Daniel 2:49 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king 's court.

NIV: Moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court.

NASB: And Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego over the administration of the province of Babylon, while Daniel was at the king’s court.

CSB: At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to manage the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court.

NLT: At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be in charge of all the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king’s court.

KJV: Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

NKJV: Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

When Daniel was taken from his homeland (Daniel 1:1–5), he and three other captives retained their faith in God (Daniel 1:6–16). When the Babylonian king ordered the slaughter of his wise men over a mysterious dream (Daniel 2:10–16), Daniel and his three friends prayed for God's intervention (Daniel 2:17–19). God answered the request and allowed him to answer the king's challenge (Daniel 2:27–45). As a result, king Nebuchadnezzar appointed Daniel to a position of great power (Daniel 2:46–48). Perhaps Nebuchadnezzar wanted Daniel to be close by as his chief advisor.

Daniel did not forget those faithful friends who had prayed for him. He asked Nebuchadnezzar to favor them, probably noting they were skilled and competent men who also knew Daniel's God (Daniel 1:17–20). As a result, Nebuchadnezzar appointed them over the business of the province of Babylon. They would share administrative duties there with Daniel, who remained at the king's court. Proverbs 3:27 offers sound advice for everyone who desires to be a true friend to others. It counsels: "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it." Daniel received the power to do good to those to whom it was due, and he did not fail.

These three friends—Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—will see their faith strongly tested in their new positions. The trio is most famously known by their Babylonian names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their refusal to worship anyone other than the God of Israel leads to their experience in a blazing furnace (Daniel 3).

King Nebuchadnezzar tests his magicians, demanding they tell him what he has dreamed, rather than merely inventing an interpretation. When they fail, he prepares to execute the entire department of wise men. Daniel promises he can meet the king's request and is given a special vision from God. The king dreamed of a massive statue shattered into powder by a supernatural rock. Daniel accurately describes this and interprets it as a prophecy about kingdoms which would come after Babylon. The king appoints Daniel and his friends to positions of power and influence over Babylon.

Chapter 1 introduced King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Daniel—a captive youth from Jerusalem—and three other Jewish boys. After three years of education, the four Hebrew captives outperformed all the other trainees, even surpassing the wise men in Babylon. In chapter 2, Daniel describes and interprets Nebuchadnezzar's disturbing dream, though the court magicians could not. As a result, the king promotes Daniel and his three friends to high positions over the provinces of Babylon. This sets the stage for a severe test of faith in chapter 3.

The book of Daniel contains famous Old Testament stories and prophecies. Daniel was taken from the Israelite people and made an advisor for a conquering empire. He demonstrates faithfulness and wisdom during many years serving in this role. Though Daniel does not deliver a public message, Jesus refers to him as a "prophet" (Matthew 24:15). The first portion of the book mostly describes Daniel's interpretations of dreams and other events. The second portion looks ahead to the end times. Daniel is classified in English Bibles as a "major" prophet, meaning the book is relatively long and the content has broad implications. The book of Revelation echoes and expands on many of the same themes.