Daniel 2:18

Daniel 2:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
• New International Version (NIV)He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
• New King James Version (NKJV)that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Context of Daniel 2:18

16So Daniel went to see the king. He asked the king for more time. Then he would be able to tell the king what the dream meant. 17Then Daniel went to his home. He told his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah what had happened. He told them that they should pray to God in heaven. They should pray that God would help them with this problem. They should ask God to keep them safe. Then they would not die with all the other wise men of Babylon. 19During the night, Daniel had a vision. God showed him the secret of the king's dream. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven. 20He said, ‘Praise God's great name for ever! He has great wisdom and great power.

Daniel 2:18 word by word

וְרַחֲמִ֗ין לְמִבְעֵא֙ מִן־קֳדָם֙ אֱלָ֣הּ שְׁמַיָּ֔א עַל־רָזָ֖ה דְּנָ֑ה דִּ֣י לָ֤א יְהֹֽבְדוּן֙ דָּנִיֵּ֣אל וְחַבְר֔וֹהִי עִם־שְׁאָ֖ר חַכִּימֵ֥י בָבֶֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• That they would desireבְּעָאbe‛â' be‛âh · to askH1156
• merciesרַחֲמִיןrechêm · compassionH7359
• ofקֳדָםqŏdâm qedâm · beforeH6925
• ofמִן־min · fromH4481
• the Godאֱלָהּ'ĕlâhh · godH426
• of heavenשָׁמַ֫יִןshâmayin · heavenH8065
• concerningעַל‛al · uponH5922
• thisדְּנָהdên · thisH1836
• secretרָזrâz · mysteryH7328
• that Danielדָּנִיֵּאל, דָּנִאֵלdânîyê'l · DanielH1841
• and his fellowsחֲבַרchăbar · fellowH2269
• should notלָאlâ' lâh · notH3809
• perishאֲבַד'ăbad · to destroyH7
• withעִם‛im · withH5974
• the restשְׁאָרshe'âr · remainderH7606
• of the wiseחַכִּיםchakkîym · wiseH2445
• of Babylonבָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶלbâbel · BabylonH895

Cross-references for Daniel 2:18

• Daniel 3:17We serve a great God. If you throw us into the very hot fire, he is able to keep us safe. Yes, sir, he will keep us safe from your power too.
• 1 Samuel 17:37The Lord has kept me safe from lions and bears. He will also save me from the power of this Philistine soldier.’ So Saul said to David, ‘Then do it! I pray that the Lord will help you.’
• Esther 4:15Then Esther sent this answer to Mordecai:
• Psalms 50:15Pray to me when you are in trouble. Then I will rescue you, and you will praise me.’
• Psalms 91:15When he calls to me for help, I will answer him. When he has trouble, I will be with him. I will rescue him, and people will respect him.
• Proverbs 3:5Trust in the Lord completely. Do not think that you understand things well enough for yourself.
• Isaiah 37:4The Assyrian officer has brought a message from his king to insult the God who lives for ever. Maybe the Lord your God has heard that message. He should punish the officer for his wicked message. So please pray for the people who remain in Jerusalem.’
• Jeremiah 33:3“Call out to me and I will answer you. I will tell you about great things. They are secret things that you do not yet know.”
• Matthew 18:12Think about a man who has 100 sheep. He discovers that one of his sheep is not there with the others. What does he do? He leaves all his other sheep on the hills. He goes to look for the one lost sheep.
• Acts 4:24The believers listened to what Peter and John told them. Then they all prayed together. They said to God, ‘You are the Lord who rules over everything. You made the sky, the earth and the sea. You also made everything that is in them.
• Acts 12:4After the soldiers caught Peter, they put him in prison. While he was in prison, four different groups of soldiers guarded him. There were four soldiers in each group. Herod wanted to judge Peter in front of everybody. After the Passover festival had finished, he would bring Peter out of the prison to do this.
• Romans 15:30My Christian friends, please pray for me as I do this difficult work. Together we belong to our Lord Jesus Christ. God's Spirit has given us love for each other. So I ask you to help me and to pray with me.
• 2 Timothy 4:17But the Lord was there to help me. He made me strong so that I could tell his message clearly. Gentile people from many countries could hear what I said. So the Lord saved me from the danger of death.
• Genesis 18:28But let me ask you this. What will you do if there are 45 good people in the city? Will you destroy the city, because there are only five fewer good people there?’ The Lord replied, ‘If I see that there are 45 good people in the city, I will not destroy it.’
• Malachi 3:18Because of that, you will see again that I am kind to good people, but I punish wicked people. I show the difference between people who serve me well and those who do not.’
• 2 Peter 2:9We know that the Lord God has done all these things in past times. He knows how to save people who respect him from their troubles. But he will continue to punish the people who refuse to obey him. He will keep them until the day when he will judge them.

Commentaries on Daniel 2:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18That they would desire mercies - For this Daniel had requested a little time; and doubtless both he and his three companions prayed incessantly till God gave the wished for revelation; but whether it was given that same sight, we do not know.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret - That they would implore of God that he would show his mercy to them in revealing this secret, that their lives might be spared. In the margin, as in the Chaldee, this is “from before the God of heaven.” All depended now on God. It was clear that human skill was exhausted, and that no reliance could be placed on any ability which man possessed. The art of the Chaldeans had failed…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-23Verses 14-23 Daniel humbly prayed that God would discover to him the king's dream, and the meaning of it. Praying friends are valuable friends; and it well becomes the greatest and best men to desire the prayers of others. Let us show that we value our friends, and their prayers. They were particular in prayer. And whatever we pray for, we can expect nothing but as the gift of God's mercies. God gives us leave in prayer to tell our wants and burdens…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18Daniel asked for God's mercy (see Exodus 34:6–7). God did not have to answer Daniel's prayer, but answering it would fit with God’s character.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. An illustration of the power of united prayer (Mt 18:19). The same instrumentality rescued Peter from his peril (Ac 12:5-12).Read the comment

Topics related to Daniel 2:18

• Daniel
• Dream
• Intercession
• Interpreter
• Mishael

In the dictionaries

• Babylon
• Daniel
• God
• Babylon, Babylonia, Babylonian
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Wise men
• Ask
• Iron
• Prayer
• Terrible

Commentaries on Daniel 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings