Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Daniel doesn't just praise God for wisdom and might, but for the fact that these belong to Him inherently. This is a profound declaration that these divine qualities aren't borrowed or temporary, but are God's, from eternity past to eternity future, setting Him apart as the ultimate source of all understanding and power.
Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Nebuchadnezzar has thrown the wise men of Babylon into a panic by demanding they not only interpret his dream but also tell him what the dream was in the first place. Facing execution, Daniel and his friends pray for divine intervention, and God reveals the king's dream and its meaning to Daniel. In response to this life-saving revelation, Daniel immediately breaks out in praise, acknowledging God as the ultimate source of all wisdom and power.
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by a challenge, only to have God step in? Daniel's response wasn't just giving an answer to the king; it was a spontaneous burst of praise. Notice how he begins.
Daniel's
Daniel's praise centers on two core attributes: wisdom and might. Why these two, and how do they work together in God's plan?
The Divine Toolkit
Daniel declares that wisdom and might belong to God. This isn't just a poetic flourish; it's a profound theological statement that directly addresses the situation.
Divine Wisdom
Sovereign Might
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Together, God's wisdom (His perfect plan and understanding) and might (His unstoppable power to execute that plan) are the foundation of Daniel's praise, assuring him that the God who revealed the secret can also bring it to pass.
Daniel blesses God's "name... forever and ever." What does 'name' signify here, and what does it mean to praise it eternally?
More Than Just a Label
In Scripture, when we speak of God's "name," we're not just referring to a title. God's name represents His very being, His character, His reputation, and His self-revelation.
Praising His Character
When Daniel says, "Blessed be the name of God," he's blessing the entirety of who God is and what He has done. It's an acknowledgment of His perfection, His holiness, and His attributes – like the wisdom and might he immediately mentions.
Eternal Significance
The phrase "forever and ever" (or as some scholars suggest, "from eternity to eternity") points to God's eternal nature. Our praise isn't just for a moment; it's a response to a God who exists outside of time and whose glory will be celebrated throughout all ages. This connects us to a timeless reality and reminds us that His faithfulness and power are constant.
This concept of praising God's name echoes throughout the Psalms and is a foundational aspect of worship, inviting us to acknowledge God's eternal worth in every circumstance.
Understand the original words
shem · Aramaic Noun
In biblical thought, a name represents the person's character, reputation, authority, and essence. To bless the name of God is to honor His very nature and all that He has revealed Himself to be.
chokmah · Aramaic Noun
The insight, discernment, and capacity to understand divine truth and order. Biblically, true wisdom originates with God and is granted to those who fear Him; it is deeper than mere human intellect.
geburah · Aramaic Noun
The inherent power, strength, or ability to act and accomplish one's purposes. In a theological sense, it attributes all sovereign capability and ability to intervene in human history to God alone.
Daniel's praise in this verse isn't just a general theological statement; it's a direct response to a crisis where God's unique wisdom and power were powerfully displayed by revealing a forgotten dream and its prophetic meaning to Daniel, saving his life and the lives of his companions.
c. 626 BC
Nebuchadnezzar II begins reign
Nebuchadnezzar II, a powerful Babylonian king, ascended to the throne. His reign would see significant military campaigns and grand building projects, shaping the political landscape of the ancient Near East.
605 BC
First deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar's forces were victorious against Egypt at Carchemish. This victory led to the first major deportation of Judean exiles, including Daniel and his friends, to Babylon.
c. 600-580 BC— this verse
Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a great statue
During this period, King Nebuchadnezzar had a profound and disturbing dream about a massive statue, which he subsequently forgot. The king's inability to recall the dream led to a decree to execute all the wise men of Babylon, including Daniel.
c. 600-580 BC
Daniel interprets the dream
Daniel, through divine revelation, not only recalled the dream but also interpreted its meaning, revealing it to be a prophecy of successive world empires. This event demonstrated God's supreme wisdom and power over earthly rulers and kingdoms.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's forces finally destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, marking a devastating climax to the Babylonian conquest of Judah and leading to a further, larger exile of its people.
539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Persia
The Babylonian Empire, which had held sway for decades, was conquered by Cyrus the Great of Persia. This marked a significant shift in world power.
This passage is a clear example of a similar liturgical formula of blessing God 'forever and ever,' showing that Daniel's praise was rooted in established worship traditions.
Job 12:13This verse directly echoes Daniel's sentiment, stating 'With him are wisdom and might,' highlighting the consistent biblical theme of attributing these essential qualities to God alone.
Nehemiah 9:5Nehemiah's prayer also begins with a doxology that uses similar phrasing to Daniel's, underscoring that praise for God's wisdom and power was a common response to His acts of deliverance.
Jeremiah 32:19This verse connects God's 'greatness in counsel and might' to His actions, mirroring Daniel's recognition of God's wisdom and power as demonstrated in revealing the king's secret.
Exodus 15:11The song of Moses after the Red Sea also exclaims 'Who is like you, O LORD, in majesty and glorious in power?', echoing Daniel's praise for God's might and wisdom in the face of overwhelming circumstances.
clarkeDaniel 2:20: "Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:"
Wisdom and might are his - He knows all things, and can do all things.
barnesDaniel 2:20: "Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:"
Daniel answered and said - The word "answer," in the Scriptures, often occurs substantially in the sense of "speak" or "say." It does not always denote a reply to something that has been said by another, as it does with us, but is often used when a speech is commenced, as if one were replying to something that "might" be said in the case, or as meaning that the circumstances in t…
Daniel doesn't just praise God for wisdom and might, but for the fact that these belong to Him inherently. This is a profound declaration that these divine qualities aren't borrowed or temporary, but are God's, from eternity past to eternity future, setting Him apart as the ultimate source of all understanding and power.
Nebuchadnezzar has thrown the wise men of Babylon into a panic by demanding they not only interpret his dream but also tell him what the dream was in the first place. Facing execution, Daniel and his friends pray for divine intervention, and God reveals the king's dream and its meaning to Daniel. In response to this life-saving revelation, Daniel immediately breaks out in praise, acknowledging God as the ultimate source of all wisdom and power.
Nebuchadnezzar has thrown the wise men of Babylon into a panic by demanding they not only interpret his dream but also tell him what the dream was in the first place. Facing execution, Daniel and his friends pray for divine intervention, and God reveals the king's dream and its meaning to Daniel. In response to this life-saving revelation, Daniel immediately breaks out in praise, acknowledging God as the ultimate source of all wisdom and power.
"Daniel answered and said:
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might." — Daniel doesn't just praise God for wisdom and might, but for the fact that these *belong* to Him inherently. This is a profound declaration that these divine qualities aren't borrowed or temporary, b…
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Last reviewed October 2026