Daniel 2:1-13

The Forgotten Dream. Nebuchadnezzar, troubled by a dream which had escaped him, calls his magicians and orders them to recover it and explain its meaning. When they declare their inability, he issues orders that they are to be put to death.

Daniel 2:1. in the second year: this statement seems to be in conflict with Daniel 1:5; Daniel 1:18, which imply that Daniel spent three years in training. Driver suggests that the discrepancy can be explained thus: We know that Babylonian kings did not count the year of their accession as the first year of their reign, but regarded the second year as the first. In that case, the second year mentioned here would be the third, and it is quite possible that the dream may have occurred at the end of this year, and so after Daniel's period of education was ended (CB, p. 17). For other suggestions see Cent.B, p. 14.

Daniel 2:2. magicians, etc.: Daniel 1:20 *.

Daniel 2:4. in the Syrian language: i.e. in Aramaic (mg.). From this point to Daniel 7:28 the Book is written in Aramaic. The statement seems to assume that Aramaic was used in the Babylonian court for official communications, but this is very improbable. Many scholars suppose that the words are not genuine, but were originally a marginal note to indicate that the Aramaic part of Daniel commenced at this point, which afterwards crept into the text.

Daniel 2:9. there is but one law for you: your fate is irretrievable. till the time be changed: i.e. till the king's attention is diverted to other affairs.