Bible Strands
Daniel 2:1
In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled his spirit, and sleep escaped him.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Nebuchadnezzar experiences distressing dreams in the second year of his reign, leaving him unable to sleep.
The words — חָלַם (cha.Lam) means "he dreamed," and וַ/תִּתְפָּ֣עֶם (va./tit.Pa.'em) translates literally to "and it was troubled," describing the king's shaken spirit.
The thread — The motif of dreams disrupting royal or official life appears in Genesis 40:5, where the cupbearer and baker share dreams in prison, and Esther 6:1, where sleep escaping the king prompts him to order the chronicles read.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that human authority cannot secure rest or understanding without divine revelation, prompting the king to summon interpreters rather than rely on his own power.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
Cross-references
- Daniel 4:5 I had a dream, and it frightened me; while I was in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me.
- Esther 6:1 That night sleep escaped the king; so he ordered the Book of Records, the Chronicles, to be brought in and read to him.
- Genesis 40:5 both of these men—the Egyptian king’s cupbearer and baker, who were being held in the prison—had a dream on the same night, and each dream had its own meaning.
- Job 33:15 In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds,
- Daniel 2:3 he said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to understand it.”
- Genesis 41:1 After two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile,
- 2 Chronicles 36:5 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God.
- Jeremiah 25:1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
- Daniel 1:1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
- Daniel 6:18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.