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Text -- Daniel 2:25-49 (NET)
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Strongs On/Off
Context
2:25 So Arioch quickly ushered Daniel into the king’s presence , saying to him, “I have found a man from the captives of Judah who can make known the interpretation to the king .”
2:26 The king then asked Daniel (whose name was also Belteshazzar ), “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I saw , as well as its interpretation ?”
2:27 Daniel replied to the king , “The mystery that the king is asking about is such that no wise men , astrologers , magicians , or diviners can possibly disclose it to the king .
2:28 However , there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries , and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the times to come . The dream and the visions you had while lying on your bed are as follows .
2:29 “As for you , O king , while you were in your bed your thoughts turned to future things. The revealer of mysteries has made known to you what will take place .
2:30 As for me , this mystery was revealed to me not because I possess more wisdom than any other living person , but so that the king may understand the interpretation and comprehend the thoughts of your mind .
2:31 “You , O king , were watching as a great statue – one of impressive size and extraordinary brightness – was standing before you. Its appearance caused alarm .
2:32 As for that statue , its head was of fine gold , its chest and arms were of silver , its belly and thighs were of bronze .
2:33 Its legs were of iron ; its feet were partly of iron and partly of clay .
2:34 You were watching as a stone was cut out , but not by human hands . It struck the statue on its iron and clay feet , breaking them in pieces .
2:35 Then the iron , clay , bronze , silver , and gold were broken in pieces without distinction and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors that the wind carries away . Not a trace of them could be found . But the stone that struck the statue became a large mountain that filled the entire earth .
2:36 This was the dream . Now we will set forth before the king its interpretation .
Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
2:37 “You , O king , are the king of kings . The God of heaven has granted you sovereignty , power , strength , and honor .
2:38 Wherever human beings , wild animals , and birds of the sky live – he has given them into your power . He has given you authority over them all . You are the head of gold .
2:39 Now after you another kingdom will arise , one inferior to yours. Then a third kingdom , one of bronze , will rule in all the earth .
2:40 Then there will be a fourth kingdom , one strong like iron . Just like iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything , and as iron breaks in pieces all of these metals, so it will break in pieces and crush the others.
2:41 In that you were seeing feet and toes partly of wet clay and partly of iron , so this will be a divided kingdom . Some of the strength of iron will be in it, for you saw iron mixed with wet clay .
2:42 In that the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay , the latter stages of this kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile .
2:43 And in that you saw iron mixed with wet clay , so people will be mixed with one another without adhering to one another , just as iron does not mix with clay .
2:44 In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people . It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms . But it will stand forever .
2:45 You saw that a stone was cut from a mountain , but not by human hands ; it smashed the iron , bronze , clay , silver , and gold into pieces . The great God has made known to the king what will occur in the future . The dream is certain , and its interpretation is reliable .”
2:46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed down with his face to the ground and paid homage to Daniel . He gave orders to offer sacrifice and incense to him.
2:47 The king replied to Daniel , “Certainly your God is a God of gods and Lord of kings and revealer of mysteries , for you were able to reveal this mystery !”
2:48 Then the king elevated Daniel to high position and bestowed on him many marvelous gifts . He granted him authority over the entire province of Babylon and made him the main prefect over all the wise men of Babylon .
2:49 And at Daniel’s request , the king appointed Shadrach , Meshach , and Abednego over the administration of the province of Babylon . Daniel himself served in the king’s court .
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics
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Names, People and Places:
Dictionary Themes and Topics:
Nebuchadnezzar |
Daniel |
DIVINATION |
Babylon |
DREAM; DREAMER |
Gold |
Persia |
Clay |
Interpreter |
Silver |
Church |
Dream |
Gentiles |
God |
Secret |
Chaff |
ESCHATOLOGY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT |
Prophecy |
Meshach |
HEREAFTER |
more
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expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes -> Dan 2:25; Dan 2:28; Dan 2:28; Dan 2:28; Dan 2:29; Dan 2:30; Dan 2:30; Dan 2:30; Dan 2:31; Dan 2:33; Dan 2:34; Dan 2:34; Dan 2:35; Dan 2:36; Dan 2:38; Dan 2:38; Dan 2:38; Dan 2:39; Dan 2:40; Dan 2:40; Dan 2:40; Dan 2:41; Dan 2:41; Dan 2:41; Dan 2:43; Dan 2:43; Dan 2:43; Dan 2:43; Dan 2:45; Dan 2:46; Dan 2:49; Dan 2:49
NET Notes: Dan 2:25 Arioch’s claim is self-serving and exaggerated. It is Daniel who came to him, and not the other way around. By claiming to have found one capabl...
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NET Notes: Dan 2:33 Clay refers to baked clay, which – though hard – was also fragile. Cf. the reference in v. 41 to “wet clay.”
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NET Notes: Dan 2:34 The LXX, Theodotion, and the Vulgate have “from a mountain,” though this is probably a harmonization with v. 45.
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NET Notes: Dan 2:35 Aram “as one.” For the meaning “without distinction” see the following: F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 36, §64, and p. 93; E. Vog...
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NET Notes: Dan 2:36 Various suggestions have been made concerning the plural “we.” It is probably the editorial plural and could be translated here as “...
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NET Notes: Dan 2:39 The identity of the first kingdom is clearly Babylon. The identification of the following three kingdoms is disputed. The common view is that they rep...
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