Daniel 2:28
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; | But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days. Your dream and the visions that came into your mind as you lay on your bed were these: | but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and he hath made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these: |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedDaniel stands before Nebuchadnezzar after the king's wise men have said no man can tell his dream (2:10-11, 2:27). Daniel answers that what men cannot do, the God in heaven can: he reveals secrets and has shown the king what will happen in the latter days. Daniel then begins to tell the dream itself. Daniel 2:10Daniel 2:11Daniel 2:27Daniel 2:28Daniel 2:31
SpeakingDaniel, a captive from Judah also named Belteshazzar, is speaking (2:25-26). Daniel 2:25Daniel 2:26Daniel overview
ToHe speaks to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, in the king's presence (2:27). Daniel 2:27Strong's H5020
Also involvedThe wise men of Babylon, who were under a death sentence, are spared by this answer (2:12-13, 2:24). The dream also concerns the kingdoms that would follow Nebuchadnezzar (2:39-44). Daniel 2:12Daniel 2:13Daniel 2:24Daniel 2:39Daniel 2:44
Daniel gives God, not himself or the magicians, the credit for knowing the dream. He says God has made known to the king what shall be in the latter days, which the chapter also calls what shall come to pass hereafter (2:29, 2:45). Daniel 2:28Daniel 2:29Daniel 2:30Daniel 2:45
The scene is the royal court of Babylon, where Daniel later served as ruler over the province (2:48). Daniel 2:48Daniel overview
The eventsThis happened in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign (2:1). Daniel 2:1
WrittenTraditional: written by Daniel in the 500s BC. Scholarly: many critical scholars date the final form to about 167-164 BC, while others keep the 500s BC date. Daniel overview
HereDaniel makes clear the answer comes from God, not from any wisdom of his own (2:30). This matches his prayer that God reveals deep and secret things (2:22). Daniel 2:30Daniel 2:22
In the whole of ScriptureThe verse opens a dream that ends with God setting up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed (2:44). It supports the book's theme that God rules over the kingdoms of men. Joseph said the same before Pharaoh: "It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer" (Genesis 41:16; see also Genesis 40:8). Daniel 2:44Daniel overviewGenesis 41:16Genesis 40:8
For readersGod's people living under foreign rulers are shown that the God in heaven knows the future and controls it. Psalm 115:3 says the same: "our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased." Daniel overviewPsalms 115:3Daniel 2:21
- secretsרָז
The word means a secret or mystery. The same word runs through the chapter for the king's hidden dream (2:18, 2:19, 2:27, 2:47). So it points to something humans cannot find out until God shows it. Strong's H7328Daniel 2:18Daniel 2:19Daniel 2:27Daniel 2:47
- revealethגְּלָא
It means to reveal secrets. The chapter uses it for God's own action: the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision (2:19), and the king calls God "a revealer of secrets" (2:47). Strong's H1541Daniel 2:19Daniel 2:22Daniel 2:47
- latterאַחֲרִית
It means end or latter. The chapter explains the phrase as "what shall come to pass hereafter" (2:29, 2:45), and it reaches to God's everlasting kingdom (2:44). Daniel 10:14 and Genesis 49:1 use similar language for what shall befall people in later days. Strong's H0320Daniel 2:29Daniel 2:45Daniel 2:44Daniel 10:14Genesis 49:1
- headרֵאשׁ
Its meanings include the head as the seat of visions. That fits "the visions of thy head upon thy bed," which means what the king saw in his mind while asleep (2:29). Strong's H7217Daniel 2:29
Takeaway
Daniel points away from himself to the God in heaven, who alone knows and reveals what is coming. Amos 4:13 also says God "declareth unto man what is his thought." The verse teaches that the future of all kingdoms is in God's hands. Daniel 2:28Daniel 2:30Amos 4:13Daniel 2:44
Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.
The world around the text
About 605-536 BC. King of Babylon: Nebuchadnezzar (605-562 BC). Where Daniel lived and served for about seventy years. The capital of the Babylonian empire, on the Euphrates south of modern Baghdad, in the land the Bible calls Shinar and Chaldea.
Who ruled
- King of BabylonNebuchadnezzar605-562 BC
The king who besieged Jerusalem, carried Daniel and the temple vessels to Babylon, and later destroyed the city and temple. His own building inscriptions boast of the Babylon he built. Daniel 1:1-22 Kings 24:12 Kings 25:8-10Jeremiah 25:1Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- Last king of Babylon, and his son who ruled in his placeNabonidus and Belshazzar556-539 BC
Nabonidus spent about ten years at the oasis of Tema in Arabia and left his son Belshazzar to rule in Babylon. That is why Belshazzar could only offer Daniel the place of "third ruler in the kingdom": he was himself second. Daniel 5:1Daniel 5:7Daniel 5:29Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Verse Account of Nabonidus
- Received the kingdom after Babylon fellDarius the MedianFrom 539 BC
Daniel says he "took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old" and set 120 princes over it. Records outside the Bible do not name him; he has been identified with Gubaru, the governor Cyrus set over Babylon, or with Cyrus himself. Daniel 5:31Daniel 6:1Daniel 9:1Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)
- King of PersiaCyrus559-530 BC
He united the Medes and Persians, took Babylon in 539 BC, and let the exiles go home to rebuild the temple, as Isaiah had named him beforehand. Daniel 1:21Daniel 6:28Daniel 10:1Ezra 1:1-4Isaiah 44:28-45:1Cyrus Cylinder
- King of JudahJehoiakim609-598 BC
Judah's king when Daniel was taken. Jeremiah warned him and his people that the land would serve Babylon seventy years. Daniel 1:1-22 Kings 23:36-24:6Jeremiah 25:1-11
What was happening, 612 BC to 167 BC
- 612 BCWarNineveh falls
Babylon and the Medes destroyed Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, as Nahum and Zephaniah had foretold. Babylon became the great power of the region. Nahum 3:7Zephaniah 2:13Fall of Nineveh Chronicle (ABC 3)
- 605 BCWarBattle of Carchemish
Nebuchadnezzar defeated Pharaoh Necho of Egypt at Carchemish on the Euphrates, in Jehoiakim's fourth year. The same year he came against Jerusalem and took the first captives, Daniel among them. Jeremiah 46:2Daniel 1:1-4Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- 597 BCWarJerusalem surrenders
Nebuchadnezzar took King Jehoiachin, his nobles and craftsmen to Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel went into exile with them. 2 Kings 24:10-17Ezekiel 1:2Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- 586 BCWarJerusalem and the temple destroyed
Babylon's army burned the temple and the city and broke down its walls. Daniel later prays over "the desolations of Jerusalem" and asks God to shine on his "sanctuary that is desolate." 2 Kings 25:8-10Jeremiah 52:12-14Daniel 9:2Daniel 9:17
- c. 575 BCBuildingBabylon rebuilt in splendor
Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt Babylon with great walls, palaces and the blue-glazed Ishtar Gate, and his inscriptions praise his own work. Compare his boast: "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built?" Daniel 4:30Nebuchadnezzar's East India House InscriptionHerodotus, Histories 1.178-183
- 562 BCRulersNebuchadnezzar dies
His son Evil-merodach became king and released Jehoiachin of Judah from prison. 2 Kings 25:27-30Jeremiah 52:31-34
- c. 553-543 BCRulersNabonidus leaves Babylon to Belshazzar
King Nabonidus stayed at Tema in Arabia for about ten years, and the yearly New Year festival in Babylon was not held. Belshazzar governed in Babylon. Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Daniel 5:1Daniel 7:1
- 550 BCWarCyrus unites the Medes and Persians
Cyrus of Persia defeated Astyages king of the Medes, joining the two peoples in one kingdom. Daniel's vision names the ram's two horns as "the kings of Media and Persia," the higher coming up last. Daniel 8:3Daniel 8:20Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Herodotus, Histories 1.127-130
- October 539 BCWarBabylon falls to Cyrus
Cyrus's army entered Babylon without a long siege. Herodotus says the people were feasting when the city was taken. Daniel records that "in that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain." Daniel 5:30-31Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Herodotus, Histories 1.191Cyrus Cylinder
- 538 BCGod's peopleCyrus lets the exiles return
In his first year over Babylon, Cyrus proclaimed that the Jews could go back and build the LORD's house in Jerusalem. Daniel "continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus." Ezra 1:1-42 Chronicles 36:22-23Daniel 1:21Cyrus Cylinder
- c. 536 BCGod's peopleThe temple's foundation is laid
The returned exiles rebuilt the altar and laid the foundation of the temple. In the third year of Cyrus, Daniel was still in the east, mourning and praying. Ezra 3:1-11Daniel 10:1-3
- 334-331 BCWarAlexander the Great conquers Persia
Alexander of Macedon crossed into Asia and overthrew the Persian empire within four years. Daniel 8:21 names the rough goat as "the king of Grecia" and its great horn as "the first king." Daniel 8:5-8Daniel 8:21Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 1-3
- 323-301 BCWarAlexander's empire is divided
Alexander died young, and after twenty years of war his generals divided his empire, chiefly into four kingdoms. Daniel 8:22 says "four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power." Daniel 8:8Daniel 8:22Daniel 11:4Diodorus Siculus, Library 18-20Plutarch, Demetrius 28-30
- 167 BCWarAntiochus IV defiles the temple
The Greek king Antiochus IV banned Jewish worship and set up a pagan altar on the altar of burnt offering. 1 Maccabees calls it "the abomination of desolation." Two centuries later Jesus spoke of "the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet" as still to come. 1 Maccabees 1:54-59Josephus, Antiquities 12.5.4Matthew 24:15
The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient records of these years (the Babylonian Chronicles, the Cyrus Cylinder, Nebuchadnezzar's inscriptions) and ancient writers (Herodotus, Arrian, Diodorus, Josephus). Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.
Original Aramaic words
This passage was written in Aramaic, the common language of the Babylonian and Persian empires, which the Jews of the exile also spoke. It uses the same alphabet as Hebrew.
| English | Aramaic | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nevertheless | בְּרַ֡ם | be-RAM | H1297 | neverthelessבְּרַם (be.ram) only, nevertheless, but |
| there | אִיתַ֞י | 'i-TAI | H0383 | there isאִיתַי (i.tay) 1) there is, there are 2) particle denoting existence |
| [is] a God | אֱלָ֤הּ | 'e-LAH | H0426 | godאֱלָהּ (e.lah) 1) god, God 1a) god, heathen deity 1b) God (of Israel) |
| in heavens the | בִּשְׁמַיָּא֙ | bish-mai-YA' | H8065 | heavenשָׁמַ֫יִן (sha.ma.yin) 1) heaven, heavens, sky 1a) visible sky 1b) Heaven (as abode of God) |
| [who] reveals | גָּלֵ֣א | ga-LE' | H1541 | to revealגְּלָא (ge.lah) 1) to reveal 1a) (P'al) to reveal (secrets), be revealed 1b) (Aphel) to take into exile |
| secrets | רָזִ֔ין | ra-ZIN | H7328 | mysteryרָז (raz) secret |
| and he has made known | וְהוֹדַ֗ע | ve-ho-DA' | H3046 | to knowיְדַע (ye.da) 1) to know 1a) (P'al) to know 1b) (Aphel) to let someone know, communicate, inform, cause to know |
| to king the | לְמַלְכָּא֙ | le-mal-KA' | H4430 | kingמֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) king Aramaic of me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4428) § 1) king |
| Nebuchadnezzar | נְבֽוּכַדְנֶצַּ֔ר | ne-vu-khad-ne-TZAR | H5020 | Nebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר, נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר (ne.vu.khad.nets.tsar) A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.24.1; father of: Belshazzar (H1112) Aramaic of ne.vu.khad.nets.tsar (נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר, נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר "Nebuchadnezzar" H5019) § Nebuchadnezzar = "may Nebo protect the crown" the great king of Babylon who captured Jerusalem and carried Judah captive |
| what | מָ֛ה | mah | H4101 | what?מָה (mah) 1) what, whatever 1a) what? 1b) whatever, what, whatsoever 1c) how?, why?, wherefore? (with prefixes) |
| that | דִּ֥י | di | H1768 | thatדִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because |
| it will be | לֶהֱוֵ֖א | le-he-VE' | H1934 | to beהֲוָא (ha.va) 1) to come to pass, become, be 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to come to pass 1a2) to come into being, arise, become, come to be 1a2a) to let become known (with participle of knowing) 1a3) to be |
| at [the] end of | בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית | be-'a-cha-RIT | H0320 | latterאַחֲרִית (a.cha.rit) end, latter Aramaic of a.cha.rit (אַחֲרִית "end" H0319) |
| days the | יוֹמַיָּ֑א | yo-mai-YA' | H3118 | dayיוֹם (yom) 1) day 2) day always refers to a twenty-four hour period when the word is modified by a definite or cardinal number |
| dream your | חֶלְמָ֨ךְ | chel-MAKH | H2493 | dreamחֵ֫לֶם (che.lem) dream Aramaic of cha.lom (חֲלוֹם "dream" H2472) |
| and [the] visions of | וְחֶזְוֵ֥י | ve-chez-VEI | H2376 | visionחֱזוּ (che.zev) 1) vision, appearance 1a) vision 1b) appearance |
| head your | רֵאשָׁ֛ךְ | re-SHAKH | H7217 | headרֵאשׁ (resh) 1) chief, head 1a) head (of man) 1b) head (as seat of visions) 1c) chief 1d) sum (essential content) |
| on | עַֽל־ | 'al- | H5922 | sinceעַל (al) 1) upon, over, on account of, above, to, against 1a) upon, over, on account of, regarding, concerning, on behalf of 1b) over (with verbs of ruling) 1c) above, beyond (in comparison) 1d) to, against (of direction) |
| bed your | מִשְׁכְּבָ֖ךְ | mish-ke-VAKH | H4903 | bedמִשְׁכַּב (mish.kav) couch, bed Aramaic of mish.kav (מִשְׁכָּב "bed" H4904) |
| [is] this | דְּנָ֥ה | de-NAH | H1836 | thisדְּנָה (de.nah) demons pron 1) this, on account of this adv 2) therefore |
| it | הֽוּא׃ פ | Hu' | H1932 | he/she/itהוּא (hu) 1) he, she, it 1a) (emphasising and resuming subject) 1b)(anticipating subj) 1c) as demons pron 1d) (relative) 1e) (affirming existence) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.