Daniel 2:48 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.

NIV: Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men.

NASB: Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon, and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.

CSB: Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many generous gifts. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon.

NLT: Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men.

KJV: Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.

NKJV: Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.

For solving his mysterious dream (Daniel 2:1–3, 46–47), Nebuchadnezzar generously gave rewards to Daniel (Daniel 2:6). Among these was a position of great power. The nation of Babylon was divided into provinces, each having a governor. The capital district was also called "Babylon," and Daniel appears to have been appointed governor of the region containing the city of Babylon and the royal court. He also received the responsibility of serving as president over the wise men of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar recognized Daniel's connection to divine wisdom and acted accordingly.

Of course, God was working behind the scenes to place Daniel into a position of great influence. Daniel's work for God was not done. He would testify for God and serve Him well in his prestigious positions (Daniel 1:17–21). Some of this service would come in his strength to endure persecution without abandoning faith (Daniel 6). Centuries earlier, another Hebrew was a foreigner in a strange land that worshiped a multitude of false gods. It was Joseph in Egypt, and like Daniel, he interpreted the ruler's dreams and was promoted to a prominent position, second in command of the entire country (Genesis 41:16, 39–40). The Lord honors faithfulness (Matthew 25:23) and works in His own way to accomplish His purposes (Romans 8:28).

Daniel 2:46–49 follows Daniel's description and interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's troubling dream (Daniel 2:1–3, 27–45). It demonstrates the pagan king's response to obvious divine power, as well as a further glimpse into Daniel's loyalty to his three friends (Daniel 1:1–6; 2:17–19).

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.