During the nightThis phrase indicates the timing of the revelation, suggesting a period of rest or quiet when God often communicates with His servants. Biblically, night can symbolize a time of divine encounter, as seen with Jacob's dream (
Genesis 28:11-12) and Samuel's calling (
1 Samuel 3:3-4). It underscores the idea that God’s revelations can come unexpectedly and in times of darkness or uncertainty.
the mystery was revealed to Daniel
The "mystery" refers to King Nebuchadnezzar's dream and its interpretation, which none of the Babylonian wise men could discern. This highlights the limitations of human wisdom and the sovereignty of God in revealing divine truths. The term "mystery" is significant in biblical literature, often denoting truths hidden in God’s plan, later revealed through His prophets (Ephesians 3:3-5). Daniel's ability to understand the mystery emphasizes his role as a prophet and a type of Christ, who reveals the mysteries of God (Colossians 2:2-3).
in a vision
Visions are a common means of divine communication in the Bible, used to convey God's messages to His prophets. Daniel's vision is part of a broader biblical tradition where God imparts wisdom and future events through dreams and visions, as seen with Joseph (Genesis 37:5-10) and John in Revelation. This method underscores the supernatural nature of the revelation and Daniel's unique prophetic gift.
and he blessed the God of heaven
Daniel's immediate response to the revelation is worship, acknowledging God as the source of wisdom and power. The title "God of heaven" reflects a common biblical expression emphasizing God's sovereignty and authority over all creation, contrasting with the earthly gods of Babylon. This act of blessing God highlights the appropriate response to divine revelation and aligns with the biblical theme of giving glory to God for His works (Psalm 115:1). Daniel's praise prefigures the worship of Christ, who is the ultimate revelation of God (Hebrews 1:1-3).
Persons / Places / Events
1.
DanielA young Hebrew man of noble lineage, taken into Babylonian captivity. Known for his wisdom, faithfulness, and ability to interpret dreams and visions.
2.
God of HeavenThe sovereign God whom Daniel worships, distinct from the pagan gods of Babylon. He is the source of wisdom and revelation.
3.
Nebuchadnezzar's DreamThe Babylonian king had a troubling dream that none of his wise men could interpret, leading to a decree to execute them, including Daniel and his friends.
4.
VisionA divine revelation given to Daniel during the night, providing the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream.
5.
BabylonThe empire where Daniel and his friends were exiled, known for its grandeur and idolatry.
Teaching Points
Dependence on God for WisdomDaniel's experience teaches us to seek God's wisdom in times of uncertainty and crisis. Just as Daniel prayed and received revelation, we too should turn to God for guidance.
The Power of PrayerDaniel's response to the king's decree was to pray with his friends. This highlights the importance of communal prayer and seeking God's intervention together.
God's SovereigntyThe revelation of the mystery underscores God's control over human history and His ability to reveal His plans to His people.
Faithfulness in ExileDespite being in a foreign land, Daniel remained faithful to God. This encourages believers to maintain their faith and integrity regardless of their circumstances.
Blessing God for His RevelationAfter receiving the vision, Daniel's immediate response was to bless God. This teaches us to respond with gratitude and worship when God answers our prayers.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Daniel 2:19?
2.How does Daniel 2:19 demonstrate God's power in revealing mysteries to believers?
3.What role does prayer play in receiving divine wisdom, as seen in Daniel 2:19?
4.How can we apply Daniel's example of seeking God in times of uncertainty?
5.What scriptural connections exist between Daniel 2:19 and other instances of divine revelation?
6.How can we cultivate a heart of gratitude like Daniel's after answered prayers?
7.How does Daniel 2:19 demonstrate God's ability to reveal mysteries to believers today?
8.What does Daniel 2:19 teach about the importance of prayer in understanding divine revelations?
9.How does the revelation in Daniel 2:19 affirm the sovereignty of God over earthly kingdoms?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Daniel 2?
11.How did Daniel's faith influence his life's challenges?
12.What does the Bible say about interpreting dreams?
13.In Song of Solomon 3:1–3, how can we reconcile the apparent dream-like search for the beloved with a literal historical setting?
14.What is the study of angels called?What Does Daniel 2:19 Mean
During the night• God often chooses the quiet hours to speak, when distractions fade and hearts are still (Job 33:14-16;1 Samuel 3:3-10).
• Night can picture uncertainty, yet in that very setting the Lord brings light, proving that “darkness is as light to You” (Psalm 139:11-12).
• Just as Christ prayed alone at night (Mark 1:35), Daniel’s nighttime watchfulness placed him where he could hear from God.
the mystery was revealed• Nebuchadnezzar’s dream baffled the wisest men of Babylon, showing human limits (1 Corinthians 1:20).
• “Mystery” points to truth hidden until God discloses it (Deuteronomy 29:29). Here the Lord lifts the veil on world-empires and His ultimate kingdom (Daniel 2:44).
• Revelation is entirely God’s grace; Daniel admits, “this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have wisdom more than any living man” (Daniel 2:30).
to Daniel• A young exile, faithful in a hostile culture, becomes God’s instrument (Daniel 1:8).
• The Lord honors those who honor Him (1 Samuel 2:30); Daniel’s previous resolve and prayer set the stage for further trust (Daniel 2:17-18).
• God delights to use the humble to confound the mighty (James 4:6;1 Corinthians 1:27-29).
in a vision• Scripture distinguishes visions from ordinary dreams; visions carry divine authority (Numbers 12:6).
• Daniel receives clear, orderly insight rather than vague impressions, echoing other prophetic visions (Ezekiel 1:1;Acts 10:9-17).
• The Spirit tailors His communication to each servant; He spoke to Joseph through dreams (Matthew 1:20), to Moses face-to-face (Exodus 33:11), and here to Daniel in a night vision.
and he blessed the God of heaven• Immediate worship is the right response to revelation (Psalm 119:171;Luke 24:52-53).
• Daniel’s blessing in verses 20-23 magnifies God’s wisdom, power, and sovereignty over times and kings, reinforcing themes echoed inRomans 11:33-36.
• The title “God of heaven” underscores His supremacy over earthly realms (Nehemiah 1:4-5;Revelation 11:13), fitting the dream’s message of kingdoms rising and falling under His rule.
summaryDaniel 2:19 showcases the Lord’s initiative in revealing hidden truth during the quiet of night, selecting a faithful servant to receive a clear vision. The passage highlights God’s sovereignty, grace, and expectation of worshipful response. As with Daniel, we can trust the “God of heaven” to illumine darkness, unveil mysteries, and prompt heartfelt praise.
(19)
Night vision.--Not in a dream, but literally in a vision; but that Daniel saw a repetition of the king's dream cannot be inferred from the words. We know from
Numbers 12:6 that God was pleased to reveal the truth both by dreams and by visions.
Verse 19. -
Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. The Septuagint adds that the secret was revealed "that very night (
ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ νυκτι)." This may be held to be implied in the Aramaic, but it is here explicitly stated. Further, the Septuagint speaks of the secret as "the, mystery of the king." At the end of the clause the LXX. adds the word
εὐσήμως, "evidently." All these alterations imply additions to the text made by the translator. Theodotion, the Peshitta, and Jerome agree with the Massoretic text There has been considerable discussion as to whether this revelation was made to Daniel by a dream. Hitzig assumes that the night-vision to Daniel was a repetition of that which had appeared to Nebuchadnezzar, and then pro-coeds to brand this as a psychological impossibility. Keil, Kliefoth, Kraniehfeld, and Zockler all declare against the identification of a night-vision with a dream. Keil and Kliefoth say in the same words, "A vision of the night is simply a vision which any one receives during the night whilst he is awake." And Kranichfeld says, "Of a dream of Daniel, in our present case there is not one word." Zockler says, "Not a dream-vision, but an appearance (
Gesicht) vision, which appeared during the night." They maintain that, though all "
dreams" may be called "
night-visions," all "night-visions" are not "
dreams." It would be difficult to prove that this is the usage of
Scripture. It is quite true that the distinction between a dream and a vision is that in the former the subject is asleep, while in the latter he is awake. It may, however, be doubted whether this distinction is always maintained by the Hebrew and Aramaic writers, even in regard to "visions" and "dreams" generally; and it seems to us impossible to prove it in regard to "visions of the night" and "dreams." In ver. 28 of the chapter before us, there seems no doubt that Daniel uses these words as equivalent to each other; "Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these." While we agree with Hitzig that the revelation was to Daniel in a dream, we do not admit the
psychological impossibility, save only in the pedantic sense in which it is said that no two people, however close they may stand to each other, see the same rainbow Dreams are very generally the product of what the subject has experienced during his waking hours. Surely Hitzig never meant to assert that it was a psychological impossibility for two individuals to witness the same event. Certainly the improbability is very great that the sight of the same physical event should meet the eyes of two people in similar states of body, and produce on them precisely the some sort and degree of impression. That, however, is akin to the Hegelian pedantic statement, which asserts that we cannot go twice down the same street. Though it might even be admitted to be an impossibility in the only sense in which it can at all be admitted, yet still it is not self-contradictory. The self-contradictory is the only impossibility we can assert in the presence of the miraculous. Hitzig's objection to this is really that it was a miracle, and all the parade of giving the statement a new face by calling it, not a miracle, but a psychological impossibility, is only throwing dust in the eyes of others, perhaps of himself. Ewald does not see any psychological impossibility, and declares that the author meant to represent this at all events. Up, then, before the mind of Daniel rose the gigantic statue of the monarch's vision, and with the vision came also the divinely given certainty that this was what the king had seen. He needs, however, more than the vision: the interpretation of the vision is vouchsafed to him also.
Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. The LXX. rendering here joins the first clause of ver. 20 to this, "Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven, and having cried aloud, said." Theodotion, the Peshitta, and Jerome agree with the Massoretic text. As we have said above, Daniel returned thanks to God for his great goodness to him and his friends. Our blessing God does not increase Divine felicity, but it expresses our sense of this felicity, and we recognize it all the more readily when, as in the case of these Jews, it is exhibited in making us partakers of it. Hence blessing God and giving God thanks become in such cases one and the mine thing.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Duringאֱדַ֗יִן(’ĕ·ḏa·yin)Adverb
Strong's 116:Then, thereuponthe night,לֵילְיָ֖א(lê·lə·yā)Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 3916:Nightthe mysteryרָזָ֣ה(rā·zāh)Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 7328:To attenuate, hide, a mysterywas revealedגֲלִ֑י(ḡă·lî)Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1541:To denude, to exile, to revealto Danielלְדָנִיֵּ֛אל(lə·ḏā·nî·yêl)Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1841:Daniel -- 'God is my judge', an Israelite leader in Babylonin a vision,בְּחֶזְוָ֥א(bə·ḥez·wā)Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 2376:Vision, appearanceand [he]דָּֽנִיֵּ֔אל(dā·nî·yêl)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1841:Daniel -- 'God is my judge', an Israelite leader in Babylonblessedבָּרִ֖ךְ(bā·riḵ)Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1289:To kneel, to bless God, man, to cursethe Godלֶאֱלָ֥הּ(le·’ĕ·lāh)Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 426:Godof heavenשְׁמַיָּֽא׃(šə·may·yā)Noun - mdd
Strong's 8065:The sky
Links
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OT Prophets: Daniel 2:19 Then was the secret revealed to Daniel (Dan. Da Dn) 
