Jews might fare the better, in their captivity, for their sakes. Note, Humble men will be always ready to think that what God does for them and by them is more for the sake of others than for their own. 2. For the sake of his prince; and some read the former clause in this sense, "Not for any wisdom of mine, but that the king may know the interpretation, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart, that thou mightest have satisfaction given thee as to what thou wast before considering, and thereby instruction given thee how to behave towards the church of God." God revealed this thing to Daniel that he might make it known to the king. Prophets receive that they may give, that the discoveries made to them may not be lodged with themselves, but communicated to the persons that are concerned.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 24–30. Public domain.
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John ChrysostomAD 407
HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 5:7
Let us not then be looking open-mouthed toward others. For it is true, the prayers of the saints have the greatest power, on condition, however, of our repentance and change. Since even Moses, who had rescued his own brother and six hundred thousand men from the wrath that was then coming on them from God, had no power to deliver his sister. … And Samuel was not able to save Saul from the wrath from above, yet he oftentimes preserved the Israelites.… And Daniel saved the barbarians from slaughter, but he did not deliver the Jews from their captivity.… So on the one hand, if we are careless, we shall not be able to obtain salvation, no, not even by the help of others; if, on the other hand, we are watchful, we shall be able to do this by ourselves, and by ourselves rather than by others. Yes, for God is more willing to give his grace to us than to others for us, that we, by our zeal to avoid his wrath, may both enjoy a deep trust in him and become better people.
John ChrysostomAD 407
HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 30
For nothing is so advantageous and so likely to pacify the hearers as to say nothing about one’s self of an honorable nature, but on the contrary, to forestall all suspicion of wishing to do so. And, in truth, much more did they [the apostles] increase their glory by despising glory and showing that what had just taken place was not a human act but a divine work; and that it was their part to join with the beholders in admiration rather than to receive it from them.… In the same manner also did the ancient fathers, for instance, Daniel, say, “Not because of any wisdom I have more than all the living has this mystery been revealed to me.” … And again Joseph, “Do not interpretations belong to God?”
JeromeAD 420
St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER TWO
Verse 26. "Dost thou truly believe that thou canst show me the dream I have seen...." In framing his inquiry he adheres to logical sequence, so that he first asks for the dream, of which the magi had replied they were ignorant, and afterwards he asks for the interpretation of the dream. The implication is that after he has heard the dream, then he would believe also in the correctness of what was susceptible of varying interpretations.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
DIALOGUE 4:50.5-6
“To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be hereafter, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be.” And a little later, “You, O king, saw, and behold, a great image.” … Daniel, therefore, in reverently indicating that the dream was to be fulfilled and in telling from what thoughts it arose, shows clearly that dreams often rise from our thoughts and from revelation. Seeing, then, that dreams may arise from such a variety of causes, one ought to be very reluctant to put one’s faith in them, since it is hard to tell from what source they come.… If the mind is not on its guard against these, it will be entangled in countless vanities by the master of deceit, who is clever enough to foretell many things that are true in order finally to capture the soul by but one falsehood. This happened recently to one of our people who believed strongly in dreams. In one of them he was promised a long life. After collecting a large sum of money to last him for many years, he died suddenly, leaving all of his wealth behind untouched, without having so much as a single good work to take with him.
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 2:26 marks a pivotal moment in the narrative, capturing King Nebuchadnezzar's direct and skeptical challenge to Daniel. Having been utterly failed by his court magicians and wise men, the king confronts Daniel with the seemingly impossible demand: to not only recall the dream he had forgotten but also to provide its accurate interpretation. This verse encapsulates the dramatic tension between the limitations of human wisdom and the omnipotence of divine revelation, setting the stage for God's miraculous intervention through His faithful servant, thereby establishing Daniel's prophetic authority and unequivocally showcasing the sovereignty of the God of Israel over all earthly powers and human knowledge.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several potent literary devices to heighten its dramatic impact and underscore its profound theological significance. Irony is prominently displayed, as the mighty King Nebuchadnezzar, surrounded by his supposedly wise and powerful advisors, is ultimately forced to turn to a young, exiled Hebrew for a solution to his profound dilemma, after his own sages have utterly failed. This sets up a profound antithesis or contrast between the impotence of human, pagan wisdom and the omnipotence of the God of Israel. The king's skeptical question, "Art thou able?", functions as a form of rhetorical interrogation, not genuinely seeking information but rather emphasizing the perceived impossibility of the task from a human perspective, thereby magnifying the subsequent divine revelation. The entire scene also serves as powerful foreshadowing, hinting at Daniel's future role as a divinely appointed prophet and interpreter of God's sovereign will, and more broadly, foreshadowing God's continued, decisive intervention in the affairs of nations throughout the book of Daniel. The high stakes of the situation, with the lives of all the wise men hanging in the balance, create intense dramatic tension, compelling the reader into the unfolding narrative of divine power triumphing over human limitation.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Daniel 2:26 stands as a powerful testament to the unique nature of God's revelation and His absolute sovereignty over all human affairs. The king's desperate and skeptical question highlights the inherent limitations and ultimate futility of human wisdom and the vanity of relying on earthly sources for divine truth. In stark contrast to the Babylonian wise men who could not discern the king's forgotten dream, God demonstrates His unparalleled omniscience and knowledge of past, present, and future. This pivotal moment underscores that true wisdom originates from God alone, who "reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with him" (Daniel 2:22). Daniel's miraculous ability to answer this impossible challenge is not a testament to his own brilliance or innate power, but rather to the boundless power of the God who answers prayer and delights in revealing His sovereign plans to His faithful servants.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Daniel 2:26 serves as a timeless and profound reminder that in moments of apparent human impossibility, God's wisdom and power are not only supreme but also utterly unfathomable to the natural mind. For believers today, this verse offers immense encouragement and a call to radical trust in God when faced with overwhelming challenges that seem utterly beyond human solution or comprehension. It compels us to recognize that our limitations are not roadblocks, but rather sacred opportunities for God to display His limitless power and glory. When we encounter situations where we, like Nebuchadnezzar, "don't know what to do" or have forgotten the path forward, this passage urges us to turn not to human cunning, worldly systems, or self-reliance, but to seek divine guidance through earnest, persistent prayer, knowing with certainty that God can reveal answers and provide solutions far beyond our natural capabilities or expectations. It also powerfully highlights the importance of unwavering integrity and courageous conviction in representing God's truth, even in hostile, skeptical, or overtly pagan environments, just as Daniel stood boldly and faithfully before the most powerful monarch on earth. Our willingness to step out in faith, even when the odds are stacked against us, can become a profound conduit for God's miraculous intervention, bringing unparalleled glory to His name and demonstrating His living reality to a watching, often doubting, world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did King Nebuchadnezzar forget the dream?
Answer: The biblical text does not explicitly state the reason for Nebuchadnezzar's forgetfulness, but scholarly consensus and theological interpretation point to it as a deliberate act of divine providence. By causing the king to forget the dream's details, God ensured that no human wise man, astrologer, or magician could fabricate a plausible interpretation without first miraculously revealing the dream itself. This strategic divine intervention set an utterly impossible standard for the Babylonian sages, thereby highlighting their complete impotence and creating a unique, undeniable opportunity for Daniel, and by extension, the God of Israel, to demonstrate unparalleled divine power, knowledge, and sovereignty. It served to underscore that true, authentic revelation originates solely from the one true God, not from human wisdom, pagan divination, or occult practices, thereby profoundly preparing the king's heart to acknowledge the ultimate supremacy of Daniel's God (Daniel 2:47).
What is the significance of Daniel being called Belteshazzar in this verse?
Answer: The mention of Daniel's Babylonian name, Belteshazzar, alongside his Hebrew name, Daniel, is profoundly significant. "Daniel" (Dânîyêʼl - H1841) means "God is my Judge," reflecting his deep Hebrew heritage and unwavering allegiance to Yahweh. "Belteshazzar" (Bêlṭᵉshaʼtstsar - H1096) was the name given to him by the chief of Nebuchadnezzar's eunuchs, likely meaning "Bel protect his life" or "Bel's prince," thereby linking him to the chief Babylonian god, Bel (Marduk). In this verse, the king uses Daniel's Babylonian name, which underscores Daniel's assimilated position within the foreign court and the cultural pressures he had endured since his exile. However, the dramatic irony is palpable: it is precisely Daniel, the faithful servant of the God of Israel, not a devotee of Bel or any pagan deity, who possesses the divine wisdom to solve the king's dilemma. This stark contrast powerfully highlights Daniel's unwavering faithfulness to his God despite his foreign surroundings and the relentless pressures to conform, ultimately demonstrating the absolute supremacy of Yahweh over all pagan deities and human systems (Daniel 1:7).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Daniel 2:26, with its profound challenge to human wisdom and its dramatic anticipation of divine revelation, finds its ultimate and most glorious fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Daniel, as the one uniquely empowered by God to "make known" the king's forgotten dream and its interpretation, perfectly foreshadows Christ as the supreme revealer of God's deepest mysteries and the very embodiment of divine wisdom. Just as Daniel stood before a perplexed and desperate pagan king, Christ stands as the one who fully reveals the Father's will, plan, and very nature, not merely for an earthly kingdom, but for the eternal Kingdom of God. He is unequivocally the "wisdom of God and the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:24), through whom all things were created (Colossians 1:16) and through whom all truth is made known. While Daniel revealed a dream concerning the rise and fall of earthly empires, Christ came to establish a spiritual kingdom that "shall never be destroyed" (Daniel 2:44), a kingdom that is not of this world (John 18:36). He is the ultimate Prophet who perfectly interprets the mind of God (John 1:18), the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), and the King of kings whose reign is eternal and righteous (Revelation 19:16). In Christ, all of God's hidden purposes, ancient promises, and profound revelations find their definitive "Yes" and "Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20), making Him the supreme interpreter, fulfiller, and embodiment of all divine truth.