Daniel 2:17-23

2:17 Then Daniel went to his home and informed his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the matter. 2:18 He asked them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he ¹  and his friends would not be destroyed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 2:19 Then in a night vision the mystery was revealed to Daniel. So Daniel praised ²  the God of heaven, 2:20 saying, ³ 

“Let the name of God ⁴  be praised ⁵  forever and ever,

for wisdom and power belong to him.

2:21 He changes times and seasons,

deposing some kings

and establishing others. ⁶ 

He gives wisdom to the wise;

he imparts knowledge to those with understanding; ⁷ 

2:22 he reveals deep and hidden things.

He knows what is in the darkness,

and light resides with him.

2:23 O God of my fathers, I acknowledge and glorify you,

for you have bestowed wisdom and power on me.

Now you have enabled me to understand what I ⁸  requested from you.

For you have enabled me to understand the king’s dilemma.” ⁹ 

Daniel 2:27-30

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, ¹⁰  and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the times to come. ¹¹  The dream and the visions you had while lying on your bed ¹²  are as follows.

2:29 “As for you, O king, while you were in your bed your thoughts turned to future things. ¹³  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 ¹⁴  than any other living person, but so that the king may understand ¹⁵  the interpretation and comprehend the thoughts of your mind. ¹⁶ 

[2:18]  ¹ tn Aram “Daniel.” The proper name is redundant here in English, and has not been included in the translation.

[2:19]  ² tn Or “blessed.”

[2:20]  ³ tn Aram “Daniel answered and said.”

[2:20]  ⁴ sn As is often the case in the Bible, here the name represents the person.

[2:20]  ⁵ tn Or “blessed.”

[2:21]  ⁶ tn Aram “kings.”

[2:21]  ⁷ tn Aram “the knowers of understanding.”

[2:23]  ⁸ tn Aram “we.” Various explanations have been offered for the plural, but it is probably best understood as the editorial plural; so also with “me” later in this verse.

[2:23]  ⁹ tn Aram “the word of the king.”

[2:28]  ¹⁰ tn Aram “a revealer of mysteries.” The phrase serves as a quasi-title for God in Daniel.

[2:28]  ¹¹ tn Aram “in the latter days.”

[2:28]  ¹² tn Aram “your dream and the visions of your head upon your bed.”

[2:29]  ¹³ tn Aram “your thoughts upon your bed went up to what will be after this.”

[2:30]  ¹⁴ tn Aram “not for any wisdom which is in me more than [in] any living man.”

[2:30]  ¹⁵ tn Aram “they might cause the king to know.” The impersonal plural is used here to refer to the role of God’s spirit in revealing the dream and its interpretation to the king. As J. A. Montgomery says, “it appropriately here veils the mysterious agency” (Daniel [ICC], 164-65).

[2:30]  ¹⁶ tn Aram “heart.”