Daniel 2:20-21
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Daniel’s praise isn't just a general thank you; it's a direct response to God’s power and intelligence displayed in revealing the dream. He’s highlighting that both the "how" (wisdom) and the "ability" (might) to bring about events belong solely to God, setting Him apart from all human attempts to understand or control.
Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;
English Standard Version (ESV)
King Nebuchadnezzar has just demanded that his wise men reveal and interpret a disturbing dream, threatening them with death if they cannot. In response, Daniel, knowing no human could possibly fulfill this impossible demand, gathers his friends to earnestly seek God's intervention. This verse marks the beginning of Daniel's prayer of thanksgiving to God for granting him the revelation and the wisdom to understand it.
Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by God's action that you didn't know what else to do but praise Him? Daniel's response to uncovering a royal secret wasn't a complex theological treatise, but a profound declaration of God's character.
More Than Just Speaking
The word "answered" here doesn't just mean Daniel replied to a question. In Scripture, it often signifies a response to a situation, an occasion, or God's goodness. Daniel is moved by God's powerful intervention and begins to speak, not out of obligation, but from a heart overflowing with gratitude.
The "Name" of God
When Daniel blesses the "name of God," he's not just referring to a label. The "name" in the Bible represents God's very being, His character, and His revealed nature. Blessing His name means acknowledging and celebrating who He is, as demonstrated through His actions.
In a moment of crisis, where human wisdom failed, Daniel turned to the ultimate source. He recognized that true understanding and power belong solely to God.
Divine Wisdom Revealed
Nebuchadnezzar's dream was a puzzle that stumped the wisest minds in Babylon. Daniel, however, recognized that the wisdom needed to unlock this secret wasn't learned, but given by God. This reveals a crucial truth: human wisdom is limited, but God's wisdom is infinite and available to those who seek Him.
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Unrivaled Might
Daniel doesn't just praise God's wisdom; he also acknowledges His "might." This refers to God's absolute power and sovereignty. He is the one who orchestrates nations, raises up kings, and brings down empires. This power is not merely for grand cosmic events, but is also demonstrated in the quiet revelation of a secret to a humble servant.
The Unity of Wisdom and Might
These two attributes, wisdom and might, are presented together as foundational to God's being. They are inseparable. God's power is always guided by perfect wisdom, and His wisdom is always backed by the power to execute it. This combination assures us that God is not only capable of accomplishing His purposes, but He also does so with perfect understanding and justice.
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.
iddan · Aramaic Noun
Refers to the fixed, recurring appointments in the divine calendar or historical eras ordained by God, highlighting His sovereignty over the unfolding of human history.
zeman · Aramaic Noun
Specifically refers to the appropriate or defined periods for events, often implying God's appointed timing for fulfilling His purposes.
hokhmah · Aramaic Noun
Refers to the divine attribute of knowing all things, including secrets, hidden motives, and the future, which is inherently possessed by God alone.
Daniel's prayer arises from a moment of extreme crisis. The Babylonian exile, while a judgment, also placed God's faithful servants in a position to display His power and wisdom to the most powerful empire on earth.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon, conquers Jerusalem and deports many Judean nobles and skilled individuals, including Daniel and his friends, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
c. 605-562 BC
Nebuchadnezzar II's Reign
Daniel and his companions live and serve in the Babylonian court during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II. This period is marked by significant Babylonian expansion and construction projects.
c. 605 BC— this verse
Nebuchadnezzar's Dream of the Great Statue
King Nebuchadnezzar has a profound and disturbing dream about a statue made of various metals, which he cannot recall upon waking. He demands his wise men interpret it, threatening them with death.
c. 605 BC
Divine Revelation to Daniel
Unable to interpret the dream through human means, Nebuchadnezzar's life is in danger. God reveals the dream and its interpretation to Daniel in a vision during the night.
c. 605 BC
Daniel's Prayer of Thanksgiving
Upon receiving the divine revelation, Daniel offers a prayer of thanksgiving and praise to God, acknowledging His wisdom and might.
c. 605 BC
Daniel Interprets the Dream
Daniel boldly approaches Nebuchadnezzar, first with praise to God, and then reveals the king's forgotten dream and its meaning, attributing all wisdom to God.
This Psalm speaks of blessing God's name at all times, a theme directly echoed by Daniel's immediate praise, highlighting the perpetual nature of God's worthiness of adoration.
Nehemiah 9:5This passage contains a similar doxology where the Levites bless God's glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise, showing a shared liturgical tradition of praising God's greatness.
Job 12:13This verse directly states, 'With him are wisdom and might,' paralleling Daniel's declaration and emphasizing that these attributes are not merely possessed by God but are inherently His.
Jeremiah 32:19Jeremiah proclaims God is 'great in counsel and mighty in work,' which aligns with Daniel's recognition of God's wisdom and might, particularly as these were on display in revealing the king's dream and its interpretation.
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’s praise isn't just a general thank you; it's a direct response to God’s power and intelligence displayed in revealing the dream. He’s highlighting that both the "how" (wisdom) and the "ability" (might) to bring about events belong solely to God, setting Him apart from all human attempts to understand or control.
King Nebuchadnezzar has just demanded that his wise men reveal and interpret a disturbing dream, threatening them with death if they cannot. In response, Daniel, knowing no human could possibly fulfill this impossible demand, gathers his friends to earnestly seek God's intervention. This verse marks the beginning of Daniel's prayer of thanksgiving to God for granting him the revelation and the wisdom to understand it.
King Nebuchadnezzar has just demanded that his wise men reveal and interpret a disturbing dream, threatening them with death if they cannot. In response, Daniel, knowing no human could possibly fulfill this impossible demand, gathers his friends to earnestly seek God's intervention. This verse marks the beginning of Daniel's prayer of thanksgiving to God for granting him the revelation and the wisdom to understand it.
"Daniel answered and said:
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and kno…" — Daniel’s praise isn't just a general thank you; it's a direct response to God’s power and intelligence displayed in revealing the dream. He’s highlighting that both the "how" (wisdom) and the "abilit…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026