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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Daniel 2:1-13

We meet with a great difficulty in the date of this story; it is said to be in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 2:1. Now Daniel was carried to Babylon in his first year, and, it should seem, he was three years under tutors and governors before he was presented to the king, Dan. 1:5. How then could this happen in the second year? Perhaps, though three years were appointed for the education of other children, yet Daniel was so forward that he was taken into business when he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:3

And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream ,.... What before is called dreams is here expressed in the singular, a dream; for it was but one dream, though it contained in it various things; this the king could remember, that he had a dream; for it had left some impression on his mind, though he could not call to mind what it was about. Aben Ezra makes mention of one of their Gaons or Rabbins, that affirmed that Nebuchadnezzar knew his dream, but was willing to try the wise men; but,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 2:3

Verse 3 Daniel relates first the great confidence of the Chaldeans, since they dared to promise the interpretation of a dream as yet unknown to them. The king says he was troubled through desire to understand the dream; by which he signifies that a kind of riddle was divinely set, before him. He confesses his ignorance, while the importance of the object may be gathered from his words. Since, then, the king testifies his desire to inquire concerning a matter obscure and profound, and exceeding... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 2:1-13

The revelation lost. "My spirit was troubled to know the dream" ( Daniel 2:3 ). Since the word "and," at the beginning of this chapter, links it with Daniel 1:21 , i.e. Daniel's public life with Daniel's preparation, it may be well here to notice what his preparation had been. 1 . At home, and the associations of Jerusalem. 2 . Knowledge of previous revelations (see Daniel 9:2 ). 3 . Moral victory at a crisis of history. 4 . Experience of life at one of its great... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 2:1-13

The failure and discomfiture of falsehood. As every drop of water on the surface of the hills has a tendency to flow towards the ocean, as every step of the racer moves towards the goal, so every event in every kingdom points toward the establishment of Messiah's empire. The exile of the Jews, though apparently a retrograde movement in the spiritual machinery; the special education of Daniel and his companions; the heathen monarch's dream; the discomfiture of the magicians;—all these, and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 2:1-49

EXPOSITION DANIEL FIRST BECOMES DISTINGUISHED . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 2:2-18

Character revealed by trial. Critical moments are tests of character, In this incident the leading features of three distinct classes of character are clearly revealed. I. THE CONDUCT OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR REVEALS THE EVIL CHARACTER or TYRANNY . 1 . It is selfish. Though the charge of a vast empire is entrusted to him, the king exercises, is irresponsible power of life and death simply for his own convenience. 2 . It is unreasonable. Nebuchadnezzar not only... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 2:3

And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. The Revised Version improves the English of the verse by putting the verb in the present, "My Spirit is troubled to know the dream." The Septuagint Version has the appearance of a paraphrase, "And the king said to them, I have seen a dream, and my spirit is troubled, and I desire to understand the dream." It is an unusual combination "to see a dream;" from its unusualness the reading of... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 2:3

And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream - That is, clearly, to know all about it; to recollect distinctly what it was, and to understand what it meant. He was agitated by so remarkable a dream; he probably had, as Jerome remarks, a shadowy and floating impression of what the dream was - such as we often have of a dream that has agitated out minds, but of which we cannot recal the distinct and full image; and he desired to recal that... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:1-23

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (2:1-23)Soon after completing their early training, Daniel and his friends were faced with a severe test. Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and wanted his wise men to tell him its meaning. However, he would not, or could not, tell them the dream. He insisted that they first describe the dream to him accurately, and then he could be sure that their interpretation also was accurate (2:1-6). The wise men replied that the king’s demand was unreasonable. No person anywhere had such... read more

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