Daniel 2:14-24

Daniel Volunteers to Explain the Dream. To save the magicians from their doom, Daniel offers to tell the king his dream and prays to God to make the thing clear to him.

Daniel 2:14. Arioch: Eri-Aku (Servant of the Moon-god, see on Daniel 2:17), an old Sumerian (p. 51) name which, according to Sayce, was not in use in the time of Nebuchadnezzar. It occurs in Genesis 14:1, whence many scholars think our author derived it. captain of the guard: lit. captain of the slaughterers or butchers. The same expression occurs in Genesis 37:36; Genesis 39:1; 2 Kings 25:8; Jeremiah 39:9.

Daniel 2:18. the God of heaven: this title for God is often found in post-exilic literature, especially in Ezra and Nehemiah. It indicates, as Charles suggests, the growing transcendence of Jewish thought concerning God.

Daniel 2:20. Daniel's hymn of praise. This hymn emphasizes (a) the might, (b) the wisdom of God, especially the latter. The might of God is illustrated in Daniel 2:21 by His influence in history. He changeth times and seasons, i.e. the course of history does not run smoothly. There are constant crises and changes, empires are overthrown, new forces arise, and all these are due to the intervention of God.

Daniel 2:21 b - Daniel 2:23 describes the wisdom of God. God is the source of all light and knowledge, and it is because of this that he has made clear to Daniel the king's dream.