UBF Daily Bread

GOD REVEALS THE KING'S DREAM TO DANIEL

Passage: Daniel 2:1~30

Key verse: 22

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

2 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams;^(A) his mind was troubled^(B) and he could not sleep.^(C) ²So the king summoned the magicians,^(D) enchanters, sorcerers^(E) and astrologers^[a]^(F) to tell him what he had dreamed.^(G) When they came in and stood before the king, ³he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles^(H) me and I want to know what it means.^[b]”

⁴Then the astrologers answered the king,^[c]^(I) “May the king live forever!^(J) Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

⁵The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided:^(K) If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces^(L) and your houses turned into piles of rubble.^(M) ⁶But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor.^(N) So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.”

⁷Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

⁸Then the king answered, “I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: ⁹If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one penalty^(O) for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.”^(P)

¹⁰The astrologers^(Q) answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer.^(R) ¹¹What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods,^(S) and they do not live among humans.”

¹²This made the king so angry and furious^(T) that he ordered the execution^(U) of all the wise men of Babylon. ¹³So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death.^(V)

¹⁴When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. ¹⁵He asked the king’s officer, “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. ¹⁶At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.

¹⁷Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.^(W) ¹⁸He urged them to plead for mercy^(X) from the God of heaven^(Y) concerning this mystery,^(Z) so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. ¹⁹During the night the mystery^(AA) was revealed to Daniel in a vision.^(AB) Then Daniel praised the God of heaven^(AC) ²⁰and said:

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;^(AD)
    wisdom and power^(AE) are his.
²¹He changes times and seasons;^(AF)
    he deposes^(AG) kings and raises up others.^(AH)
He gives wisdom^(AI) to the wise
    and knowledge to the discerning.^(AJ)
²²He reveals deep and hidden things;^(AK)
    he knows what lies in darkness,^(AL)
    and light^(AM) dwells with him.
²³I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors:^(AN)
    You have given me wisdom^(AO) and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
    you have made known to us the dream of the king.^(AP)”

Daniel Interprets the Dream

²⁴Then Daniel went to Arioch,^(AQ) whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, “Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him.”

²⁵Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, “I have found a man among the exiles^(AR) from Judah^(AS) who can tell the king what his dream means.”

²⁶The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar),^(AT) “Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?”

²⁷Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about,^(AU) ²⁸but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.^(AV) He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come.^(AW) Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind^(AX) as you were lying in bed^(AY) are these:^(AZ)

²⁹“As Your Majesty was lying there, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen.^(BA) ³⁰As for me, this mystery has been revealed^(BB) to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that Your Majesty may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind.

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Footnotes

Daniel 2:2 Or Chaldeans; also in verses 4, 5 and 10
Daniel 2:3 Or was
Daniel 2:4 At this point the Hebrew text has in Aramaic, indicating that the text from here through the end of chapter 7 is in Aramaic.

1. A king's outrageous demand (1-16)

King Nebuchadnezzar had a troubling dream. He told all his wise men to tell him his dream and its interpretation. They said, "No problem. Tell us the dream." He said, "You tell me my dream." They said, "No one on earth can do that!" So the angry king ordered them all to be killed. But Daniel asked the king for time to interpret the dream.

2. Earnest prayers and a dream revealed (17-30)

Daniel told his three friends to pray with him earnestly to God for mercy. God revealed the dream to Daniel at night in a vision. Daniel praised God (20-23). The king asked Daniel if he was able to do it. He said, "No one can...but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries." Daniel gave God all the glory.

Prayer: Lord God, all wisdom and power are yours. Hear our earnest prayers for your mercy and wisdom in our times of need. In Jesus' name. Amen.

One Word: God gives mercy, wisdom and power