TRV
Translation
King James Version
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Your majesty, when you were in bed, you began thinking about what would take place in the future; and he who reveals secrets has revealed to you what will happen.
Berean Standard Bible
As you lay on your bed, O king, your thoughts turned to the future, and the Revealer of Mysteries made known to you what will happen.
American Standard Version
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 hath made known to thee what shall come to pass.
World English Bible Messianic
as for you, O king, your thoughts came on your bed, what should happen hereafter; and he who reveals secrets has made known to you what shall happen.
Geneva Bible (1599)
O King, when thou wast in thy bedde, thoughts came into thy mind, what should come to passe hereafter, and he that reueyleth secretes, telleth thee, what shall come.
Young's Literal Translation
Thou, O king, thy thoughts on thy bed have come up concerning that which is to be after this, and the Revealer of secrets hath caused thee to know that which is to be.
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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Hippolytus of RomeAD 235
Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments - Scholia on Daniel
"As for thee, O king, thy thoughts." For the king, on making himself master of the land of Egypt, and getting hold of the country of Judea, and carrying off the people, thought upon his bed what should be after these things; and He who knows the secrets of all, and searcheth the thoughts of the hearts, revealed to him by means of the image the things that were to be. And He hid from him the vision, in order that the counsels of God might not be interpreted by the wise men of Babylon, but that by the blessed Daniel, as a prophet of God, things kept secret from all might be made manifest.
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 29. "Thou, O king, didst begin to meditate upon thy bed as to what should come to pass hereafter." Instead of the true reading the Septuagint alone inserts the translation "in the last days" after the "hereafter." But if it be read thus, we must inquire quite carefully as to where "last days" have been written; and we would refute those who think the world will never be destroyed. For never would any days be called "the last days" if the world were everlasting. And as for the statement, "Thou, O king, didst begin to meditate," this would indicate the motives behind the dream; for it was for this reason that God revealed to him the secrets of the future, because the king himself wished to know what was going to happen. Also, in order that Nebuchadnezzar might marvel at the gracious gift of divine inspiration, he sets forth not only what the king had beheld in the dream, but also what he had thought to himself (beforehand).
"...and He who reveals secrets has shown thee what is to come to pass." The statement which we read in the Gospel, "Who maketh His sun to rise upon the wicked and the good" (Matthew 5:45), we realize to have been fulfilled in the case of Nebuchadnezzar also. For so great was God's mercy that He even revealed to Nebuchadnezzar secrets as to His own mode of government whereby he rules the world. Let us ask those who assert that men's characters belong to one extreme or the other, which character do they understand Nebuchadnezzar to have possessed, the good or the evil? If the good, why is he called an impious man? If the evil (which was certainly the case), why did God show forth His holy secrets to one who was evil and earthly, that is to say, earthen?
Augustine of HippoAD 430
ON THE LITERAL INTERPRETATION OF GENESIS 12:9.20
The one who interprets what another has seen is more a prophet than the one who had seen.… Less a prophet is he who … sees in spirit only the signs of the things signified, and a greater prophet is he who is granted only an understanding of images. But the greatest prophet is he who is endowed with both gifts, namely, that of seeing in spirit the symbolic likeness of corporeal objects and that of understanding them with the vital power of the mind. Such a one was Daniel. His preeminence was tested and established when he not only told the dream he had had but also explained the meaning of it. For the corporeal images themselves were produced in his spirit, and an understanding of them was revealed in his mind. I am using the word spirit, therefore, in the sense in which Paul uses it, where he distinguishes it from the mind: "I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray with the mind also." Here he implies that signs of things are formed in the spirit and that an understanding of the signs shines forth in the mind.
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 2:29 captures Daniel's humble declaration to King Nebuchadnezzar, asserting that the profound insight into the monarch's forgotten dream and its future implications originates not from human wisdom but from the divine. It establishes that the king's troubled thoughts about the future, which occupied his mind upon his bed, were divinely prompted inquiries, and that only God, the ultimate revealer of secrets, possesses the power to disclose such hidden matters and foretell future events. This verse thus sets the theological foundation for the dream's interpretation, underscoring God's absolute sovereignty over human history and all revelation.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Daniel 2:29 employs several potent literary devices that enhance its theological impact. Apostrophe is immediately evident in the direct address, "As for thee, O king," which creates a personal connection and draws the listener into the intimate nature of the revelation. Contrast is a pervasive and foundational element, implicitly setting the inherent limitations of human thought and knowledge (the king's mere "thoughts" about the future) against the omniscient and revealing power of God ("he that revealeth secrets maketh known"). This stark contrast profoundly elevates God's authority, wisdom, and unique capabilities above all earthly power and human wisdom. Furthermore, the phrase "he that revealeth secrets" functions as a powerful Divine Epithet, a title that encapsulates a core attribute of God, emphasizing His singular capacity to disclose hidden truths and future events. This epithet also serves as a Leitmotif throughout Daniel's discourse, establishing God as the sole, ultimate source of true understanding and prophecy, a theme that resonates throughout the entire book.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Daniel 2:29 profoundly underscores the biblical truth of God's omniscience and His active, sovereign involvement in human history. It establishes that God is not a distant, disengaged deity but one who knows the end from the beginning, actively orchestrating all events, even responding to the private thoughts of a pagan king. This divine attribute of revealing secrets highlights His unique power, wisdom, and authority, contrasting sharply with the futility of human attempts to predict or control the future. The verse sets the stage for the unfolding of God's comprehensive plan for the ages, demonstrating that the rise and fall of empires are not random occurrences but are under His ultimate control, all leading inexorably to the establishment of His eternal kingdom.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Daniel 2:29 offers profound comfort and a significant challenge for believers navigating an often uncertain and anxious world. In an age where anxieties about the future—whether economic instability, political upheaval, or personal uncertainties—can be overwhelming, this verse serves as a powerful reminder that God is not only fully aware of "what shall come to pass" but is actively revealing His sovereign purposes. It calls us to shift our trust from fleeting human predictions, self-reliance, or even paralyzing fear, to the omniscient and sovereign God who holds all of history firmly in His hands. Just as Nebuchadnezzar's deepest thoughts were known and addressed by God, so too are our most intimate concerns and questions. This truth should inspire us to seek God's wisdom diligently through His revealed Word and through prayer, trusting that He will make known to us what we need to know, precisely when we need to know it, all for His glory and our ultimate good. It encourages a posture of humble dependence, recognizing that true insight into life's profound mysteries comes not from human ingenuity or speculation but solely from divine revelation.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was King Nebuchadnezzar so troubled by a dream he couldn't remember?
Answer: King Nebuchadnezzar was deeply troubled not merely by the dream itself, but by its profound impact coupled with his complete inability to recall its specific details. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, dreams, especially for rulers, were widely considered significant divine messages or omens that carried immense weight for the kingdom's future. A forgotten yet deeply disturbing dream would have implied a critical, unaddressed divine warning or revelation concerning his empire's destiny, causing immense anxiety for a king whose power, legacy, and dynasty were paramount. His extreme demand for both the dream's content and its interpretation was a desperate test of his wise men's purported supernatural abilities, a test they spectacularly failed, thereby highlighting the unique and authentic power of the God of Daniel.
Does this verse imply that God gives everyone prophetic dreams about the future?
Answer: No, Daniel 2:29 does not imply that God gives everyone prophetic dreams about the future. While God certainly communicated through dreams in biblical times, as seen with Joseph in Genesis 37 or Pharaoh in Genesis 41, this verse specifically highlights God's unique attribute as the "revealer of secrets" to His chosen instruments (like Daniel) concerning His sovereign plan for history. It emphasizes that ultimate knowledge of the future originates from Him, not necessarily that every individual will receive direct, detailed prophetic dreams. Today, God primarily reveals His will and future plans through His completed and sufficient written Word, the Bible, which is fully equipped for all matters of faith and life, as affirmed in 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
How does Daniel's humility in this verse relate to his role as a prophet?
Answer: Daniel's profound humility in Daniel 2:29 is absolutely crucial to authenticating his role as a true prophet of God. By explicitly stating that the extraordinary knowledge comes not from his own wisdom or ability but from "he that revealeth secrets," Daniel deliberately deflects all glory from himself and directs it solely to God. This humility is a hallmark of genuine biblical prophets, who consistently emphasize that they are merely faithful messengers of God's word, never the source of the revelation itself. This posture contrasts sharply with false prophets or pagan diviners who often sought personal glory, recognition, or financial gain. Daniel's humility authenticates his message and underscores the divine origin and supreme authority of the interpretation he is about to deliver, preparing the king to receive God's truth rather than merely Daniel's.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Daniel 2:29, with its powerful declaration that God is the "revealer of secrets" who makes known "what shall come to pass," finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the immediate context points to the unfolding of Gentile empires and the establishment of God's eternal kingdom, Christ is the very embodiment of God's revealed wisdom and the ultimate fulfillment of all prophetic history. He is the "mystery of God" made manifest (Colossians 2:2), the one in whom "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). The future Daniel foretold, culminating in a kingdom that would never be destroyed (Daniel 2:44), is the spiritual kingdom inaugurated by Christ's first advent and consummated at His glorious second coming. Through His perfect life, atoning death, and victorious resurrection, Christ revealed God's ultimate plan for salvation and redemption, a plan hidden for ages but now made known through the gospel (Romans 16:25-26). He is the one who unveils the future, as seen most clearly in the book of Revelation, where He is depicted as the Lamb who alone is worthy to open the seven seals, thereby revealing God's final purposes for history (Revelation 5:1-7). Thus, the "he that revealeth secrets" in Daniel is ultimately revealed and fully realized in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the Alpha and Omega, who triumphantly declares, "I am the first and the last, and the living one" (Revelation 1:17-18).