So Daniel went inDaniel, a young Hebrew exile in Babylon, demonstrates courage and faith by approaching King Nebuchadnezzar. This action reflects his trust in God and his role as a mediator between God and the king. Daniel's willingness to enter the king's presence shows his confidence in God's ability to reveal mysteries, a theme consistent with his character throughout the book.
and asked the king to give him some time
Daniel's request for time indicates his reliance on divine intervention rather than human wisdom. In the context of Babylonian culture, where magicians and wise men were expected to provide immediate answers, Daniel's request is bold. It underscores the difference between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world. This moment parallels other biblical instances where God's people seek divine guidance, such as Joseph interpreting Pharaoh's dreams inGenesis 41.
so that he could give him the interpretation
Daniel's assurance that he could provide the interpretation highlights his faith in God's revelation. This confidence is rooted in his understanding of God's sovereignty and his previous experiences of God's faithfulness. The interpretation of dreams is a recurring theme in the Bible, often used to convey God's plans and purposes, as seen in the stories of Joseph and later in the New Testament with visions given to the apostles. Daniel's role as an interpreter foreshadows Christ, who reveals the mysteries of God's kingdom to humanity.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
DanielA young Hebrew man of noble lineage, taken into Babylonian captivity. Known for his wisdom, faithfulness to God, and ability to interpret dreams.
2.
King NebuchadnezzarThe powerful king of Babylon who had a troubling dream that none of his wise men could interpret, leading to a decree to execute them.
3.
BabylonThe capital city of the Babylonian Empire, a place of exile for Daniel and other Israelites.
4.
The King's DreamA mysterious and troubling dream given to Nebuchadnezzar, which none of his magicians, enchanters, or astrologers could interpret.
5.
The DecreeAn order from Nebuchadnezzar to execute all the wise men of Babylon because they could not interpret his dream.
Teaching Points
Faith in ActionDaniel's request for time demonstrates his faith in God's ability to reveal mysteries. Believers should trust God in seemingly impossible situations.
Courage and WisdomDaniel approached the king with courage and wisdom, showing that faith does not negate the need for wise action.
Intercession and PrayerDaniel's response to seek God's revelation highlights the importance of prayer and intercession in times of crisis.
God's SovereigntyThe passage underscores God's control over human affairs and His ability to reveal hidden things to His people.
Community and SupportDaniel later seeks the support of his friends in prayer (
Daniel 2:17-18), illustrating the power of community in seeking God's will.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Daniel 2:16?
2.How does Daniel 2:16 demonstrate the importance of seeking God's wisdom first?
3.What can we learn from Daniel's courage in approaching the king for time?
4.How does Daniel 2:16 connect with James 1:5 about asking God for wisdom?
5.In what ways can we apply Daniel's faith in God's timing to our lives?
6.How does Daniel's response in Daniel 2:16 inspire us to trust God's plans?
7.Why did Daniel request time from the king in Daniel 2:16?
8.How does Daniel 2:16 demonstrate faith in God's revelation?
9.What historical evidence supports the events in Daniel 2:16?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Daniel 2?
11.How can we interpret current events theologically?
12.What does the Bible say about interpreting dreams?
13.In Daniel 4:18, why would Nebuchadnezzar trust Daniel's God-based interpretation over the Babylonian wise men if their religious context supposedly revered other deities?
14.If Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 2:1 was as significant as described, why is there no historical record outside the Bible that confirms any such event or demand from the king?What Does Daniel 2:16 Mean
So Daniel went in- Daniel steps straight into the royal court after learning that every wise man in Babylon is under a death sentence (Daniel 2:13).
- This movement is an act of courageous faith. He knows “the righteous are as bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1) and lives it out.
- Similar bold entrances: Esther before Xerxes (Esther 4:16), Nehemiah before Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 2:4). Each believes God controls the outcome.
- Daniel’s confidence rests on the truth proclaimed later in the same chapter: “He removes kings and establishes them” (Daniel 2:21). When God is sovereign, His servants may approach earthly thrones without fear.
and asked the king- Daniel couples courage with courtesy. He “honor[s] the king” (1 Peter 2:17) while ultimately trusting the King of kings.
- His request acknowledges Nebuchadnezzar’s authority—obedient toRomans 13:1—yet recognizes that real answers come from heaven.
- Daniel’s respectful tone mirrors Joseph’s stance before Pharaoh (Genesis 41:16) and foreshadows Paul’s respectful defense before Festus and Agrippa (Acts 26).
- The scene illustratesProverbs 16:14: “A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, but a wise man will appease it.” Daniel’s wisdom tempers royal fury.
to give him some time- Unlike the other wise men who merely stalled (Daniel 2:8–9), Daniel seeks time for a specific purpose: prayer.
- He knows revelation flows from communion with God: “Ask and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7).
-James 1:5 underlines his motive: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God… and it will be given to him.”
- Waiting on the Lord is never wasted.Habakkuk 2:3 reminds us that God’s timetable is perfect, and Daniel trusts that divine schedule.
- The brief delay also allows him to involve faithful friends (Daniel 2:17–18), modeling the power of corporate intercession.
so that he could give him the interpretation- Daniel expects God to answer. His confidence echoes Joseph’s: “Do not interpretations belong to God?” (Genesis 40:8).
- He believes the promise later affirmed byAmos 3:7: God “reveals His plan to His servants the prophets.”
- When the answer comes (Daniel 2:27–28), Daniel immediately points the king back to the Revealer of mysteries, refusing personal glory.
- The episode foreshadows New Testament truth: “God has revealed it to us by His Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:10).
- Prophetic accuracy here also undergirds the literal reliability of Scripture. If God precisely unveiled world-empires inDaniel 2, we can trust every word He has spoken.
summaryDaniel 2:16 shows a young exile walking in fearless faith, respectful submission, patient dependence, and expectant confidence. He approaches an enraged monarch, requests time to seek God, and believes the Lord will unveil the mystery. The verse models how believers today can face impossible demands: draw near, ask boldly, wait prayerfully, and anticipate God’s clear answer—knowing the One who “reveals mysteries” still speaks through His unerring Word.
(16)
Daniel went in.--Two characteristics of the prophet strike us, which distinguish the one who trusts in God's help from those who relied entirely upon their secular wisdom. (1) The courage of Daniel, which led him to venture into the king's presence upon a humane errand. (2) His humility, in asking the king to give him time. The wise men regarded the whole matter as an impossibility, and treated it as such, not even asking for any extension of time. But the faith of Daniel inspired him with this courageous humility, and was amply rewarded.
We are not told in so many words that this extension of time was granted, or that Daniel undertook to show more than the interpretation of the dream. A true account of what happened can only be gathered by readingDaniel 2:18;Daniel 2:28 by the side of this verse. It should be remembered that many narratives of scripture are related in a very condensed form, fuller details being added afterwards. (SeeDaniel 2:24, Note.)
Verse 16. -
Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation. The version of Theodotion omits all mention of Daniel's going into the palace, "And Daniel petitioned the king that he should give him time, and he would tell his interpretation to the king." The rendering of the Peshitta agrees with this, "And Daniel petitioned the king for time, and he would show the interpretation to the king." The version of the Septuagint is longer, "And Daniel went in quickly to the king, and petitioned that time should be given him from the king, and he would show all things to the king." Jerome gives a rendering of the Massoretic text in Latin condensation. The question of reading here is of some importance in the light of the apparent contradiction implied in the twenty-fifth verse. There Arioch declares that he "had found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation"
- as if Nebuchadnezzar had never seen him before, whereas, if the Massoretic recension is correct, Nebuchadnezzar had seen Daniel but a little while before. According to the reading of Theodotion and the Peshitta, Daniel pet:tinned the king for time, but that petition does not imply necessarily that he was admitted into the king's presence; the petition would pass through court officials, and reach the king in due course. We may note the ease with which he granted this request, and look upon it as confirmatory of our notion that the king, now that his rage had gone down, repented of his harsh decree, and was hoping against hope that the catastrophe would be averted. The only other explanation that would save the authenticity of both passages is that Daniel's entrance into the palace and his petition to the king happened without Arioch being aware. The most natural explanation of Arioch's conduct in post-poning the execution of the royal decree is that the postponement was during the interval the petition for time was being presented, but still not decided on. This seems not unlikely. Of course, it is always open to us to declare the verses from this to the twenty-fourth inclusive an interpolation; Daniel has suffered so much from this, that an additional case has no
prima facie probability against it. Moreover, the prayer or hymn has strong resemblance to the prayer of Azarias, which is acknowledged to be an interpolation. Still, one ought to be slow to cut a knot in this way, unless there is some clear ground of suspicion. It may be observed also that the Massoretic text does not necessarily assert entrance into the palace or into the king's presence. Certainly
עֲלַל: ('
alal) means "entered," and in the connection this would suggest the palace as the place entered, but it may have been the house of Arioch, though this is not likely. We have no means of knowing whether any others of those implicated in the sentence of the king petitioned also for time. Not impossibly they did. The king, who was so suspicious that the wise men wished to delay till the auspicious time was passed, is willing to grant time when it is asked. This is explicable on the idea that Nebuchadnezzar was anxious to be delivered from the horrible slaughter which his decree involved. Another thing to be observed is that in the Massoretic text, Theodotion, and the Peshitta, there is no word of the dream being told. Of course, this interpretation implied a knowledge of the dream also, but it would appear to be another evidence that the king was relenting, when a petition that omitted the crucial point of the question between him and the wise men should be granted without difficulty. We are not told the amount of time requested, the word used,
זְמָן (
zeman), is, "a fixed time," from
זְמַן, "to determine." It occurs again frequently in Daniel, as in ver. 21. It is generally of a fixed point of time, but sometimes, as
Daniel 7:12, their lives were prolonged for a season (
זְמָן). There being only one instance among the other passages where this word occurs, in which it means a space of time, we are inclined to think that here Daniel petitioned that a time be appointed him when he too should have an audience of the king in regard to the matter of the dream, as the other wise men had. There certainly is implied a space of time in this request. The space must have involved at least twenty-four hours, as the matter is revealed to Daniel in "a night vision." It is unlikely it would be much longer, for fear the planetary collocation would change - certainly not more than a week. Tertullian ('Adv. Psychicos,' 7) says, "Daniel
Deo fidens... spatium tridui
poslulat." We learn from what follows that Daniel acted tamely from his general faith in God, and was confident that God would not suffer his saints to be destroyed causelessly, it is noted by Calvin that Daniel (lees not tell the king the reasons of his confidence.
A falsarius would have taken the opportunity of making Daniel declare his confidence in the God of heaven from the very first. The real Daniel acts as any wise saint would do, confident that God would do justly, hopeful that he would reveal to him the secret, yet too careful of the honour of Jehovah to put it in pledge; he knew God could and would defend his own honour, and his plan might not involve the saving of their lives.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
So Danielוְדָ֣נִיֵּ֔אל(wə·ḏā·nî·yêl)Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1841:Daniel -- 'God is my judge', an Israelite leader in Babylonwent inעַ֖ל(‘al)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5954:To enter, to introduceand askedוּבְעָ֣ה(ū·ḇə·‘āh)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1156:To seek, askthe kingמַלְכָּ֑א(mal·kā)Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 4430:A kingto giveיִנְתֵּן־(yin·tên-)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5415:To givehimלֵ֔הּ(lêh)Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrewsome time,זְמָ֣ן(zə·mān)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2166:An appointed occasionso that he could giveלְהַֽחֲוָיָ֥ה(lə·ha·ḥă·wā·yāh)Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2324:To show[him]לְמַלְכָּֽא׃(lə·mal·kā)Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 4430:A kingthe interpretation.וּפִשְׁרָ֖א(ū·p̄iš·rā)Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 6591:An interpretation
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OT Prophets: Daniel 2:16 Daniel went in and desired (Dan. Da Dn) 
