Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 2:37
Thou, O king, [art] a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
37. a king of kings ] king of kings, a title applied to Nebuchadnezzar in Eze 26:7, though (Prince) not the customary Babylonian form of address. It is, however, one that was borne constantly by the Persian kings: cf. Ezr 7:12; and see the series of inscriptions of Persian kings, published in Records of the Past, 1st ser., i. iii ff., v. 151 ff., ix. 65 ff. An Aramaic inscription found at Saqqarah, near Cairo, is dated in the 4th year of “Xerxes, king of kings ”
for, &c.] unto whom the God of heaven ( Dan 2:19) hath given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory. Daniel ascribes Nebuchadnezzar’s dominion to the Providence of God, exactly as is done (in other terms) by Jeremiah (Jer 25:9; Jer 27:6; Jer 28:14).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Thou, O King, art a king of kings – The phrase king of kings is a Hebraism, to denote a supreme monarch, or one who has other kings under him as tributary, Ezr 7:12; Eze 26:7. As such it is applied by way of eminence to the Son of God, in Rev 17:14; Rev 19:16. As here used, it means that Nebuchadnezzar ruled over tributary kings and princes, or that he was the most eminent of the kings of the earth. The scepter which he swayed was, in fact, extended over many nations that were once independent kingdoms, and the title here conferred on him was not one that was designed to flatter the monarch, but was a simple statement of what was an undoubted truth. Daniel would not withhold any title that was in accordance with reality, as he did not withhold any communication in accordance with reality that was adapted to humble the monarch.
For the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom … – At the same time that Daniel gave him a title which might in itself have ministered to the pride of the monarch, he is careful to remind him that he held this title in virtue of no wisdom or power of his own. It was the true God who had conferred on him the sovereignty of these extensive realms, and it was one of the designs of this vision to show him that he held his power at his will, and that at his pleasure he could cause it to pass away. It was the forgetfulness of this, and the pride resulting from that forgetfulness, which led to the melancholy calamity which befel this haughty monarch, as recorded in Dan. 4.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 37. The God of heaven] Not given by thy own gods, nor acquired by thy own skill and prowess; it is a Divine gift.
Power] To rule this kingdom.
And strength] To defend it against all foes.
And glory.] Great honour and dignity.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A king of kings; he means Nebuchadnezzar in person, together with his successors, Evil-merodach and Belshazzar. The prophet would not mind the king of any thing past, nor of any other governments but those with whom his church were then and to be concerned for the future, till the coming of the Messiah, by whose coming they should support and comfort themselves against all their sufferings by oppressors; and also God would have the prophet mind Nebuchadnezzar of the stone cut out of the mountain without hands, growing and breaking in pieces all earthly power.
The God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom; it came not to thee by thy ancestors, or by fortune, or by thy valour, but the great God of heaven hath the bestowing of those, and giveth them to whomsoever he will.
Power, and strength, and glory; authority; victorious armies, with great prosperity.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
37. Thou . . . art a king ofkingsThe committal of power in fullest plenitude belongs toNebuchadnezzar personally, as having made Babylon the mighty empireit was. In twenty-three years after him the empire was ended: withhim its greatness is identified (Da4:30), his successors having done nothing notable. Not that heactually ruled every part of the globe, but that God granted himillimitable dominion in whatever direction his ambition led him,Egypt, Nineveh, Arabia, Syria, Tyre, and its Phoelignician colonies(Jer 27:5-8). Compareas to Cyrus, Ezr 1:2.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Thou, O king, art a king of kings,…. Having many kings subject and tributary to him, or would have; as the kings of Judah, Ammon, Moab, and others, and who were even his captives and prisoners; see Jer 52:32. Jarchi and Saadiah join this with the next clause, “the God of heaven”, and interpret it of him thus, thou, O King Nebuchadnezzar, “the King of kings, who is the God of heaven, hath given unto thee”, c. so some in the Talmud understand it of God k; but this is contrary to the accents:
for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory; that is, a very powerful, strong, and glorious kingdom, famous for its mighty armies, strong fortresses, and great riches, from all which the king had great honour and glory; and this he had not by his ancestors, or his own military skill and prowess, but by the favour and gift of God.
k T. Bab. Shebuot, fol. 35. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(37, 38) Interpretation of the vision. Nebuchadnezzar is the head; or, in other words, he is the first of the four kingdoms which are denoted by the image. His kingdom was the largest that the world had till then known; in fact, a writer cited by Josephus (Ap. i. 20), compares him to Hercules. We find a similar allusion to the beasts of the field as Nebuchadnezzars servants Jer. 27:6; Jer. 28:14. The title of king of kings is also ascribed to Nebuchadnezzar by Ezekiel (Eze. 26:7). We are therefore left in no doubt as to what is meant by the first of the four empires. It is the Babylonian Empire, of which Nebuchadnezzar was in every sense the head, being the actual founder of it, and its mainstay during his long reign of forty-three years.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Dan 2:37-38. Thou, O king, art a king of kings, &c. Daniel addresses Nebuchadnezzar, as if he was a very powerful king, and his empire very large and extensive. The monarch might, perhaps, think, like some of his predecessors, that his conquests were owing to his own fortitude and prudence. See Isa 10:13. But the prophet assures him, that his success must be primarily imputed to the God of heaven; for the God of heaven hath given thee, &c. Though most of the ancient eastern histories are lost, yet some fragments remain which speak of this mighty conqueror, and his extended empire. Berosus informs us, that he held in subjection Egypt, Syria, Phoenicia, Arabia, and surpassed all the Chaldeans and Babylonians who reigned before him. Josephus, Philostratus, Megasthenes, and Strabo assert, that he surpassed even Hercules, proceeded as far as Hercules’s pillars, subdued Spain, and led his army thence into Thrace and Pontus. But his empire was of no long duration; for it ended in his grandson Belshazzar, not seventy years after the delivery of this prophesy, nor above twenty-three years after the death of Nebuchadnezzar; which may be the reason why Daniel speaks of him as the only king, “Thou art this head of gold, and after thee shall arise, &c.” the rest being to be considered as nothing; nor do we read of any thing good or great performed by them. Bishop Newton, p. 408.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Think, Reader! what astonishment must have overwhelmed the mind of Babylon’s monarch, when beholding a poor captive youth of Israel’s race, not only bringing to his recollection all the circumstances which had passed before him in the visions of the night, and which no human being could have had any knowledge of but himself; but, also, undauntedly, and without fear, explaining the dream, though it foreboded the certain destruction of this monarch’s own kingdom. Oh! blessed, blessed Lord, what invincible boldness doth grace induce towards man, while humbleness towards God is in the hearts of thy people! Now, Reader, attend to Daniel’s interpretation of this dream, and then ponder over the important subject, as we know it hath literally and truly come to pass. The four kingdoms would not have merited notice, but as they ministered to the Lord’s Church. These were to succeed each other, and exactly did so, as Daniel prophesied. The head of gold, in this image, represented the Chaldean monarchy. The silver breast and arms, pointed to the Persian kingdom, which sprung out of the Chaldean, when the former was destroyed by Cyrus. See Chap. 5. To this succeeded the Grecian monarchy, marked in the King’s dream by the belly and thighs of brass. And the fourth, which was denoted by the legs and feet of iron, re presented the Roman, and which remained until that stone cut out without hands, meaning the Lord Jesus Christ, the humblest, and lowliest of the sons of men, came to establish his glorious kingdom, and fill the earth. Thus, Reader, behold both the prediction and the event; and in the spiritual kingdom of our Lord, observe how the God of heaven hath set up an empire never to be destroyed. Oh! precious, precious Lord Jesus, thy kingdom is indeed an everlasting kingdom; and thy dominion that which must remain forever.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Dan 2:37 Thou, O king, [art] a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
Ver. 37. Thou, O king, art a king of kings. ] And yet the whole Babylonian empire was but as a crust cast by God, the great housekeeper of the world, to his dogs, as Luther somewhere saith of the Turkish.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
a kingdom. The O.T. is not designed to be a compendium of “ancient history”. It is the history of Jehovah’s People, Israel; and other nations are referred to only as, and in so far as, they come into connection with Israel. Babylon was the most ancient of kingdoms (Gen 10:10). Compare Deu 32:8. Nebuchadnezzar was not the first king; but he was the “head” or beginning of Gentile dominion in the earth when Israel had been “removed” (according to Jer 15:4; Jer 24:9; Jer 29:18). These successive kingdoms are reckoned only as they obtained possession of Jerusalem. They existed before that; and each, in turn, was absorbed in the one that succeeded.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
a king: 1Ki 4:24, Ezr 7:12, Isa 10:8, Isa 47:5, Jer 27:6, Jer 27:7, Eze 26:7, Hos 8:10, Rev 1:5, Rev 17:14
the God: Dan 4:25, Dan 4:32, Dan 5:18, 2Ch 36:23, Ezr 1:2, Pro 8:15, Jer 28:14, Rev 19:16
power: Dan 4:3, Dan 4:34, Psa 62:11, Mat 6:13, Joh 19:11, Rev 4:11, Rev 5:12
Reciprocal: Jos 8:1 – I have 2Sa 10:19 – servants 1Ki 20:1 – Thirty and two 2Ki 18:24 – How then 2Ki 25:28 – the throne Est 1:4 – the riches Psa 75:7 – he putteth Son 5:11 – head Isa 13:19 – Babylon Jer 5:15 – a mighty Jer 34:1 – all the kingdoms Jer 52:32 – set Eze 28:14 – and I Eze 31:9 – made Dan 1:2 – the Lord Dan 2:32 – head Dan 2:44 – the God Dan 2:47 – a Lord Dan 4:22 – thou Dan 7:3 – four Dan 7:17 – great Zec 1:18 – four Mat 4:9 – I give Mat 20:25 – exercise dominion Rev 6:4 – power
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Dan 2:37. The description which Daniel gives of Nebuchadnezzar is for the purpose of showing why he should be represented by the most valuable of the materials. King of kings means not only that he is king over other rulers, but the phrase has the force of an adjective to describe the greatness of his power. God of heaven hath given thee means that the greater power of Nebuchadnezzar was not solely by his personal achievements, but that it was the divine will that he be a great ruler. Neither should we conclude that it was in reward for his personal merit, for this king was an idolater and a wicked man who had to be humbled severely later. But the Almighty had a great scheme of the ages that called for the existence of such a monarch.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Nebuchadnezzar was the supreme authority in the world of his day. Earlier, Jeremiah had warned the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon: that God had given Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty over the entire earth, including the animals (Jer 27:6-7; Jer 27:14). While the extent of his empire was not as great as those that followed him, he exercised absolute control as no one after him did.
"For a despot like Nebuchadnezzar, his government was the ideal type and was therefore esteemed as highly as gold. He exercised unrestricted authority over life and death throughout all Babylon. His word was law; no prior written law could challenge his will (Dan 2:38)." [Note: Archer, "Daniel," p. 46.]
The Lord referred to Nebuchadnezzar as "king of kings" in Eze 26:7. Nonetheless "the God of heavens" (cf. Dan 2:18; Dan 2:28) had given this mighty monarch his position. The king ruled under the authority of a higher, infinitely more powerful ruler.
"At the time of Creation the right to rule over the earth was given man who was to have dominion over it and all the creatures in it (Gen 1:26). Here Nebuchadnezzar by divine appointment was helping fulfill what God had planned for man." [Note: Pentecost, p. 1335. Cf. Merrill, p. 389.]
It took considerable courage for Daniel to tell the most powerful ruler of his time that he was responsible to God (Elohim). God had given Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty (symbolized by the head of the statue), power (the head’s weight), strength (the connotation of the head on a body), and glory (its value as gold). The head of gold aptly described Nebuchadnezzar. It also symbolized the kingdom over which he ruled. [Note: Young, pp. 73-74.] Nebuchadnezzar ruled about 45 years (605-560 B.C.), and his empire only lasted another 21 years. Nebuchadnezzar’s father, Nabopolassar, founded the Neo-Babylon Empire in 627 B.C., and it fell to the Persians in 539 B.C. So it existed for only 88 years.