Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 2:47
The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth [it is], that your God [is] a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
47. a God a Lord ] the God the Lord. Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges the supremacy of Daniel’s God over all other gods, and His sovereignty over all kings. ‘Lord of lords’ (bl bl), and ‘Lord of gods’ (bl ilni), are titles often given by the Babylonian kings (including Nebuchadnezzar) to Marduk, the supreme god of Babylon; but it is doubtful whether the terms here used were chosen with allusion to the fact. ‘God of gods,’ as Deu 10:17; Psa 136:2; ch. Dan 11:36.
a revealer of secrets ] as Daniel had averred, Dan 2:28; cf. Dan 5:22.
couldest ] better, hast been able to.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The king answered unto Daniel – Answered either what he had said in the interpretation of the dream, or possibly something that he had said in regard to the impropriety of offering this homage to him. Compare the notes at Dan 2:46. It is certain that, for some cause. whatever might have been the homage which he was disposed to render to Daniel, his thoughts were soon turned from him to the true God, and to an acknowledgment of him as superior to all other beings. He seems, at least, instantly to have reflected on what Daniel had himself said Dan 2:30, and to have remembered that religious homage was due, not to Daniel, but to the God who had communicated the secret to him.
Of a truth it is – It is truly so. This had been shown by the manner in which this secret was disclosed.
That your God is a God of gods – Is superior to all other gods; is supreme over all. Compare Rev 17:14; 1Ti 6:15. The idea is, that whatever subordinate beings there may be, He is supreme.
And a Lord of kings – Supreme over kings. They are all inferior to him, and subject to his control.
And a revealer of secrets – One of the attributes of divinity. See the notes at Dan 2:28.
Seeing thou couldest reveal this secret – A secret which the wisest men of the realm had sought in vain to disclose. The fact that a professed servant of God had been able to do this showed that God was himself supreme, and worthy of adoration. We have here, then, an instance in which a proud and haughty pagan monarch was brought to an acknowledgment of the true God, and was constrained to render him homage. This was a result which it was evidently intended to reach in the whole transaction; in the dream itself; in the fact that the wise men of Babylon could not interpret it; and in the fact that an acknowledged servant of the Most High had been enabled to make the disclosure. The instance is instructive, as showing to what extent a mind clearly not under the influence of any genuine piety – for subsequent events showed that no permanent effects were produced on him, and that he was still an idolater Dan. 3, and a most proud and haughty man Dan. 4 – may be brought to acknowledge God. See the remarks at the end of the Dan. 7.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 47. Your God is a God of gods] He is greater than all others.
And a Lord of kings] He governs both in heaven and earth.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A God of gods; the greatest and supreme God of all the world, above Baal, or Bel, and above all other gods.
A Lord of kings; the word is Maron or Maran, which in the Syriac signifies Lord, or high Lord, seeing he is the highest King of all the earth. He makes, overrules, and pulls down whom he will, 1Ti 6:15; Rev 17:14; 19:16; by this he gathers that God is a
revealer of secrets, Isa 48:3,5-8. A revealer of secrets; is supreme God, because he knows, and foreknows, and decrees all things future.
Seeing thou couldest reveal this secret; therefore Daniel had it from God, who revealed it to him, which here the king confesseth.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
47. Lord of kingsThe worldpower shall at last have to acknowledge this (Rev 17:14;Rev 19:16); even asNebuchadnezzar, who had been the God-appointed “king of kings”(Da 2:37), but who had abusedthe trust, is constrained by God’s servant to acknowledge that God isthe true “Lord of kings.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The king answered unto Daniel,…. By which it appears that Daniel interposed and expostulated with the king, and prevented the oblation to him as a god, and instructed him in the knowledge of the true God he ought to worship; as the following confession of the king more clearly shows:
and said, of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods; the God of Daniel and his companions, and of the people of the Jews, to whom they belonged, is above all gods that are named and worshipped by men: this appeared at this time for the present, though it did not last long, as the following chapter shows, a most glaring truth; that the God of Israel was above all his gods, and whom his magicians and people worshipped, and above all others:
and a Lord of kings; that rules over them, and disposes of them; sets them up and pulls them down at his pleasure; and transfers their kingdoms from one to another, as he learned by the interpretation of his dream, to which he may in this refer:
and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret; of the dream, and the interpretation of it; which he could never have done, had not his God been a revealer of secrets, and revealed it to him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
This confession is quite pious and holy, and is fraught with rectitude and sincerity; it may even be taken as a proof of true conversion and repentance. But, as I have lately reminded you, profane men are sometimes seized with an admiration of God and then they profess largely and copiously whatever may be expected from God’s true worshippers. Still this is but momentary, for all the while they remain wrapt up in their own superstitions. God, therefore, extorts this language from them, when they speak so piously; but they inwardly retain their faults, and afterwards easily fall back to their accustomed habits — as a memorable example will shortly prove to us. Whatever sense be adopted, God wished his glory to be proclaimed by the mouth of the profane king, and desired him to be the herald of his own power and influence. But this was peculiarly profitable to those Jews who still remained firm in their allegiance; for the greater part had revolted — notoriously enough, and had degenerated with great facility from the pure worship of God. When led into captivity, they became idolaters and apostates, and denied the living God; but a small number of the pious remained; God wished to promote their benefit, and to strengthen their minds when he drew this confession from the king of Babylon. But another object was gained, since the king as well as all the Chaldeans and Assyrians were rendered more excuseless. For if the God of Israel was truly God, why did Bel in the meantime retain his rank ? He is the God of gods — then it must be added at once, he is the enemy of false gods. We observe how Nebuchadnezzar here mingles light with darkness, and black with white, while he confesses the God of Israel to be supreme among gods, and set continues to worship other deities. For if the God of Israel obtains his right, all idols vanish away. Hence, Nebuchadnezzar contends with himself in this language. But, as I have said, he is seized by a violent impulse, and is not quite in his senses when he so freely declares the power of the only God.
As far then as words go, he says, truly your God is himself a God of gods The particle truly is by no means superfluous here; it is strongly affirmative. For if any one had inquired of him whether Bel and other idols were to be worshipped as gods, he might answer, “ yes; ” but doubtfully, and according to pre-conceived opinion, since all superstitious worshippers are perplexed, and if ever they defend their superstitons, they do so with the rashness which the devil suggests, but not according to their judgment. In truth, their minds are not composed when they dare to assert their own superstitions to be pious and holy. But Nebuchadnezzar seems here formally to renounce his own errors; as if he had said — Hitherto I acknowledged other gods, but I now change my opinion; I have discovered your God to be the chief of all gods. And, truly, if he really spoke his own mind, he might perceive he was doing injustice to his own idols, if there was any divinity in them; Israel’s God was confessedly held in utter hatred and abomination by the profane nations. By extolling him above all gods, he degrades Bel and the whole crew of false gods which the Babylonian worshipped. But, as we have said, he was swayed by impulse and spoke without thinking. He was in a kind of enthusiasm, since God astonished him, and then drew him on to wonder at and to declare his own power. He calls him Lord of kings, by which eulogium he claims for him the supreme dominion over the world; he means to assert that Israel’s God not only excels all others, but holds the reins of government over the world. For if he is the Lord of kings, all people are under his hand and dominion! and the multitude of mankind cannot be drawn away from his empire, if he rules their very monarchs. We understand, therefore, the meaning of these words, namely, whatever deity is worshipped is inferior to the God of Israel, because he is high above all gods; then his providence rules over the world, while he is Lord of all peoples and kings, and governs all things by his will.
He adds, he is a revealer of secrets This is our proof of Divinity, as we have said elsewhere. For Isaiah, when wishing to prove the existence of only one God, takes these two principles, viz., Nothing happens without his permission; and his foreseeing all things. (Dan 48:3.) These two principles have been inseparably unified. Although Nebuchadnezzar did not understand what was the true peculiarity of Divinity, yet he is here impelled by the secret instinct of God’s Spirit clearly to set forth God’s power and wisdom. Hence he confesses the God of Israel to excel all gods, since he obtains power in the whole world, and nothing whatever is concealed from him. He adds the reason — Daniel could reveal that secret This reason does not seem very good one; for he infers the world to be governed by one God, because Daniel made this secret known. But, then “this has no reference to his power.” The answer to this remark is easy; we shewed elsewhere how we ought not to imagine a god like Apollo who can only predict future events. And, truly, it is far too insipid to attribute to God simple prescience, as if the events of the world had any other dependence than upon his power; for God is said to have a previous knowledge of future events, because he determined what he wished to have done. Hence Nebuchadnezzar concluded the dominion of the whole world to be in God’s hands, because he could predict futurity; for unless he had the full power over the future, he could not predict anything with certainty. As, therefore, he really predicts future; events, this clearly determines all things to be ordained by him, and disproves the existence of chance, while he fulfills whatever he has decreed.
Let us learn from this passage, how insufficient it is to celebrate God’s wisdom and power with noisy declamation, unless we at the same time reject all superstitions from our minds, and so cling to the only God as to bid all others heartily farewell. No fuller verbal confession can be required than is here set before us; and yet we observe how Nebuchadnezzar was always involved in Satan’s impostures, because he wished to retain his false gods, and thought it sufficient to yield the first place to the God of Israel. Let us learn again, to do our best in purging the mind front all superstitions, that the only God may pervade all our senses. Meanwhile, we must observe how severe and dreadful a judgment awaits Papists, and all like them, who at least ought to be imbued with the rudiments of piety, while they confess the existence of but one supreme God, and yet; mingle together a great multitude of deities, and dishonor both his power and wisdom, and at the same time observe, what is here said by a profane king. For the Papists not; only divide God’s power, by distributing it in parts to each of their saints; but also when they speak of God himself, they fancy him as knowing all things beforehand, and yet; leaving all things contingent on man’s free will; first creating all things, and then leaving every event in suspense. Hence heaven and earth, as they bear either men’s merits; or crimes, at one time become useful, and at another adverse to mankind. Truly enough, neither rain, nor heat, nor cloudy nor serene weather, nor anything else happens without God’s permission; and whatever is adverse is a sign of his curse; whatever is prosperous and desirable is the sign of his favor. This, indeed, is true, but when the Papists lay their foundation in the will of man, we see how they deprive God of his rights. Let us learn, then, from this passage, not to attribute to God less than was conceded by this profane king.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(47) God of gods.He does not acknowledge Jehovah as the true God, but deems Him worthy of a place in the Babylonian Pantheon.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
47. This verse proves that the “worship” of Dan 2:46 was not to Daniel, but, as Augustine said, through him to the God whose representative he was; just as Nebuchadnezzar reverenced a living God behind the image to which he was accustomed to pour out libations. Of course Nebuchadnezzar’s words are no indication that he had turned monotheist. He was accustomed to use these titles when speaking of any one of the great Babylonian deities.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Dan 2:47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth [it is], that your God [is] a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
Ver. 47. The king answered unto Daniel. ] Who dissuaded him, with all his might, from doing on that sort, and inculcated that God was the chief doer.
Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
is = He [is].
Lord. Chaldee Adonai. App-4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Dan 2:47
Dan 2:47 The kingH4430 answeredH6032 unto Daniel,H1841 and said,H560 OfH4481 a truthH7187 it is, thatH1768 your GodH426 is a GodH426 of gods,H426 and a LordH4756 of kings,H4430 and a revealerH1541 of secrets,H7328 seeingH1768 thou couldestH3202 revealH1541 thisH1836 secret.H7328
Dan 2:47
The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
At this point in Nebuchadnezzar’s life he praises the God of the Jews as the God of gods. Nebuchadnezzar did not abandon his belief in his own pagan gods. He did not recognize the God of the Jews as the one true and living God, but only as the God of gods, as the highest or the most exalted of the gods, who excelled the other gods in might and in wisdom, and was a Lord of kings. As such Nebuchandnezzar believed Daniel’s God worthy to be honored along with the pagan gods of his own country. Later in Nebuchadnezzar’s life, he would find good reason to think more highly of Daniel’s God and less highly of his own. This was not the only dream Nebuchandnezzar had and this is certainly not the only dream Daniel interpreted for him during his reign in Babylon. God dealt extensively with Nebuchadnezzar throughout his life and it is entirely within the scope of possibility that Daniel’s influence on Nebuchadnezzar might have brought him to God’s righteousness. Unfortunately, as is the case so often, after the passing of Nebuchadnezzar, it was short lived and Babylon continued in her evil ways and paid the price for it.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
a God: Dan 11:36, Deu 10:17, Jos 22:22, Psa 136:2
a Lord: Dan 2:37, Dan 4:17, Dan 4:32, Job 12:19, Psa 2:10, Psa 2:11, Psa 72:11, Psa 82:1, Pro 8:15, Pro 8:16, 1Ti 6:15, Rev 1:5, Rev 17:14, Rev 19:16
a revealer: Dan 2:19, Dan 2:28, Dan 4:8, Dan 4:9, Gen 41:39, Amo 3:7
Reciprocal: Gen 31:29 – the God Gen 40:8 – Do not Gen 41:16 – It is not Gen 41:25 – God Gen 41:42 – his ring Gen 49:1 – Gather Deu 32:31 – General Rth 1:16 – thy God 1Sa 17:46 – all the earth 1Ki 3:28 – the wisdom 1Ki 8:42 – For they shall 2Ki 5:15 – now I know 2Ki 6:12 – telleth 2Ki 19:17 – Of a truth Ezr 1:3 – he is the God Ezr 5:8 – the great God Ezr 7:12 – Artaxerxes Ezr 7:14 – thy God Job 11:6 – show thee Psa 87:4 – Babylon Ecc 8:1 – who knoweth Isa 44:8 – ye are Eze 26:7 – a king Eze 28:3 – no secret Eze 36:23 – and the heathen Dan 2:29 – he that Dan 2:30 – their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king Dan 3:26 – ye servants Dan 3:28 – Blessed Dan 5:11 – a man 1Pe 1:12 – it
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Dan 2:47. The king then acknowledged that Daniel’s God was greater than ail other gods or ruters. That meant that He had honored Daniel by enabling him to reveal this secret to the king.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Dan 2:47-48. Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods Such a God as there is no other; above all gods in dignity, over all gods in dominion. And a Lord of kings From whom they derive their power, and to whom they are accountable: the supreme Governor of the world, and Ruler of all the kings and kingdoms in it. And a revealer of secrets One who sees and can bring to light what is most secret; seeing thou couldest reveal this secret Couldest discover a matter, which it would have been impossible for thee to discover, if God had not revealed it to thee. Then the king made Daniel a great man Or magnified him, as the original expression means. God made Daniel a great man indeed, when he took him into such intimate communion with himself, a much greater man than Nebuchadnezzar could make him; but because God had honoured him, therefore the king honoured him too. And gave him many great gifts Which Daniel had no reason to refuse, since they put him into the greater capacity of doing good to his brethren in captivity. These gifts were no more than grateful returns from the king for the good services Daniel had done him, and were not desired or aimed at by Daniel, as the rewards of divination were by Balaam. And made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon Which, no doubt, had a mighty influence upon the other provinces; and chief of the governors over all the wise men Constituted him the chief ruler and inspector of them who were students and professors of learning and wisdom. We are not to suppose that this holy prophet, in the exercise of the office now assigned him, would give any countenance or encouragement to any who practised unlawful arts and divinations: rather he would do all in his power to abolish all such practices, and would instruct those of whom he had the oversight in the knowledge of the one living and true God, and in that wisdom which has him for its author and its end.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2:47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth [it is], that your {c} God [is] a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
(c) This confession was but a sudden motion, as it was also in Pharaoh, Exo 9:28 , but his heart was not touched, as appeared soon afterwards.