Daniel 2

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Daniel 2

It was said (Dan. 1:17) that Daniel had understanding in dreams; and here we have an early and eminent instance of it, which soon made him famous in the court of Babylon, as Joseph by the same means came to be so in the court of Egypt. This chapter is a history, but it is the history of a prophecy, by a dream and the interpretation of it. Pharaoh's dream, and Joseph's interpretation of it, related only to the years of plenty and famine and the interest of God's Israel in them; but... read more

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Daniel 2:14-23

When the king sent for his wise men to tell them his dream, and the interpretation of it (Dan. 2:2), Daniel, it seems, was not summoned to appear among them; the king, though he was highly pleased with him when he examined him, and thought him ten times wiser than the rest of his wise men, yet forgot him when he had most occasion for him; and no wonder, when all was done in a heat, and nothing with a cool and deliberate thought. But Providence so ordered it; that the magicians being nonplussed... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Daniel 2:24-30

We have here the introduction to Daniel's declaring the dream, and the interpretation of it. I. He immediately bespoke the reversing of the sentence against the wise men of Babylon, Dan. 2:24. He went with all speed to Arioch, to tell him that his commission was now superseded: Destroy not the wise men of Babylon. Though there were those of them perhaps that deserved to die, as magicians, by the law of God, yet here that which they stood condemned for was not a crime worth of death or of... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Daniel 2:31-45

Daniel here gives full satisfaction to Nebuchadnezzar concerning his dream and the interpretation of it. That great prince had been kind to this poor prophet in his maintenance and education; he had been brought up at the king's cost, preferred at court, and the land of his captivity had hereby been made much easier to him than to others of his brethren. And now the king is abundantly repaid for all the expense he had been at upon him; and for receiving this prophet, though not in the name of... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Daniel 2:46-49

One might have expected that when Nebuchadnezzar was contriving to make his own kingdom everlasting he would be enraged at Daniel, who foretold the fall of it and that another kingdom of another nature should be the everlasting kingdom; but, instead of resenting it as an affront, he received it as an oracle, and here we are told what the expressions were of the impressions it made upon him. 1. He was ready to look upon Daniel as a little god. Though he saw him to be a man, yet from this... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2

INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 2 The subject of this chapter is a dream which Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed, but had forgot; upon which he calls his magicians and astrologers together, to tell him it, and the interpretation of it; threatening them with death if they did not, and promising them great rewards and honour if they did, Daniel 2:1 , they urge the unreasonableness of the demand, and the impossibility of the thing; which so highly incensed the king, that he ordered their immediate... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:1

And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar ,.... It was in the first year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign that Daniel was carried captive, Jeremiah 25:1 , three years Daniel had been under tutors; at the end of which he was presented to the king, as is related in the preceding chapter; and yet the following dream was in the second of his reign: this creates a difficulty, which is solved by some thus: in the second year after the destruction of the temple, so the Jewish chronicle F15... read more

John Gill

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

Then the king commanded to call the magicians ,.... He ordered his servants in waiting to send immediately for the wise men, the philosophers of that age and kingdom, that studied the things of nature, and the natural causes of things: and the astrologers ; that cast nativities, and pretended by the position and influence of the stars to know what would befall men: and the sorcerers ; or wizards, that made use of familiar spirits, and the help of the devil; necromancers that... 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

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