New International Version
Daniel 2:18
18He 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon.
Context of Daniel 2:18
16At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him. 17Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 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. 19During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven 20and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his.
Read all of Daniel 2Daniel 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 3:17If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.
- 1 Samuel 17:37The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”
- Esther 4:15Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:
- Psalms 50:15and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
- Psalms 91:15He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
- Proverbs 3:5Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
- Isaiah 37:4It may be that the Lord your God will hear the words of the field commander, whom his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to ridicule the living God, and that he will rebuke him for the words the Lord your God has heard. Therefore pray for the remnant that still survives.”
- Jeremiah 33:3‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’
- Matthew 18:12“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?
- Acts 4:24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.
- Acts 12:4After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
- Romans 15:30I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.
- 2 Timothy 4:17But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.
- Genesis 18:28what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?” “If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.”
- Malachi 3:18And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.
- 2 Peter 2:9if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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