Daniel 2:19

Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. THEN WAS THE SECRET REVEALED UNTO DANIEL IN A NIGHT VISION - (Job 33:15, "In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men ... then He openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction")....

Here it may be gathered, that Daniel did not vacillate nor pray with his companions through any doubt upon his mind. For that sentence of James ought to _come _into our memory, namely, Those who hesitate, and tremble, and pray to God with difference, are unworthy of being heard. Let not such a one, says James, think he shall obtain anything from the Lord, if he is driven about variously like the waves of the sea. (James 1:6.) As God, therefore, shewed himself propitious to the prayers of Daniel, we conclude him to have prayed with true faith, and to be clearly persuaded that his life was in God’s hands; hence, also, he felt that God did not vainly harass the mind of King Nebuchadnezzar, but was preparing some signal and remarkable judgment for him. Because Daniel was imbued with this firm persuasion, he exercises a sure confidence, and prays to God as if he had already obtained his reque...

14-23 Daniel humbly prayed that God would discover to him the king's dream, and the meaning of it. Praying friends are valuable friends; and it well becomes the greatest and best men to desire the prayers of others. Let us show that we value our friends, and their prayers. They were particular in prayer. And whatever we pray for, we can expect nothing but as the gift of God's mercies. God gives us leave in prayer to tell our wants and burdens. Their plea with God was, the peril they were in. The mercy Daniel and his fellows prayed for, was bestowed. The fervent prayers of righteous men avail much. Daniel was thankful to God for making known that to him, which saved the lives of himself and his fellows. How much more should we be thankful to God, for making known the great salvation of the soul to those who are not among the worldly wise and prudent!...

Verse 19. _THEN WAS THE SECRET REVEALED - IN A NIGHT VISION._] Daniel either dreamed it, or it was represented to his mind by an immediate inspiration....

THEN WAS THE SECRET REVEALED ... - To wit, the dream and the interpretation. The thing which had been “hidden” was disclosed. We may suppose that this occurred after a suitable time had been given to prayer. IN A NIGHT VISION - A representation made to him at night, but whether when he was asleep or awake does not appear. Compare the notes at Daniel 1:17; Isaiah 1:1; Job 4:13; Job 33:15. THEN DANIEL BLESSED THE GOD OF HEAVEN - Nothing would be more natural than that he should burst forth in a song of grateful praise for disclosing a secret by mea

EXPOSITION DANIEL 2:1 DANIEL FIRST BECOMES DISTINGUISHED. DANIEL 2:1 AND IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THE REIGN OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR NEBUCHADNEZZAR DREAMED DREAMS, WHEREWITH HIS SPIRIT WAS TROUBLED, AND HIS SLEEP BRAKE FROM HIM. The versions only differ verbally from the Massoretic text as represented by the above. The Septuagint renders "And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, he chanced to fall into dreams and visions, and to be troubled with his vision, and his sleep went from him." The differences here that may evidence a difference of text are slight. Theodotion and the Peshitta are very close to the Massoretic. The Vulgate renders, "In the second year of

THEN WAS THE SECRET REVEALED UNTO DANIEL IN A NIGHT VISION,.... That is, after Daniel and his companions had importunately sought the Lord by prayer, the secret of the king's dream, and the interpretation of it, were made known to Daniel, and to him only; he being the person designed in Providence to be raised to great honour and dignity by means of it; this was done either the same night, or the night following, and, as some think, in a dream, and that he dreamed the same dream Nebuchadnezzar did, which he remembered, though the king forgot it; or, however, the same image was represented, to him, whether sleeping or waking, and the meaning of it given him: THEN DANIEL BLESSED THE GOD OF HEAVEN: gave thanks to him, that he had heard his prayer, and indulged him in his request; which thanksgiving, blessing, or praise, is expressed in the following words:...

CHAPTER 2 NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S DREAM AND ITS INTERPRETATION _ 1. The forgotten dream (Daniel 2:1)_ 2. The prayer meeting in Babylon and the answer (Daniel 2:14) 3. Daniel before the king (Daniel 2:24) 4. The revelation and interpretation of the dream (Daniel 2:29) 5. The promotion of Daniel and his companions (Daniel 2:46) Daniel 2:1. The king had a dream which was occasioned by thinking concerning the future ...

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

In answer to the supplication of Daniel and his three friends, the secret of Nebuchadnezzar's dream is revealed to him in a dream....