Commentary - Daniel 1:17-21

Bird's-eye view

In Daniel 1:17-21, we see the culmination of the test that began when these four young men purposed in their hearts not to defile themselves. Their quiet faithfulness over a matter of diet has now resulted in a very public vindication before the most powerful man in the world. The central theme here is the manifest sovereignty of God. It is God who gives the gifts, God who grants the favor, and God who ensures the victory. This passage establishes a foundational pattern for the rest of the book: the wisdom of God, demonstrated through His faithful servants, will always and everywhere prove superior to the dark and fraudulent wisdom of pagan empires. This is not a contest between equals. This is a blowout.

The passage moves from the divine source of their abilities (v. 17) to their final examination before the king (vv. 18-19), to the stunning results of that examination (v. 20), and concludes with a summary statement of Daniel's remarkable longevity and enduring influence (v. 21). Their success is not their own; it is a direct result of God's blessing upon their obedience. They have been positioned by God at the very heart of the empire, not through compromise, but through unwavering fidelity.

Outline

Context In Daniel

These closing verses of chapter one serve as the capstone to the introductory narrative. Everything that has happened so far, from the initial deportation to the resolution not to eat the king's food, has been leading to this moment. The test with the vegetables was a preliminary trial, and their passing grade was robust health. This scene before Nebuchadnezzar is the final exam, and their passing grade is total intellectual and spiritual dominance over the entire Babylonian brain trust. This victory sets the stage for all the confrontations to come, whether it is interpreting dreams in chapter 2, facing the fiery furnace in chapter 3, or standing firm in the lions' den in chapter 6. The principle is established here: God honors those who honor Him, and the wisdom He gives is of an entirely different order than the world's.

Key Issues

Verse by Verse Commentary

17 And as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and insight in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams.

The text is plain and we must not miss the main actor. Who gave them these gifts? God did. It was not the result of their superior Hebrew breeding, nor was it simply the effect of a clean diet. Their diet was an act of obedience, and God honored that obedience with this blessing. But the blessing came from Him. This is the engine of the entire book: the absolute sovereignty of God over the affairs of men, even in exile. He is the one who raises up kings and deposes them, and He is the one who grants wisdom. These young men were enrolled in the University of Babylon, but their true tutor was the Lord God Almighty. He gave them "knowledge and insight," which means they not only knew the material, but they understood it. They could analyze, synthesize, and apply it. They mastered the pagan curriculum without being mastered by it. Then, a distinction is made for Daniel. All four were brilliant, but Daniel was given a particular prophetic gift. He "understood all kinds of visions and dreams." This is crucial, because it sets him apart as God's chosen vessel for the revelations that will make up the second half of this book. This is not the same as the Babylonian methods of divination. This is direct understanding from God, a holy wisdom that will shortly expose the Babylonian counterfeit for the fraud that it is.

18 Then at the end of the days which the king had spoken of for bringing them in, the commander of the officials brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

The time of their training was up. The three years had passed. Everything was proceeding according to the king's decree. The world has its timetables, its schedules, its bureaucratic procedures. The commander of the officials, Ashpenaz, does his duty and presents the graduates. This is a formal, official moment. It is the final inspection. All of this appears to be under the control of Nebuchadnezzar, but we know from the first verse of this chapter that God is the one who gave Jerusalem into his hand. God is working His purposes out through the decrees of pagan kings. This is the moment of truth, where the faithfulness cultivated in private is about to be tested in public.

19 And the king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; so they stood in service before the king.

Here is the oral defense of their dissertation, and the examiner is the king himself. Nebuchadnezzar personally interviews them. We are not told what they discussed, but it was clearly a rigorous examination. And the result? "Not one was found like" them. Among all the gifted young men culled from the conquered nations, these four were in a class by themselves. They were peerless. Their excellence was undeniable, even to a pagan king. And because of this, they achieved the very goal of the training program: "they stood in service before the king." They entered the king's court. God has now placed His men in the highest corridors of power in the enemy's empire. This is not a story of retreat or separation, but of infiltration and dominion. Their fidelity to God did not disqualify them from service; it qualified them for preeminence.

20 And as for every matter of wisdom in understanding which the king sought from them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his kingdom.

Now we get a quantification of their superiority. They weren't just a little smarter. They weren't just at the top of the class. The king found them "ten times better" than all his other wise men. The phrase "ten times" is a Hebrew way of expressing overwhelming, comprehensive, off-the-charts superiority. And who was the competition? Not other bright young students, but "all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his kingdom." This is a spiritual and intellectual showdown. The "magicians and conjurers" represent the entire religious and philosophical system of Babylon. These were the enchanters, the astrologers, the diviners who trafficked in demonic wisdom. And the wisdom God gave these four Hebrews made the occultic babble of Babylon look like kindergarten finger painting. The antithesis is stark. This is the wisdom from above versus the wisdom from below, and it is no contest.

21 And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king.

This final verse is a narrative leap, a summary of a long and faithful life. Daniel didn't just have a good first week on the job. He endured. He served through the entire Babylonian empire, outlasting Nebuchadnezzar and his successors. He was still there when the Medes and Persians conquered Babylon. To say he continued until the first year of Cyrus is a profound statement. Cyrus was the king who issued the decree that allowed the Jews to return from exile. So Daniel's life and ministry spanned the entire 70-year period of the captivity. He saw it begin, and he saw the beginning of its end. This demonstrates the enduring faithfulness of God to His servant, and the enduring faithfulness of the servant to his God. While empires rose and fell like chaff in the wind, Daniel remained a steadfast witness to the King who reigns forever.

Application

The application for us is straightforward. First, all true wisdom and knowledge comes from God. We should not be afraid to engage with and master secular fields of knowledge, but we must do so with our minds anchored in the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. God can equip His people to excel in any environment, no matter how hostile or pagan.

Second, faithfulness in small things leads to authority in great things. Daniel and his friends were willing to make a stand over their dinner plate. Because they honored God in that private decision, God honored them in the most public way imaginable. Do not despise the small acts of obedience. They are the training ground for greater battles and greater victories.

Finally, we see the absolute superiority of God's wisdom over the world's foolishness. The world has its magicians and conjurers still, its experts and talking heads who offer demonic solutions to human problems. We are not to be intimidated by them. The wisdom found in Scripture, when applied by the Spirit of God, is more potent, more insightful, and more effective than anything the world has to offer. Like Daniel, we are called to stand in the courts of power, whether that is in politics, education, business, or the arts, and to be ten times better, not for our own glory, but for the glory of the God who gives the gifts.