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That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
Therefore ° ° Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will show unto the king the interpretation.
Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives ° of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.
The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?
Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot ° the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king;
Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.
The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
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.
New Defender's Study Bible Notes
1:1 perfect and upright. Job was the world’s most righteous and godly man since Noah and before Daniel (Ezekiel 14:14,20). This introductory statement was twice confirmed by God Himself (Job 1:8; 2:3). He was also “the greatest of all the men of the east” (Job 1:3), probably the most wealthy and influential man in all the “nations” of the region.
42:6 abhor myself. Job was the most godly and righteous man in the world at that time, as testified by God Himself (Job 1:8; 2:3). Yet in the presence of the God who had made him, he could only abhor himself and repent of his self-righteousness. Daniel, greatly beloved of God, and John, the beloved disciple, had similar reactions when they came into the presence of God (Daniel 10:8,11; Revelation 1:17).
44:17 not forgotten thee. The prophecy of Psalm 44:14 was fulfilled because Israel had forgotten God. The martyrs mentioned here, however, were suffering in spite of being faithful, indicating that they were Christian martyrs suffering for Christ’s sake (Philippians 1:29). It may also apply to small remnants of faithful Israelites during times of national judgment, such as Daniel.
148:6 for ever and ever. Although the earth and its elements must yet be cleansed by fire (II Peter 3:10), God’s physical universe will endure forever. God is not capricious; He does not “un-create” what He has created (Ecclesiastes 3:14). See also Psalm 78:69; 104:5; Daniel 12:3.
5:11 black as a raven. The regal appearance of Solomon’s head was appropriate for a king; his wavy black hair likewise. We know nothing of the features of Jesus, as the gospel writers are silent concerning his physical appearance. The prophet, however, predicted that, outwardly, He would have “no form nor comeliness” and “no beauty” (Isaiah 53:2). However, after His resurrection and glorification, we are told that, instead of black hair speaking of youthful vigor, “His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow” (Revelation 1:14), speaking of Him as “the Ancient of days” (Daniel 7:9).
5:13 His cheeks. In Christ’s humiliation, “His visage was so marred more than any man” (Isaiah 52:14), as His cheeks were given “to them that plucked off the hair” (Isaiah 50:6), bearing little resemblance to “a bed of spices and sweet flowers.” But when He comes in glory, we shall see “His face as the appearance of lightning” (Daniel 10:6).
5:13 myrrh. “Never man spake like this man,” they said of Jesus (John 7:46), even as Solomon was famed for His wisdom of speech. The day will come, however, when men will hear “His voice as the sound of many waters” (Revelation 1:15) and “like the voice of a multitude” (Daniel 10:6).
13:19 Sodom and Gomorrah. Again, there is a near and far fulfillment. Babylon was first defeated by the Medes (Isaiah 13:17) around 540 B.C. (Daniel 5:30,31), some 175 years after Isaiah’s prophecy. However, Babylon continued as an important city until well after the time of Christ.