irrational royal nut case but because their words are a confession of the failure of paganism.12 Daniel himself reinforces their words in verse 27, and yet because there is a God in heaven—and in Babylon!—who reveals mysteries (28), Daniel can give thanks to him, 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 (23b, ESV). So by depicting the helplessness of paganism the writer wants to say: ‘Don’t you see?