A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a series of dreams that left him deeply troubled. There was
something about a particular dream that caused the king to realize it was significant. He had
wondered what the future held for his kingdom and couldn’t help feeling the dream was related
to the answer to his question (2:29). Because of this, the king consulted several classes of wise
men to secure the interpretation of the dream.
When the king had gathered his wise men before him, he announced he had dreamed a
dream. He had dreamed several dreams, but there was one in particular that seemed to trouble
him. That was the dream he wanted his wise men to interpret. In the past these counselors had
apparently interpreted other dreams, but this time Nebuchadnezzar was calling on them to do
something different. He wanted them to not only tell him the meaning of the dream, but also to
tell him the dream itself.
Commentators are not in agreement as to why Nebuchadnezzar did not tell his counselors
the dream. Some argue he had forgotten the dream and could not tell the dream if he had wanted
to do so. This view seems to be favored by most translators of this account, including the LXX.
But there is some debate over the actual meaning of the rare Chaldean word azda. The word is
unknown outside of this account and the etymology of the term is uncertain. Though the word
could mean “I have forgotten,” it could also mean “I have decreed.” The fact that the counselors
did not try to fake the dream supports the idea the dream was remembered by the king. If this
were the case, it may be that the king felt the dream was so important as to not want to risk a
false interpretation. He may have concluded the one who could first discern the dream could then
discern the meaning of the dream. When his wise men claimed that could not be done, he was
prepared to have them killed for their incompetence.
Daniel did not apparently learn about the meeting with the king until the king’s men were
on their way to kill the wise men. Again Daniel appealed to his Babylonian masters for time to
resolve a problem. After consulting with his friends and praying that God would give them the
dream and preserve their lives, Daniel received the king’s dream in a night vision. When he
spoke to the king subsequently, he attributed his success to the God of heaven. His reference to
the God of heaven was an obvious contrast to the wise men who worshiped the heavens
themselves. Though this is a common title of God in the later passages of Scripture (Ezra 1:2;