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.

DANIEL 2:18KJV
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Daniel 2:18 (KJV)

What does Daniel 2:18 mean?

Daniel 2:18 describes how Daniel asked his friends to pray and seek compassion from the God of heaven so that God would reveal the secret of the king’s dream, and they would not be killed along with the other wise men of Babylon. Daniel and his companions depended on God’s mercy to save their lives in a dangerous situation.

Daniel is speaking to his three friends—Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—after King Nebuchadnezzar demanded that his wise men tell him both his dream and its meaning, under threat of death. Daniel urges his friends to join him in asking God for help, showing that he trusts God rather than relying on human wisdom or magic. This verse highlights the seriousness of the crisis and Daniel’s faith in God’s power to reveal mysteries.

The Aramaic behind Daniel 2:18

  • "desire" (בָּעָה, baʿaʾ, H1156): This word means to seek or request earnestly. Here, it shows Daniel’s sense of urgency and dependence on God, not just a casual wish.
  • "mercies" (רַחֲמִין, raḥamīn, H7359): This word refers to compassion or acts of mercy. Daniel and his friends are not demanding answers but humbly asking for God’s kindness.
  • "secret" (רָז, raz, H7328): This word means a hidden or mysterious thing. The verse makes clear that the dream’s meaning is truly beyond human knowledge and requires divine revelation.
  • "God" (אֱלָהּ, ʾĕlāh, H426): This is the Aramaic word for God, emphasizing that Daniel is appealing to the one true God, not the gods of Babylon.

Why Daniel 2:18 matters

  • Daniel 2:18 clarifies that Daniel and his friends did not rely on their own wisdom or Babylonian practices but turned directly to God for help, setting them apart from the other wise men.
  • This verse emphasizes the importance of prayer and seeking God’s mercy in times of crisis, showing that Daniel’s faith was active and communal.
  • Daniel 2:18 connects to the larger story by setting up God’s revelation of the dream, highlighting that the answer comes from God alone, not from human ability.

Where else these words appear

“fellows” Hebrew H2269 · used in 3 verses

  • Daniel 2:13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
  • Daniel 2:17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:

“perish” Hebrew H7 · used in 6 verses

  • Jeremiah 10:11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.
  • Daniel 2:12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
  • Daniel 7:11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

“secret” Hebrew H7328 · used in 8 verses

  • Daniel 2:19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
  • Daniel 2:28 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;
  • Daniel 2:30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.

“rest” Hebrew H7606 · used in 10 verses

  • Ezra 4:9 Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,
  • Ezra 6:16 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,
  • Daniel 7:7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.