What the king requests is so difficultThe context here is King Nebuchadnezzar's demand for his wise men to not only interpret his dream but also to recount the dream itself. This request is unprecedented and highlights the king's suspicion and desire for genuine insight. It underscores the limitations of human wisdom and the futility of relying solely on human understanding, a theme echoed in
Proverbs 3:5-6.
that no one can tell it to him
The wise men of Babylon, despite their esteemed positions, confess their inability to fulfill the king's demand. This admission reveals the limitations of pagan wisdom and the impotence of Babylonian gods. It sets the stage for Daniel, a servant of the true God, to demonstrate divine wisdom and power, as seen inDaniel 2:27-28.
except the gods
In the polytheistic culture of Babylon, the wise men believed that only divine beings could possess such knowledge. This reflects the ancient Near Eastern belief in a pantheon of gods who were thought to be distant and uninterested in human affairs. This contrasts with the biblical portrayal of God as both transcendent and immanent, involved in the lives of His people.
whose dwelling is not with mortals
The wise men's statement highlights their belief in the separation between the divine and human realms. This belief is challenged by the biblical narrative, where God is depicted as dwelling among His people, as seen in the tabernacle and temple (Exodus 25:8,1 Kings 8:27). Ultimately, this foreshadows the incarnation of Jesus Christ, "Immanuel," meaning "God with us" (Matthew 1:23), who bridges the gap between God and humanity.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
King NebuchadnezzarThe ruler of Babylon who had a troubling dream and demanded its interpretation without revealing the dream itself.
2.
ChaldeansA group of wise men, astrologers, and magicians in Babylon tasked with interpreting the king's dream.
3.
DanielA Hebrew prophet and wise man in Babylon who later interprets the king's dream through divine revelation.
4.
BabylonThe empire where these events take place, known for its wealth, power, and idolatry.
5.
GodsReferenced by the Chaldeans as beings whose dwelling is not with mortals, highlighting their belief in distant deities.
Teaching Points
The Limitations of Human WisdomThe Chaldeans' admission of their inability to fulfill the king's request highlights the limitations of human wisdom and the need for divine intervention.
The Nearness of GodUnlike the distant gods of the Chaldeans, the God of the Bible is near to His people and desires a relationship with them, as seen in His interactions with Daniel.
Dependence on God for RevelationTrue understanding and wisdom come from God. Believers are encouraged to seek His guidance through prayer and Scripture.
God's Sovereignty in Human AffairsThe unfolding events in
Daniel 2 demonstrate God's control over kingdoms and His ability to reveal His plans to His servants.
Faithfulness in AdversityDaniel's faithfulness and reliance on God in a foreign land serve as an example for believers to remain steadfast in their faith, even in challenging circumstances.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Daniel 2:11?
2.How does Daniel 2:11 highlight the limitations of human wisdom without God?
3.What does Daniel 2:11 reveal about God's unique power and knowledge?
4.How can we seek God's wisdom in seemingly impossible situations today?
5.Compare Daniel 2:11 with James 1:5 on seeking divine wisdom.
6.How does Daniel 2:11 encourage reliance on God over human understanding?
7.How does Daniel 2:11 challenge the belief in human ability to interpret divine mysteries?
8.Why is the king's demand in Daniel 2:11 considered impossible by the wise men?
9.What does Daniel 2:11 reveal about the limitations of human wisdom?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Daniel 2?
11.What distinguishes angels from humans?
12.Is the Antichrist's sexual orientation homosexual?
13.How does Daniel 11:2 reconcile with history when it only mentions four Persian kings, despite records of more?
14.Why does Daniel 11:3-4 describe the rapid rise and division of a Greek empire that historical sources suggest lasted longer and split differently?What Does Daniel 2:11 Mean
What the king requests is so difficult• Nebuchadnezzar demanded that his wise men both recount his forgotten dream and interpret it (Daniel 2:5-6).
• The court astrologers admit that such a feat is beyond human reach; they confess limitation without turning to the LORD who “knows what lies in darkness” (Daniel 2:22).
• Scripture consistently distinguishes between what is hard for people and what is simple for God: “Ah, Lord GOD! … nothing is too difficult for You” (Jeremiah 32:17); Jesus echoes the truth, “With man this is impossible, but not with God” (Mark 10:27).
• The scene sets the stage for God’s glory—human inability highlights divine capability.
that no one can tell it to him• The magi concede total failure: “there is not a man on earth who can” (Daniel 2:10).
• Their words are unwittingly prophetic. Apart from revelation, even the wisest are silent (Isaiah 41:26;1 Corinthians 2:14).
• God often lets human wisdom run out of answers so He alone is praised. Joseph confessed the same principle to Pharaoh: “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer” (Genesis 41:16).
• Daniel will soon illustrate this truth: “To me has been given wisdom and power” only because heaven revealed it (Daniel 2:23).
except the gods• The court advisers believe multiple deities hold hidden knowledge, yet they see those beings as inaccessible. Their theology is wrong in number but right in principle: only a supernatural source can reveal mysteries (compare1 Kings 18:27;Isaiah 46:9-10).
• Daniel redirects the credit: “But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries” (Daniel 2:28). The exclusive, living God answers where idols are mute (Psalm 115:4-7).
• This moment contrasts false religion’s impotence with the power of the one true God, preparing Nebuchadnezzar to confess, “Surely your God is the God of gods” (Daniel 2:47).
whose dwelling is not with mortals• The Babylonian worldview pictures distant deities uninvolved in human affairs. Scripture counters with a God who chooses to dwell among His people:
– “Have them make a sanctuary for Me, and I will dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8).
– “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).
– “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man” (Revelation 21:3).
• Their statement therefore exposes spiritual blindness. They assume separation; the Bible reveals condescension—God moves toward humanity, ultimately in Christ.
• Daniel’s forthcoming revelation proves God is present and active even in pagan courts (Daniel 2:19).
summaryNebuchadnezzar’s counselors unwittingly preach the gospel of human limitation: the king’s demand is impossible for mortals. Yet the episode points to the God who specializes in the impossible, who reveals mysteries, and who chooses to dwell with His people. Daniel’s God is no distant deity; He is the all-knowing, all-powerful Lord who delights to make Himself known and to live among those who trust Him.
(11) A
rare thing--
i.e., a difficult matter. The difficulty is so great, that the gods whose dwelling is not with flesh are alone able to solve it. Here the reference is to a doctrine of Babylonian theology, according to which every man from his birth onward had a special deity attached to him as his protector. It lived in him, or "dwelt with flesh," as the wise men here remark. The deity, being united to the man, became a partaker of human infirmities. For instance, it was subject to the action of evil spirits, and to the influence of the spirits of sickness to such an extent that it might injure the person whom it was bound to protect. Even these deities, the wise men urge, cannot do what the king requires. Such wisdom belongs only to the gods whose dwelling is apart from man. (See Lenormant,
La Magie, pp. 181-183.)
Verse 11. -
And it is a rare thing that the king requireth. The Septuagint Version of this passage is, "The thing which thou requirest, O king, is hard and strange." The last two winds are most likely a case of doublet - two different renderings of the same Aramaic wind,
yakkirah. The primary meaning of this word is "heavy," and by transference it becomes "difficult," and then, "strange" or "rare." There may have been a slight difference of reading to account for the sentence taking the vocative term it does. It may be due to reading
הדר instead of
אחר in the following clause. Theodotion agrees with the Massoretic text. and translates
yakkirah,
βαρύς. The Peshitta does not differ here from the Massoretic text. The soothsayers still pursue their line of defence, which they had adopted in the preceding verse. The king cannot get the answer he demands - his demand is so difficult and strange. And there is none ether that can show it before the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. The Septuagint rendering (lifters somewhat, though slightly, from the Massoretic text: "And there is no one who will show these things to the king, unless some (
τις) angel, whose dwelling is not at all with flesh." The omission
of ahoran, "other," gives some slight confirmation of the suggestion that
ἐπίδοξος, "strange" or "peculiar," represents it. It is very characteristic of the time when the Septuagint translation was made, and of the opinions then current, that the, word
אלחין (
elohin), "gods," should be rendered
ἄγγελος, "angels" By this time there was an avoidance of the use of the Divine name, and anything that suggested it; further, there was an avoidance of the names of heathen deities. The same feeling that makes the historian of the Book of Samuel represent (
1 Samuel 29:6) Achish swearing by Jehovah rather than by his own gods, as would certainly be the case, makes the translator here represent the soothsayers referring to "angels." The idea of angels of the nations, which we find later in this book, was generally adopted by the Jews in Egypt (as
e.g.Deuteronomy 32:8, LXX.). A question has been raised here as to whether the statement, "whose dwelling is not with flesh," is to be regarded as distinguishing all gods from human beings, or as distinguishing certain of the higher gods from the others. The first view is that of Hitzig, Kranichfeld, Bevan, and others; Professor Fuller and Von Lengerke and others maintain the latter opinion. There is one thing certain - that the soothsayers and interpreters of dreams and auguries believed, or, at all events, pretended they believed, themselves each under the guidance of a special
genius or subordinate god. Such a god had his dwelling with flesh - that is to say, with humanity; but there were in their pantheon higher gods, whose dwelling was not with flesh. In some of the incantations and magical formulas which Lenormant has collected in his 'La Magie,' we find (p. 21) Selek-Moulou-ki coming to Ea his father for information as to the causes of disease, etc. Marduk is the Babylonian name for Selek-Moulou-ki, and Marduk was the great revealer; but by this his dwelling was with flesh. As we see, however, there were gods whose dwelling was not with flesh, who knew secrets hid even from Marduk. This excuse of the wise men is a preparation for Daniel's claim to raveal the secret of the king by the power of a higher God than any that communicated with the Babylonian soothsayers. Hitzig regards this as an artistic device of the author. We regard it as the providential intervention of God himself, that raise heathen soothsayers should shelter themselves under an excuse that forced into clearer light the supremacy of Jehovah. It
indicates a special knowledge of Babylonian worship thus to lay stress on this distinction between higher and lower gods.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Whatדִֽי־(ḏî-)Pronoun - relative
Strong's 1768:Who, which, that, becausethe kingמַלְכָּ֤ה(mal·kāh)Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 4430:A kingrequestsשָׁאֵל֙(šā·’êl)Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7593:To inquire, to request, to demandis so difficultיַקִּירָ֔ה(yaq·qî·rāh)Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 3358:Honorable, difficultthat noלָ֣א(lā)Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3809:Not, nooneוְאָחֳרָן֙(wə·’ā·ḥo·rān)Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 321:Anothercan tell itיְחַוִּנַּ֖הּ(yə·ḥaw·win·nah)Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2324:To showtoקֳדָ֣ם(qo·ḏām)Preposition
Strong's 6925:Beforehimמַלְכָּ֑א(mal·kā)Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 4430:A kingexceptלָהֵ֣ן(lā·hên)Conjunction
Strong's 3861:Therefore, exceptthe gods,אֱלָהִ֔ין(’ĕ·lā·hîn)Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 426:Godwhoseדִּ֥י(dî)Pronoun - relative
Strong's 1768:Who, which, that, becausedwellingמְדָ֣רְה֔וֹן(mə·ḏā·rə·hō·wn)Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 4070:A dwelling placeisאִיתַ֔י(’î·ṯay)Adverb
Strong's 383:Entity, as a, particle of affirmation, there isnotלָ֥א(lā)Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3809:Not, nowithעִם־(‘im-)Preposition
Strong's 5974:With, equally withmortals.”בִּשְׂרָ֖א(biś·rā)Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 1321:Flesh, body, person, the pudenda of a, man
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OT Prophets: Daniel 2:11 It is a rare thing that (Dan. Da Dn) 
