The Meaning of Daniel 2:18 Explained

Daniel 2:18

KJV: 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.

YLT: and to seek mercies from before the God of the heavens concerning this secret, that they destroy not Daniel and his companions with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Darby: that they would desire mercies of the God of the heavens concerning this secret; that Daniel and his companions should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

ASV: that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his companions should nor perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Daniel 2:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Daniel 2:14-35 - Wisdom Granted In The Hour Of Need
The action of Daniel in this supreme crisis is very instructive. He reckoned absolutely on God, and in his chivalrous endeavor to save the lives of the aged men, the heads of the college in which he had been trained. He never doubted that God would be His stay. A prayer meeting was convened to ask for the merciful interposition of the God of heaven, and at its close Daniel seems to have lain down to sleep in unwavering faith. In this act we are reminded of Jesus sleeping amid the storm. Only a heart so pure and true, so trustful and godly, could have slept within the shadow of so terrible a menace. It was in a night-vision that he beheld the majestic procession of empire, from the gold of absolute monarchy to the clay and metal of constitutional government. Note his care to give all the glory to God and to take the humble position of the mere channel through which the divine message was transmitted to the king. [source]

Chapter Summary: Daniel 2

1  Nebuchadnezzar, forgetting his dream,
5  requires it of the Chaldeans, by promises and threats
10  They acknowledging their inability are judged to die
14  Daniel obtaining some respite finds the dream
19  He blesses God
24  He staying the decree is brought to the king
31  The dream
36  The interpretation
46  Daniel's advancement

What do the individual words in Daniel 2:18 mean?

That mercies they might seek of from God of heaven the concerning secret this so that not might perish Daniel and his companions with the rest of the wise [men] of Babylon
וְרַחֲמִ֗ין לְמִבְעֵא֙ מִן־ קֳדָם֙ אֱלָ֣הּ שְׁמַיָּ֔א עַל־ רָזָ֖ה דְּנָ֑ה דִּ֣י לָ֤א יְהֹֽבְדוּן֙ דָּנִיֵּ֣אל וְחַבְר֔וֹהִי עִם־ שְׁאָ֖ר חַכִּימֵ֥י בָבֶֽל

וְרַחֲמִ֗ין  That  mercies 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: רַחֲמִין  
Sense: compassion.
לְמִבְעֵא֙  they  might  seek 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בְּעָה  
Sense: to ask, seek, request, desire, pray, make petition.
אֱלָ֣הּ  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֱלָהּ  
Sense: god, God.
שְׁמַיָּ֔א  of  heaven  the 
Parse: Noun, mdd
Root: שְׁמַיִן  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
עַל־  concerning 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל  
Sense: upon, over, on account of, above, to, against.
רָזָ֖ה  secret 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: רָז  
Sense: secret.
דְּנָ֑ה  this 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: דְּנָה  
Sense: this, on account of this adv.
דִּ֣י  so  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: דִּי  
Sense: who, which, that mark of genitive.
יְהֹֽבְדוּן֙  might  perish 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אֲבַד  
Sense: to perish, vanish.
דָּנִיֵּ֣אל  Daniel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּנִיֵּאל  
Sense: the 4th of the greater prophets, taken as hostage in the first deportation to Babylon, because of the gift of God of the interpretation of dreams, he became the 2nd in command of the Babylon empire and lasted through the end of the Babylonian empire and into the Persian empire. His prophecies are the key to the understanding of end time events. Noted for his purity and holiness by contemporary prophet, Ezekiel.
וְחַבְר֔וֹהִי  and  his  companions 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֲבַר  
Sense: associate, companion, friend, comrade, fellow.
שְׁאָ֖ר  the  rest 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שְׁאָר  
Sense: rest, remainder.
חַכִּימֵ֥י  of  the  wise  [men] 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: חַכִּים  
Sense: wise man, wise.
בָבֶֽל  of  Babylon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בָּבֶל  
Sense: Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates.