Logos Bible Study

Daniel 2:17–23

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2:17Then Daniel went to his home and informed his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the matter. 2:18He asked them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he29 and his friends would not be destroyed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 2:19Then in a night vision the mystery was revealed to Daniel. So Daniel praised30 the God of heaven, 2:20saying,31

“Let the name of God32 be praised33 forever and ever,

for wisdom and power belong to him.

2:21He changes times and seasons,

deposing some kings

and establishing others.34

He gives wisdom to the wise;

he imparts knowledge to those with understanding;35

2:22he reveals deep and hidden things.

He knows what is in the darkness,

and light resides with him.

2:23O God of my fathers, I acknowledge and glorify you,

for you have bestowed wisdom and power on me.

Now you have enabled me to understand what I36 requested from you.

For you have enabled me to understand the king’s dilemma.”37

Read in Logos
Daniel 2:21: He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding …

Footnotes

  1. 29 Aram “Daniel.” The proper name is redundant here in English, and has not been included in the translation.
  2. 30 Or “blessed.”
  3. 31 Aram “Daniel answered and said.”
  4. 32 As is often the case in the Bible, here the name represents the person.
  5. 33 Or “blessed.”
  6. 34 Aram “kings.”
  7. 35 Aram “the knowers of understanding.”
  8. 36 Aram “we.” Various explanations have been offered for the plural, but it is probably best understood as the editorial plural; so also with “me” later in this verse.
  9. 37 Aram “the word of the king.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said:

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,

to whom belong wisdom and might.

He changes times and seasons;

he removes kings and sets up kings;

he gives wisdom to the wise

and knowledge to those who have understanding;

he reveals deep and hidden things;

he knows what is in the darkness,

and the light dwells with him.

To you, O God of my fathers,

I give thanks and praise,

for you have given me wisdom and might,

and have now made known to me what we asked of you,

for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said:

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;

wisdom and power are his.

He changes times and seasons;

he deposes kings and raises up others.

He gives wisdom to the wise

and knowledge to the discerning.

He reveals deep and hidden things;

he knows what lies in darkness,

and light dwells with him.

I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors:

You have given me wisdom and power,

you have made known to me what we asked of you,

you have made known to us the dream of the king.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Then Daniel went to his house and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about the matter, urging them to ask the God of the heavens for mercy concerning this mystery, so Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of Babylon’s wise men. The mystery was then revealed to Daniel in a vision at night, and Daniel praised the God of the heavens and declared:

May the name of God

be praised forever and ever,

for wisdom and power belong to him.

He changes the times and seasons;

he removes kings and establishes kings.

He gives wisdom to the wise

and knowledge to those

who have understanding.

He reveals the deep and hidden things;

he knows what is in the darkness,

and light dwells with him.

I offer thanks and praise to you,

God of my ancestors,

because you have given me

wisdom and power.

And now you have let me know

what we asked of you,

for you have let us know

the king’s mystery.

NLTNew Living Translation

Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon. That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven. He said,

“Praise the name of God forever and ever,

for he has all wisdom and power.

He controls the course of world events;

he removes kings and sets up other kings.

He gives wisdom to the wise

and knowledge to the scholars.

He reveals deep and mysterious things

and knows what lies hidden in darkness,

though he is surrounded by light.

I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors,

for you have given me wisdom and strength.

You have told me what we asked of you

and revealed to us what the king demanded.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Then Daniel went to his home, and he made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, his companions, and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions, along with the remainder of the wise men of Babylon, would not be killed.

Then in a vision of the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel; then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

Daniel said:

“Let his name, the name of God, be blessed throughout the ages,

for the wisdom and the power are his.

And he changes the times and the seasons,

and he deposes kings and he sets up kings;

he gives wisdom to wise men

and knowledge to men who know understanding.

He reveals the deep and the hidden things;

he knows what is in the darkness,

and the light dwells with him.

To you, O God of my ancestors,

I give thanks and I give praises,

for the wisdom and the power you gave to me,

and now you have made known to me

what we have asked from you,

for you have made known to us the matter of the king.”

KJV 1900King James Version

Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said,

Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever:

For wisdom and might are his:

And he changeth the times and the seasons:

He removeth kings, and setteth up kings:

He giveth wisdom unto the wise,

And knowledge to them that know understanding:

He revealeth the deep and secret things:

He knoweth what is in the darkness,

And the light dwelleth with him.

I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers,

Who hast given me wisdom and might,

And hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee:

For thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.