Daniel 4:6

KJV

Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise [men] of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.

KJV (with Strong's)

Therefore {H4481} made {H7761} I {H4481} a decree {H2942} to bring {H5954} in all {H3606} the wise {H2445} men of Babylon {H895} before {H6925} me, that they might make known {H3046} unto me the interpretation {H6591} of the dream {H2493}.

Complete Jewish Bible

So I ordered all the sages of Bavel to present themselves to me, so that they could tell me the interpretation of the dream.

Berean Standard Bible

So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me.

American Standard Version

Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Daniel 4:6 records King Nebuchadnezzar's immediate and decisive response to a deeply troubling dream: he issues a royal decree to summon all the wise men of Babylon. This imperative command highlights his profound distress and his reliance on the established intellectual and spiritual apparatus of his vast empire to decipher the meaning of his disturbing vision, setting the stage for the dramatic revelation of divine wisdom through Daniel.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated early in Daniel chapter 4, which recounts Nebuchadnezzar's second significant dream, distinct from the one in [Daniel 2](/daniel/2 "Daniel 2 - Nebuchadnezzar's First Dream and Daniel's Interpretation"). Unlike the first dream, which the king had forgotten and demanded both its content and interpretation, here he explicitly remembers the dream itself, as stated in [Daniel 4:5](/daniel/4-5 "Daniel 4:5 - Nebuchadnezzar's Troubling Dream"). His immediate action in Daniel 4:6, to summon his entire retinue of wise men, underscores the dream's profound impact on him and his urgent need for understanding. This act also serves as a narrative parallel to [Daniel 2:2](/daniel/2-2 "Daniel 2:2 - Nebuchadnezzar Summons Wise Men"), establishing a recurring pattern where human wisdom proves insufficient, thereby magnifying the unique, divinely-granted insight of Daniel.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Ancient Babylon, under Nebuchadnezzar's rule, was a highly advanced civilization but deeply steeped in polytheism, astrology, and various forms of divination. The "wise men" (H2445, *chakkîym*) of Babylon were not merely scholars but a distinct class of court officials encompassing astrologers, enchanters, sorcerers, and Chaldeans (as seen in [Daniel 2:2](/daniel/2-2 "Daniel 2:2 - The King's Demand of the Wise Men")). These individuals were considered the intellectual and spiritual elite, responsible for interpreting omens, dreams, and divine signs to advise the king. Nebuchadnezzar's decree reflects the standard protocol of the time for consulting such experts in matters of state or personal crisis, demonstrating the cultural reliance on these figures for understanding the supernatural realm. The grandeur of Babylon, with its immense power and resources, is ironically contrasted with its inability to interpret a divine message without God's direct intervention.

* **Key Themes:** Daniel 4:6 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Daniel. Firstly, it reiterates the theme of **Divine Sovereignty over Human Authority**. Despite Nebuchadnezzar's absolute power as the greatest monarch of his time, he is utterly dependent on an external, unrevealed source for understanding his own dream, highlighting the ultimate authority of God over all earthly rulers. Secondly, the verse emphasizes the **Limitations of Human Wisdom** when confronted with divine revelation. The summoning of the "wise men" sets the stage for their inevitable failure, a motif repeated from [Daniel 2:10-11](/daniel/2-10 "Daniel 2:10-11 - The Wise Men's Inability to Interpret"). This failure serves to underscore that true wisdom and prophetic insight originate solely from God, not from human intellect, occult practices, or worldly learning. Finally, this act of summoning the wise men **Foreshadows Daniel's Unique Role** as God's chosen revealer of mysteries, preparing the reader for the moment when Daniel, unlike the others, will successfully interpret the dream because he possesses "the spirit of the holy gods" ([Daniel 4:8](/daniel/4-8 "Daniel 4:8 - Daniel Possesses the Spirit of the Holy Gods")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **decree (Aramaic, _ṭᵉʻêm'_):** From a root meaning "flavor," this term figuratively refers to judgment, command, or official pronouncement. Here, it signifies a formal, authoritative royal order issued by Nebuchadnezzar, reflecting his absolute power to summon his subjects and demand their service.
* **wise (Aramaic, _chakkîym'_):** This Aramaic term refers to a wise person, specifically in the context of a Magian or one possessing wisdom. In the Babylonian court, these were the intellectual and spiritual elite, including astrologers, diviners, and interpreters of omens, upon whom the king relied for counsel and insight into mysterious matters.
* **interpretation (Aramaic, _pᵉshar'_):** This word directly means "an interpretation." It highlights the specific purpose of Nebuchadnezzar's summons: he seeks not just a recounting of the dream (which he already knows) but its profound, hidden meaning and implications, which only divine insight could provide.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Therefore made I a decree":** This opening clause establishes the king's immediate and authoritative response to his troubling dream. The word "therefore" links this action directly to the distress mentioned in the preceding verse ([Daniel 4:5](/daniel/4-5 "Daniel 4:5 - Nebuchadnezzar's Troubling Dream")). Nebuchadnezzar, as the supreme ruler, exercises his royal prerogative by issuing a formal, binding command, demonstrating his absolute power and the urgency of the situation.
* **"to bring in all the wise [men] of Babylon before me":** This phrase details the scope and target of the king's decree. He commands the assembly of every individual considered "wise" within his vast empire, including the various classes of court astrologers, diviners, and counselors. The phrase "before me" emphasizes the king's direct authority and his expectation of a personal audience and solution from these experts, highlighting his reliance on the conventional sources of wisdom within his kingdom.
* **"that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream":** This final clause articulates the explicit purpose of the royal summons. Nebuchadnezzar desires a clear, authoritative "interpretation" of his dream, indicating he is not merely seeking counsel but a definitive explanation of its meaning and implications. This sets up the narrative tension, as the reader anticipates the failure of these worldly wise men to provide the divine insight the king truly needs.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several literary devices. **Foreshadowing** is prominent, as Nebuchadnezzar's reliance on the "wise men" for interpretation, knowing their prior failure in [Daniel 2](/daniel/2 "Daniel 2 - Nebuchadnezzar's First Dream"), sets the stage for their inevitable inability to interpret this dream as well. This failure will ultimately highlight Daniel's unique, God-given wisdom. There is also an element of **Dramatic Irony**, as the king, in his immense power, calls upon those whom the reader knows will prove inadequate, underscoring the limitations of human wisdom in the face of divine mysteries. The act of summoning "all" the wise men also employs **Hyperbole** to emphasize the king's desperate and comprehensive effort to find a solution, highlighting the profound impact the dream has had on him.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Daniel 4:6 serves as a powerful testament to the theological truth that true wisdom and understanding of divine mysteries do not originate from human intellect, worldly power, or occult practices, but solely from God. Nebuchadnezzar, the most powerful man on earth, with all the resources of his vast empire at his disposal, is utterly helpless before a divinely sent dream. His decree to summon "all the wise men" underscores the futility of human wisdom when confronted with the sovereign will and revelation of God. This passage reinforces the consistent biblical theme that God alone is the revealer of secrets and the source of all true knowledge, particularly concerning His plans and purposes, thereby humbling human pride and exalting divine omnipotence.

* [Daniel 2:27-28](/daniel/2-27 "Daniel 2:27-28 - God Alone Reveals Mysteries") - Daniel declares to Nebuchadnezzar that no wise man, enchanter, magician, or astrologer can show the king his dream's interpretation, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.
* [Isaiah 44:25](/isaiah/44-25 "Isaiah 44:25 - God Frustrates the Omens of Liars") - The Lord frustrates the signs of liars and makes fools of diviners, turning wise men back and making their knowledge foolish.
* [1 Corinthians 1:20-21](/1_corinthians/1-20 "1 Corinthians 1:20-21 - God Makes Worldly Wisdom Foolish") - Paul questions where the wise, the scribe, and the debater of this age are, stating that God has made foolish the wisdom of the world.

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Nebuchadnezzar's desperate summons in Daniel 4:6 offers a timeless mirror for our own lives. In moments of profound uncertainty, fear, or when faced with circumstances beyond our comprehension, where do we instinctively turn for answers? Do we, like the king, first exhaust all human resources – our own intellect, the advice of experts, the prevailing wisdom of the world – before considering or truly relying on God? This verse challenges us to recognize the inherent limitations of human wisdom, no matter how sophisticated, when confronted with the deeper mysteries of life, purpose, and the future. It calls us to cultivate a posture of humility and dependence, understanding that ultimate insight and peace come not from human ingenuity but from divine revelation. Our first and most consistent response to life's perplexing questions should be to seek God's wisdom through prayer, diligent study of His Word, and reliance on the Holy Spirit, trusting that He alone holds the interpretations to the dreams and dilemmas of our lives.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life do you tend to rely on human wisdom or your own understanding before seeking God's guidance?**
* **How does the repeated failure of Babylon's wise men in Daniel challenge your perception of worldly knowledge versus divine revelation?**
* **What practical steps can you take to more consistently turn to God as the primary source of wisdom and understanding in your daily life?**

### FAQ
**Why did Nebuchadnezzar remember this dream but not the first one in Daniel chapter 2?**

Answer: The text does not explicitly state why Nebuchadnezzar remembered this dream but not the first. However, the narrative purpose of this distinction is clear. In [Daniel 2](/daniel/2 "Daniel 2 - Nebuchadnezzar's First Dream"), God demonstrated His unique power by revealing both the forgotten dream and its interpretation to Daniel, thus proving His absolute sovereignty over human memory and knowledge. In [Daniel 4](/daniel/4 "Daniel 4 - Nebuchadnezzar's Second Dream"), Nebuchadnezzar remembers the dream, but it is so disturbing and profound that even his memory of it does not diminish his desperate need for its meaning. This second instance further highlights the limitations of human wisdom, even when equipped with the facts, and continues to set apart Daniel as the sole recipient of divine revelation, underscoring that true understanding comes only from God.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Daniel 4:6, with its depiction of a powerful king desperately seeking interpretation from fallible human sources, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate revelation of God's mysteries in Jesus Christ. Just as Nebuchadnezzar's "wise men" proved incapable of discerning divine truth, so too did the wisdom of the world fail to comprehend God's ultimate plan of salvation until it was revealed in Christ. Jesus is presented in the New Testament as the very **Wisdom of God** ([1 Corinthians 1:24](/1_corinthians/1-24 "1 Corinthians 1:24 - Christ the Power and Wisdom of God")), the one in whom "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" ([Colossians 2:3](/colossians/2-3 "Colossians 2:3 - In Christ are Hidden All Treasures of Wisdom")). He is the ultimate interpreter of God's will and purposes, not merely a dream, but the entire scope of redemptive history. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Christ "made known to us the mystery of His will" ([Ephesians 1:9](/ephesians/1-9 "Ephesians 1:9 - The Mystery of God's Will Revealed in Christ")), revealing the Father fully and providing the only true "interpretation" of humanity's condition and God's solution. Unlike the Babylonian wise men who could not provide the king with understanding, Christ, as the [Word made flesh](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh"), perfectly communicates divine truth, leading humanity to salvation and true wisdom that transcends all earthly knowledge.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Daniel 2:2

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.

Genesis 41:7

And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, [it was] a dream.

Genesis 41:8

And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but [there was] none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.

Isaiah 8:19

And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

Isaiah 47:12

Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.

Isaiah 47:14

Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: [there shall] not [be] a coal to warm at, [nor] fire to sit before it.