Dan 2:1-12 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Dan 2:1-6:28: 2:1–6:28 This section contains stories and dreams from the experiences of Daniel and his friends in Babylon. Daniel exercised his special gift of understanding the meaning of dreams and his mastery of literature and science (1:17 ). Chapter 2 gives a broad schematic view of all history until the appearance of God’s kingdom (2:44-49 ). Chapters 3–6 portray the demise of Babylon and the rise of Persia. History moves toward its inexorable goal—the everlasting Kingdom of God (2:44 ; 4:2-3 , 34 ; 6:26 ). Summary for Dan 2:1-49: 2:1-49 God gave a dream that encompassed the flow of world history over the centuries, and Daniel interpreted the enigmatic imagery of this revelation. This dream and its interpretation reflect a key theme of the book—the assured final establishment of the Kingdom of God as the ultimate goal of history (2:44-45 ; 7:9-14 , 26-27 ). This chapter also demonstrates the inability of paganism to discern the activity and plans of Israel’s God. Summary for Dan 2:1-3: 2:1-3 Nebuchadnezzar’s dream disturbed him so much that he called on his specially trained advisers to help him. 2:1 second year: If the three-year training period for Daniel and his friends is understood as having occurred in parts of three calendar years, it could have been completed by this time (cp. 2:48 ).

Summary for Dan 2:1-6:28: 2:1–6:28 ^a This section contains stories and dreams from the experiences of Daniel and his friends in Babylon. Daniel exercised his special gift of understanding the meaning of dreams and his mastery of literature and science (1:17 ^b). Chapter 2 gives a broad schematic view of all history until the appearance of God’s kingdom (2:44-49 ^c). Chapters 3–6 ^d portray the demise of Babylon and the rise of Persia. History moves toward its inexorable goal—the everlasting Kingdom of God (2:44 ^e; 4:2-3 ^f, 34 ^g; 6:26 ^h).
Summary for Dan 2:1-49: 2:1-49 ⁱ God gave a dream that encompassed the flow of world history over the centuries, and Daniel interpreted the enigmatic imagery of this revelation. This dream and its interpretation reflect a key theme of the book—the assured final establishment of the Kingdom of God as the ultimate goal of history (2:44-45 ^j; 7:9-14 ^k, 26-27 ^l). This chapter also demonstrates the inability of paganism to discern the activity and plans of Israel’s God.
Summary for Dan 2:1-3: 2:1-3 ^m Nebuchadnezzar’s dream disturbed him so much that he called on his specially trained advisers to help him. 2:1 ⁿ second year: If the three-year training period for Daniel and his friends is understood as having occurred in parts of three calendar years, it could have been completed by this time (cp. 2:48 ^o).
2:2 ^p magicians, enchanters: See study note on 1:20.

• Sorcerers were incantation priests or ritual technicians.

• Astrologers studied the heavenly bodies to discern the times and seasons of major events.
2:3 ^q a dream that deeply troubles me: The king had reason to fear that his throne might be in danger from other groups.
2:4 ^r Aramaic had been established by the Assyrians as the lingua franca of international communication. The practice was continued by the Babylonians.

• Tell us the dream: The Babylonian wise men needed to know the contents of the dream in order to look them up in reference books. They did not depend on divine revelation.
2:9 ^s Only someone with supernatural insight could tell Nebuchadnezzar the contents of his dream (cp. Mark 2:9-12 ^t).
Summary for Dan 2:10-11: 2:10-11 ^u The Babylonian wise men could possibly interpret dreams, but they could not retell them without being told, and they recognized that such a thing was only possible for divinity (cp. 2:17-23 ^v, 27-28 ^w).
2:12 ^x The king was furious because contradicting or refusing the king’s command was an offense punishable by death. The king was supposed to be treated as divine, so they were violating protocol in saying that he was not. The king’s sages were also supposed to have a connection with the divine, but they admitted that they did not. The offense to the king was so severe that he ordered that all the wise men of Babylon be executed. The king’s rage foreshadows 11:11-35 ^y.