1 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. 2 Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.” 4 Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” 5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. 6 But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.” 7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.” 8 The king answered and said, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm— 9 if you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.” 10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who can meet the king's demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. 11 The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
12 Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. 13 So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. 14 Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. 15 He declared to Arioch, the king's captain, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. 16 And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king. – Daniel 2:1-16 ESV
Daniel and his three companions have been elevated to positions of honor and distinction within Nebuchadnezzar’s court. Having excelled at their training and passed their oral exam with flying colors, they are part of the royal retinue and in the king’s employment. Their rise to prominence is part of Yahweh’s strategic plan and positions them perfectly for the next task He has for them to do.
The timing of this chapter is difficult to discern. The text describes it as “the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar” (Daniel 1:1 ESV). History records that he assumed the throne in 605 B.C., the same year his father died. But his official reign did not begin until the following spring on the first of Nisan, 604 B.C. The prior year was credited to his father’s reign. Therefore, the second year of his reign would have begun in 603 B.C. and ended in 602 B.C. This would have allowed Daniel and his friends to complete their training and enter Nebuchadnezzar’s employment as the text suggests.
It is also possible that the four Hebrew young men excelled at their studies and “graduated” early, having caught their instructor's eyes and garnered the king's favor. But regardless of the timing, it would appear that they were officially trusted advisors to the king when the events of this chapter begin.
It is important to recall what the author stated in the opening chapter: “God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams” (Daniel 1:17 ESV). This almost comes across as a parenthetical statement that has no context. The reader is forced to question why God would have given Daniel this supernatural ability when no dreams or visions are mentioned in chapter one. But the author knows where the story is going and he is preparing his audience for the events of chapter two.
It just so happens that Nebuchadnezzar becomes plagued by a series of repeated dreams that disturb his sleep and unsettle his mind. These vivid and realistic dreams left him sleep-deprived and anxious to know their meaning, so he sent for his “enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans” (Daniel 2:2 ESV). These are the same men mentioned in chapter 1.
The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service. Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. – Daniel 1:19-20 NLT
But chapter two mentions another group of individuals called the Chaldeans. The Chaldeans were a semi-nomadic tribe that lived in the southern part of Babylon. Over the centuries, several Chaldeans served as kings in Babylon, including Nebuchadnezzar and his father. In time, the term Chaldean became interchangeable with Babylon. As a Chaldean himself, Nebuchadnezzar probably filled his administration with members from this elite, well-educated ruling class. It would appear that these men were known for their wisdom, not for their skills in magic, sorcery, or the dark arts. The king included them in all matters of state and commanded them to come to his chambers to help discern the meaning of his dreams.
When these wise men and their occult-practicing companions appeared before the king, they had no idea what awaited them. Exhausted from lack of sleep and the disturbing nature of his dreams, the king commanded that his counselors provide him with an explanation. He was convinced these nightmares were premonitions about the future and was determined to know their meaning.
It seems that the Chaldeans were the first to speak up. These wise men offered to interpret the king’s dream but only on the condition that he divulge the content. The text indicates that the rest of the conversation between the king and his advisors was in Aramaic, the lingua franca of the land. From verse 3 to the end of the chapter, the dialogue is in Aramaic, not Hebrew. This note seems intended to highlight the stark difference between the four Hebrew men and their Babylonian peers. While is it certain that Daniel and his friends learned to read, write, and speak Aramaic as part of their 3-year training program, they were not in the room when these conversations took place. Despite their superior “wisdom and understanding” (Daniel 1:20), they had not been summoned to the king’s presence. The entire exchange was an in-house matter, between the king and his fellow Babylonians.
But these men were caught in a dilemma. They could not tell the king the meaning of the dreams unless he told them the content. This is especially noteworthy considering that these men were renowned for their ability to speak with the dead, read the stars, and predict the future. These self-proclaimed fortune tellers were stumped.
“Please, Your Majesty. Tell us the dream, and we will tell you what it means.” – Daniel 2:7 NLT
But Nebuchadnezzar wasn’t buying what they were selling. He demanded that they prove their powers of perception by providing the content of the dream and its meaning – under penalty of death.
“I know what you are doing! You’re stalling for time because you know I am serious when I say, ‘If you don’t tell me the dream, you are doomed.’ So you have conspired to tell me lies, hoping I will change my mind. But tell me the dream, and then I’ll know that you can tell me what it means.” – Daniel 2:8-9 NLT
Their reaction? Panic. Despite their illustrious titles, they know they can’t do what the king demands. They couldn't know what the king dreamed unless he told them. But King Nebuchadnezzar stuck to his original plan, threatening to kill them if they failed to do what he said. Under the threat of death, they finally own up and confess the obvious.
“No one on earth can tell the king his dream! And no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer! The king’s demand is impossible. No one except the gods can tell you your dream, and they do not live here among people.” – Daniel 2:10-11 NLT
What a perfect set-up. Faced with the impossible task of discerning the king’s dreams and their meaning, they admit that the request is way above their pay grade. They are out of their league. Fearing for their lives, they tell the king that this is a job for the gods, who don’t inhabit the realm of men. This admission speaks volumes because it reveals the sad reality of their theology. Their gods were distant and disinterested in the affairs of men. They were inaccessible and out of reach. Amazingly, none of these men suggested that their gods be consulted or considered as the logical solution to the dilemma. Instead, they use the gods as an excuse.
But their ploy failed. Instead of releasing these men from their obligation, the king doubled down on his threat and sentenced them all to death. But this is where the story gets interesting. The king’s edict was all-inclusive, condemning every magician, enchanter, astrologer, and Chaldean in his realm. News of this fateful death sentence spread fast and reached the ears of Daniel, who was informed that his name and those of his friends were included on the list of those to die.
When the captain of the king’s guard appeared at Daniel’s door to carry out his execution, Daniel didn’t panic. Instead, he “handled the situation with wisdom and discretion” (Daniel 2:14 NLT). Unaware of what precipitated his death sentence, Daniel asked the captain for an explanation. When he heard the details behind the king’s edict, he immediately requested an audience with the king.
There is no indication that Daniel has used his God-ordained gift of interpreting dreams and visions. Verse 17 of chapter one seems to be a premonition or prediction of things to come. It prepares the reader to expect something to happen in the chapters ahead. Daniel has never interpreted dreams before and, from the gist of the story, it is not even clear that Daniel is aware of his special gift. But he is nonplused by the king’s decree and appears confident that he can decipher the dream’s meaning.
Unlike his Babylonian counterparts, Daniel knows that his God is accessible and fully capable of assisting him in his time of need. He doesn’t panic or fly off the handle in a fit of rage. He reasons wisely and discerningly with his executioner, buying time to seek the will of God. Faced with the threat of death, Daniel will gather his three friends and seek the favor of Yahweh. Daniel and his companions would have been well-versed in the Hebrew Scriptures, including the Psalms. So, as they considered the life-threatening nature of their circumstances, they may have turned to the words of the psalmist for encouragement.
In my distress I prayed to the Lord,
and the Lord answered me and set me free.
The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?
Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me.
I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in people.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes. – Psalm 118:5-9 NLT
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