Daniel 2.1-In The Second Year Of His Reign, Nebuchadnezzar Has A Recurring Dream Which Troubles Him And Gave Him Insomnia
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday January 19, 2012
Daniel: Daniel 2:1-In The Second Year Of His Reign Nebuchadnezzar Had A Recurring Dream Which Troubled Him And Gave Him Insomnia
Lesson # 25
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 2:1.
This evening we will study Daniel 2:1 which records that during the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, he had a recurring dream which troubled him and gave him insomnia.
Daniel 2:1 Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him. (NASB95)
“Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “now” which is followed by the preposition bĕ (בְּ) (beth), “in” and its object is the feminine singular construct form of the noun šā∙nā(h) (שָׁנָה) (shaw-neh), “the year” which is modified by the feminine dual form of the cardinal number šenǎ∙yim (שְׁנַיִם) (shen-ah´-yim;), “second” and this is followed by the preposition lĕ (לְ) (lamed), “of” and its object is the feminine singular construct form of the noun mǎl∙ḵûṯ (מַלְכוּת) (mal-kooth), “the reign of” and the masculine singular form of the proper name neḇû∙ḵǎḏ∙ně(ʾ)ṣ∙ṣǎr (נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר) (neb-oo-kad-nets-tsar), “Nebuchadnezzar.”
The conjunction wa is used in a transitional sense indicating that it is marking a transition from a discussion of the length of Daniel’s career in Babylon to a discussion of the most significant event that took place at the beginning of this career in Babylon, which is Daniel interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
The noun šā∙nā(h) means “year” and is used in Daniel 2:1 with reference to a regnal year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.
The noun šā∙nā(h) is modified by the cardinal number šenǎ∙yim, which means “second” indicating the second regnal year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign.
For both the Babylonians and the Jews, a king’s “ascension” year was the year he ascended to the throne and that “year” would often last only a few months.
Also, for both the Babylonians and the Jews, the first “regnal” year or in other words his first full year of reign began with the first day of the new civil year.
For the Babylonians this would have been the first of Nisan (late March and early April) whereas the Jews began their civil year on the first of Tishri (late September and early October).
The noun šā∙nā(h) is the object of the preposition bĕ, which is a marker of an extent of time within a larger unit and thus means “during” which denotes that “during” the second (regnal) year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign.
The events recorded in Daniel chapter 2 are said to have taken place in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign.
Nebuchadnezzar officially became king in September of 605 B.C. which was his ascension year but his first regnal year began in 604 B.C. the following spring, on the first of Nisan.
The intervening months constituted his accession year and were credited to his father, Nabopolassar’s reign.
So the chronology is as follows: (1) June-August 605 B.C.: Nebuchadnezzar captures Jerusalem and Daniel and friends are taken captive. (2) September 7, 605 B.C.: Nebuchadnezzar becomes king of Babylon after the death of his father, Nabopolassar. (3) September 7, 605 B.C. to Nisan (March-April) 604 B.C.: Ascension year of Nebuchadnezzar and first year of Daniel’s training. (4) Nisan (March-April) 604 B.C. to Nisan (March-April) 603 B.C.: First regnal year of Nebuchadnezzar and second year of Daniel’s training. (5) Nisan (March-April) 603 B.C. to Nisan (March-April) 602 B.C.: Second regnal year of Nebuchadnezzar and third year of Daniel’s training and also the year of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
Daniel 2:1 Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him. (NASB95)
“Nebuchadnezzar had dreams” is composed of the third person singular qal active perfect form of the verb ḥā∙lǎm (חָלַם) (khaw-lam´), “had” and this is followed by the masculine singular form of the proper name neḇû∙ḵǎḏ∙ně(ʾ)ṣ∙ṣǎr (נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר) (neb-oo-kad-nets-tsar), “Nebuchadnezzar” and then we have the feminine plural form of the noun ḥǎlôm (חֲלֹום) (khal-ome´), “dreams.”
The verb ḥā∙lǎm does not merely mean “to dream” but rather means “to dream revelations” since Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream by Daniel as recorded in Daniel 2:24-45a reveals that this dream was a revelation from God concerning future world empires and the times of the Gentiles.
The noun ḥǎlôm is in the plural and means “revelation in dreams” since Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream by Daniel as recorded in Daniel 2:24-45a reveals that this dream was a revelation from God concerning future world empires and the times of the Gentiles.
Daniel 2:24-26 reveals that Daniel identifies and interprets only one dream and not more than one which would seem to indicate that the verb ḥā∙lǎm and the noun ḥǎlôm denote a recurring dream or in other words, Nebuchadnezzar kept having the same revelation on more than one occasion while dreaming.
The articular construction of this noun in Daniel 2:26 also support this interpretation.
Daniel 2:1 Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him. (NASB95)
“And his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” which is followed by the third person masculine singular hithpael middle imperfect form of the verb pā∙ʿǎm (פָּעַם) (paw-am´), “was troubled” and then we have the feminine singular construct form of the noun rûaḥ (רוּחַ) (roo´-akh), “spirit” which is modified by the third person masculine singular pronomial suffix –hû (־הוּ) (who), “his” and then we have the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” which is followed by the feminine singular construct form of the noun šē∙nā(h) (שֵׁנָה) (shay-naw´), “sleep” which is modified by the third person masculine singular pronomial suffix –hû (־הוּ) (who), “his” and then we have the third person feminine singular niphal passive perfect form of the verb hā∙yā(h) (הָיָה) (haw-yaw), “left” and then we have the preposition ʿǎl (עַל) (al), which is not translated and its object is the third person masculine singular pronomial suffix –hû (־הוּ) (who), “him.”
This time the conjunction wa is a marker of result indicating that during the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, on more than one occasion he dreamed a revelation in dreams “so that” his soul was troubled and his sleep left him.
The noun rûaḥ means “soul” rather than “spirit” since Nebuchadnezzar was not a believer in Yahweh at this point in the narrative and the Scriptures teach that only regenerate individuals possess a human spirit.
The verb pā∙ʿǎm means “to be troubled, to be agitated” indicating that Nebuchadnezzar’s soul was agitated by dreaming revelations in a dream.
It speaks of a mental state in which Nebuchadnezzar was experiencing distress of soul and was suffering from anxiety because of this recurring dream.
The conjunction wa is a marker of result indicating that Nebuchadnezzar lost sleep “as a result of” causing himself to enter into fear, worry and anxiety as a result of dreaming on more than one occasion the same revelation in a dream.
The noun šē∙nā(h) means “sleep” referring to an altered state of awareness that is not being awake, with emphasis upon a state of proper rest.
The verb hā∙yā(h) means “to depart” and speaks of Nebuchadnezzar’s sleep departing from him as a result of causing himself to be disturbed as a result of dreaming a revelation in a dream on more than one occasion.
The pronomial suffix hû is the object of the preposition ʿǎl, which is a marker of disadvantage indicating that Nebuchadnezzar “did not benefit from” his insomnia.
Daniel 2:1 tells the reader that Nebuchadnezzar received revelation from God in a dream on more than one occasion.
The rest of Daniel chapter 2 as well as chapter 7 reveal that this revelation concerns itself with the future of planet earth and specifically, it concerns itself with the times of the Gentiles.
This prophetic period refers to an extended period of time when the Gentiles are the dominant world powers and Israel is subject to those powers and extends from the Babylonian capture of Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar (586 B.C.) and continues through the Tribulation (Revelation 11:2).
This period of history includes the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and the church age and the Tribulation period.
This phrase does not rule out temporary Jewish control of Jerusalem as has occurred in the past during the Maccabean era (164-63 B.C), the first Jewish revolt against Rome (A.D. 66-70), the second Jewish revolt (A.D. 132-135) and now since 1967 and the Six-Day War.
However, this control is only temporary because Revelation 11:1-2 predicts at least another three-and-one-half years of Gentile domination during the last half of Daniel’s Seventieth Week, also known as the Tribulation.
Therefore, any Jewish takeover of the city of David before the Second Advent of Christ must be therefore viewed as a temporary one and does not mean that “the times of the Gentiles” has ended since it can only end with the Second Advent of Jesus Christ, which will forever stop Gentile powers waging war against Israel.
In Luke 21:24, the Lord Jesus Christ makes mention of “the times of the Gentiles” in relation to the Tribulation period in His Olivet Discourse.
Daniel chapters 2 and 7 revealed that the times of the Gentiles will end with the Second Advent of Christ.
Both of these chapters speak of the millennial reign of Christ where the Lord Jesus Christ’s kingdom will reign upon the earth for a thousand years after the completion of the times of the Gentiles.
Daniel 2:1 tells the reader that Nebuchadnezzar was so disturbed by this revelation that God gave him in his dreams that he suffered from insomnia.
He knew that it was significant but could not interpret it, thus, the reason for his actions which are recorded in the subsequent verses.