Daniel 2

Daniel 2 is the second chapter of the Book of Daniel in the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament. It recounts Nebuchadnezzar II's troubling dream and Daniel's interpretation of it, which elevates Daniel's status and establishes the power and sovereignty of the God of Israel.

The chapter begins with Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, being disturbed by a dream. He demands that his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers not only interpret the dream but also reveal its content. When they declare their inability to do so, Nebuchadnezzar orders the execution of all the wise men in Babylon, including Daniel and his companions.

Daniel, hearing of the decree, requests time from the king. He and his friends pray to God for mercy and understanding. In a vision that night, God reveals to Daniel both the content of the dream and its interpretation.

Daniel then appears before Nebuchadnezzar and recounts the king's dream: a great statue with a head of gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet partly of iron and partly of clay. A stone, cut out without human hands, strikes the statue on its feet, shattering it into pieces. The stone then grows into a great mountain that fills the whole earth.

Daniel interprets the dream as a prophecy foretelling the rise and fall of successive kingdoms. The head of gold represents Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian empire. Subsequent parts of the statue symbolize other kingdoms that will follow, each progressively inferior to the previous one. The feet of iron and clay symbolize a divided kingdom. Finally, the stone represents God's kingdom, which will ultimately destroy all earthly kingdoms and endure forever.

Nebuchadnezzar, recognizing the truth of Daniel's words, acknowledges the power and sovereignty of Daniel's God. He promotes Daniel to a high position in the Babylonian court and appoints Daniel's companions to positions of authority as well.

The chapter is considered significant for its prophetic vision of world history and its affirmation of the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom. It is a key text in understanding the themes of divine sovereignty and the relationship between God and earthly powers within the Book of Daniel and in broader theological contexts.