Daniel 2:24 kjv
Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.
Daniel 2:24 nkjv
Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: "Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation."
Daniel 2:24 niv
Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, "Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him."
Daniel 2:24 esv
Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: "Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation."
Daniel 2:24 nlt
Then Daniel went in to see Arioch, whom the king had ordered to execute the wise men of Babylon. Daniel said to him, "Don't kill the wise men. Take me to the king, and I will tell him the meaning of his dream."
Daniel 2 24 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Dan 2:21 | He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings... | God's sovereignty over rulers and wisdom. |
| Dan 2:27-28 | ...the mystery which the king has demanded, the wise men... cannot declare... but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets... | Glory belongs to God, not man, for revelation. |
| Dan 2:19-23 | Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision... he blessed the God of heaven. | Divine revelation is answered prayer, bringing praise. |
| Gen 41:15-16 | Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream... Joseph answered, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” | God alone gives interpretation. |
| Amos 3:7 | Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. | God reveals His plans to His chosen servants. |
| Jer 33:3 | ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ | God responds to prayer with divine knowledge. |
| Job 28:23 | God understands its way, and He knows its place. | God is the source of all true wisdom. |
| Prov 24:11-12 | Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. | Moral duty to intercede and save lives. |
| Ps 116:8 | For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears... | Deliverance from the threat of death. |
| Ps 75:6-7 | ...God is the Judge: He puts down one and exalts another. | God controls the destiny of nations and leaders. |
| Ex 32:11-14 | Then Moses pleaded with the Lord his God... So the Lord relented... | Intercession can avert divine wrath or decree. |
| Gen 18:23-32 | And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?” | Abraham's intercession for the innocent. |
| Num 12:6 | ...If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision... | God communicates directly through prophets. |
| 1 Cor 2:7-10 | But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery... these things God has revealed to us through His Spirit. | God reveals spiritual truths through His Spirit. |
| Heb 11:6 | But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe... | Daniel's actions driven by unwavering faith. |
| 1 Pet 3:15 | ...always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you... | Preparedness to testify about God's work. |
| Prov 16:14 | The wrath of a king is as messengers of death, but a wise man will appease it. | Wisdom can avert royal fury and its consequences. |
| Ps 115:1 | Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory... | Daniel's humility in seeking glory for God alone. |
| Matt 10:28 | And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul... | Fear of God provides boldness to confront earthly power. |
| Acts 17:24-28 | God, who made the world... He gives to all life... And He has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings. | God's absolute sovereignty over humanity and history. |
| Isa 46:10 | Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done... | God's foreknowledge and ability to reveal future events. |
| Phil 4:6-7 | Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God... | Daniel's example of responding to crisis with prayer. |
Daniel 2 verses
Daniel 2 24 Meaning
Daniel chapter 2 verse 24 signifies a pivotal moment where divine revelation empowers immediate, life-saving action. Having received the mystery of Nebuchadnezzar's dream and its interpretation directly from God, Daniel promptly sought out Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who was tasked with executing all Babylonian wise men. Daniel's words convey urgency and absolute confidence in God's power to reveal secrets. He acts as an intercessor, preventing an unjust decree of death, and presents himself as the one chosen by God to reveal the king's hidden thoughts. This verse demonstrates Daniel's unwavering faith, courage, and readiness to act upon divine truth, affirming God's sovereignty over earthly rulers and false wisdom.
Daniel 2 24 Context
Daniel 2:24 is situated within the dramatic narrative of King Nebuchadnezzar's perplexing dream. The chapter opens with the king's intense disturbance by a dream, the details of which he has forgotten, yet demands his wise men not only interpret it but first tell him the dream itself. When his Chaldean wise men confessed their inability to perform such a feat, claiming no human could do so, the king erupted in furious rage and decreed the immediate execution of all the wise men in Babylon, which included Daniel and his companions. Upon hearing of the decree from Arioch, Daniel sought time, united with his three friends in prayer, and the "mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision." Verse 24 is Daniel's proactive response to this divine revelation. It represents Daniel's immediate application of God's revealed truth to prevent widespread bloodshed, demonstrating his faithfulness and trust in God's provision in a critical moment. Historically, this account highlights the conflict between the idolatrous and superstitious practices of the Babylonian court and the true, omniscient God of Israel, showing His superiority over all other claimed sources of wisdom and power.
Daniel 2 24 Word analysis
- "Therefore" (Aramaic: lāḵēn): This connective signals a direct consequence. It emphasizes that Daniel's immediate action is a logical and righteous outflow of the preceding divine revelation and his prayer of thanksgiving to God (Dan 2:19-23). It ties God's supernatural intervention directly to Daniel's practical steps.
- "Daniel" (Aramaic: Dānî’ēl): Meaning "God is my judge," his name underscores his identity as one aligned with divine justice and truth. His actions here embody a living out of his name, acting on God's behalf.
- "went" (Aramaic: ’āzal): This verb indicates prompt and resolute movement. There is no hesitation or delay on Daniel's part after receiving the divine insight; he acts immediately.
- "to Arioch" (Aramaic: ‘al-’aryôḵ): Arioch, whose name means "lion-like," was the commander of Nebuchadnezzar's royal guard and the one directly responsible for carrying out the execution decree. Daniel confronts the immediate agent of destruction.
- "whom the king had appointed to destroy" (Aramaic: dî-malkā’ mannî ləhôbādāh): This phrase emphasizes Arioch's official capacity as the executioner. The term "destroy" (hôbādāh) is strong, meaning to ruin, annihilate, or cause to perish. It underscores the severity and finality of the king's decree.
- "the wise men of Babylon" (Aramaic: ḥakkîmê Bāḇel): This refers to the various categories of astrologers, sorcerers, enchanters, and Chaldeans. Daniel and his companions were among them, meaning Daniel was also personally in danger, yet his primary motive is to save the collective.
- "He went and said to him": A repetition of "went" coupled with the declaration "said to him" reinforces Daniel's decisive and direct approach. He doesn't send a message but directly intervenes.
- “Do not destroy” (Aramaic: lā’ təhôḇēḏ): This is a powerful, urgent negative command. Daniel, speaking with the authority of the God who reveals secrets, directly challenges the king's fatal decree.
- "bring me before the king" (Aramaic: han‘ēlnî qŏḏām-malkā’): Daniel boldly requests an audience with the highest authority, displaying absolute confidence not in himself, but in the God who has empowered him.
- "and I will tell the king the interpretation” (Aramaic: ûfišrā’ ləmalḵā’ ’ēmar): Daniel's claim to possess "the interpretation" (not merely an interpretation) signals complete and accurate knowledge. This directly contrasts with the Babylonian wise men who confessed their inability. Daniel's confidence is rooted in divine certainty.
Words-group analysis:
- "Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon": This phrase succinctly portrays Daniel's swift and divinely-prompted intervention into a deadly situation. It shows Daniel's immediate response to revelation and his intercessory posture.
- "Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me before the king": This urgent plea coupled with a firm demand reflects Daniel's authority, granted by God's revelation, to overturn the death decree. He presents himself as the divinely appointed solution, rather than just asking for mercy.
- "and I will tell the king the interpretation": This confident declaration positions Daniel as God's vessel for truth. It highlights the divine source of the interpretation, distinguishing it from all human wisdom and thereby magnifying God's name above Babylonian deities.
Daniel 2 24 Bonus section
The speed and decisiveness of Daniel's action after receiving the revelation underscore a critical aspect of faithful obedience: true insight from God leads to immediate, purposeful action, not hesitation. Daniel does not first go to the king or seek personal glorification, but rather prioritizes preventing bloodshed and honoring God. This specific instance also demonstrates Daniel's political shrewdness. By approaching Arioch, the direct implementer of the death decree, Daniel ensures that the executions are halted immediately, thus gaining precious time before presenting himself to the king. This practical wisdom complements his spiritual discernment. The phrase "wise men of Babylon" in this verse encapsulates various ancient Near Eastern mystical and scientific disciplines, all of which utterly failed compared to the revealed knowledge from the one true God, powerfully reinforcing a monotheistic polemic against polytheism and divination.
Daniel 2 24 Commentary
Daniel 2:24 is the turning point in the chapter, marking the transition from despair and impending execution to hope and revelation. It brilliantly portrays Daniel's character: he is not merely a passive recipient of divine knowledge but an active agent of God's purpose. His promptness reflects the urgency and reality of God's intervention, underscoring that divine revelation has tangible, life-altering consequences. Daniel's approach to Arioch is direct, bold, and strategic, revealing a faith that overrides fear of earthly authority. He does not boast of his own ability but presents himself as the channel through whom the king will receive the needed wisdom, setting the stage for his clear testimony that only the "God of heaven" could reveal such secrets (Dan 2:27-28). This verse serves as a powerful testament to the superiority of the God of Israel over the pagan deities and the impotent wisdom of Babylon, demonstrating that true salvation and knowledge come from Him alone. It reminds believers that when God reveals His truth, He empowers His servants to act decisively for His glory and for the benefit of others, even in the face of grave danger.