Daniel 2:21
in Daniel 2He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he changeth the times and the seasons; he removeth kings, and setteth up kings; he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that have understanding;
KJV
And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
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This verse in Daniel 2
Commentary
11 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And he changeth the times and the seasons - The object of this is to assert the general control of God in reference to all changes which occur. The assertion is made, undoubtedly, in view of the revolutions in empire which Daniel now saw, from the signification of the dream, were to take place under the Divine hand. Foreseeing now these vast changes denoted by different parts of the image Dan 2:36-45, stretching into far-distant times, Daniel was led to ascribe to God the control over “all” the revolutions which occur on earth.
This site's exposition
Blessed be the name of God
on Daniel 2:20-23
Daniel's hymn gives “wisdom and power” to God, who “removes kings and establishes them,” words spoken before the king hears a vision about kingdoms. He praises the God who “reveals the deep and hidden things”. The address “O God of my fathers” ties this revelation to Israel's covenant history.
This site's exposition
He removes kings and establishes them
Jerome read this line as preparing the king for the dream's subject, the succession of kingdoms, and Jamieson, Fausset and Brown follow him. Empires rise and fall by God's will. Origen counted such earthly power a gift of God, of a lower order than the spiritual gifts.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS 1:12 · Written before 253.
proposed
Many other things may also be called gifts of God, such as riches and bodily strength, physical beauty and earthly power. These things are also given by God, as Daniel says: "He deposes kings and sets up kings," but they are not spiritual gifts.
"Then Daniel went into his house and made known the matter to Ananiah and Mishael and Azariah. And they sought mercies from the God of the heaven so that they would not also be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a dream at night and Daniel blessed the God of heaven saying, 'May the name of the Lord be blessed forever and ever, because wisdom and understanding and strength are his.
Verse 21. "And it is He who changes times and seasons, who transfers kingdoms and establishes kingdoms." Let us not marvel, therefore, whenever we see kings and empires succeed one another, for it is by the will of God that they are governed, altered, and terminated. And the cases of individuals are well known to Him who founded all things. He often permits wicked kings to arise in order that they may in their wickedness punish the wicked.
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 8 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
"He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who understand learning." However much a man may have a good natural judgment and along with this frequency of experience, they do not suffice unless there be illumination through divine influence. He touches upon sapiential, …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He changeth - God can make the sun go back or stand still, as in Ahaz and Joshua's time, it is the great part of God's power and prerogative to change times.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And he changeth the times and the season,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
changeth . . . times . . . seasons--"He herein gives a general preparatory intimation, that the dream of Nebuchadnezzar is concerning the changes and successions of kingdoms" [JEROME]. The "times" are the phases and periods of duration of empires (compare Da 7:25;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
He changeth the times - Time, duration, succession are his, and under his dominion. It is in the course of his providence that one king is put down, and another raised up; and therefore he can distinctly tell what he has purposed to do in the great empires of the earth.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְ֠הוּא | vehu' | and he | H1932 → | 22 times |
| מְהַשְׁנֵ֤א | mehashne' | [is] changing | H8133 → | 21 times |
| עִדָּנַיָּא֙ | ʾidanaiya' | times the | H5732 → | 13 times |
| וְזִמְנַיָּ֔א | vezimnaiya' | and appointed times the | H2166 → | 11 times |
| מְהַעְדֵּ֥ה | meha'deh | [he is] removing | H5709 → | 9 times |
| מַלְכִ֖ין | malkhin | kings | H4430 → | 180 times |
| וּמְהָקֵ֣ים | umehakeim | and [he is] setting up | H6966 → | 35 times |
| מַלְכִ֑ין | malkhin | kings | H4430 → | 180 times |
| יָהֵ֤ב | yahev | [he is] giving | H3052 → | 28 times |
| חָכְמְתָא֙ | chakhemeta' | <the> wisdom | H2452 → | 8 times |
| לְחַכִּימִ֔ין | lechakimin | to wise men | H2445 → | 14 times |
| וּמַנְדְּעָ֖א | umandea' | and <the> understanding | H4486 → | 4 times |
| לְיָדְעֵ֥י | leyadeei | to ones knowing | H3046 → | 47 times |
| בִינָֽה׃ | vinah | <of> discernment | H999 → |
וְ֠הוּאand he
vehu'H1932 →22 times
מְהַשְׁנֵ֤א[is] changing
mehashne'H8133 →21 times
עִדָּנַיָּא֙times the
ʾidanaiya'H5732 →13 times
וְזִמְנַיָּ֔אand appointed times the
vezimnaiya'H2166 →11 times
מְהַעְדֵּ֥ה[he is] removing
meha'dehH5709 →9 times
מַלְכִ֖יןkings
malkhinH4430 →180 times
וּמְהָקֵ֣יםand [he is] setting up
umehakeimH6966 →35 times
מַלְכִ֑יןkings
malkhinH4430 →180 times
יָהֵ֤ב[he is] giving
yahevH3052 →28 times
חָכְמְתָא֙<the> wisdom
chakhemeta'H2452 →8 times
לְחַכִּימִ֔יןto wise men
lechakiminH2445 →14 times
וּמַנְדְּעָ֖אand <the> understanding
umandea'H4486 →4 times
לְיָדְעֵ֥יto ones knowing
leyadeeiH3046 →47 times
בִינָֽה׃<of> discernment
vinahH999 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Daniel 7:25He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for…
it leads to
- Daniel 12:7
And the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by Him who lives forever,…
- Revelation 12:14
But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle to fly from the presence of the serpent to her place in the wilderness, where she was nourished for a time, and times,…
- 2 Thessalonians 2:4
He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
- Revelation 13:5–11
The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months.
- Revelation 12:6
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place for her to be nourished for 1,260 days.
- Daniel 12:7
Through
Daniel 4:17This decision is the decree of the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones, so that the living will know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it…
it leads to
- Daniel 4:25
You will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. You will feed on grass like an ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven,…
- 1 Samuel 2:8
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth…
- Psalms 75:6–7
For exaltation comes neither from east nor west, nor out of the desert,
- Daniel 4:25
Where this verse is studied
By subject
Wisdom35 verses
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Studies13
On this chapter
About Daniel
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 8; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 2.5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER TWO; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS 1:12.