Daniel 2:21 Explained

"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:" — Daniel 2:21 (KJV)

Sung by a young exile who had just been sentenced to death by the king the verse says God installs.

Read it in context: The Book of Daniel. Also gathered under verses about change.

Daniel 2:21 in context

What does Daniel 2:21 mean?

Three pairs, and each names something people assume they control. Times and seasons: the calendar of events. Kings removed and set up: political power, stated in that order, removal first. Wisdom and knowledge given to those who already have them, which is the least intuitive line — insight compounds, and it is still a gift. The whole is a claim about who is actually arranging things, made by someone with no leverage at all.

What is the context of Daniel 2:21?

Nebuchadnezzar has demanded that his wise men tell him a dream he refuses to describe, and ordered them all executed when they cannot. Daniel asks for a night. This is his prayer when the answer comes, before he tells anyone.

How do I pray Daniel 2:21?

Pray it about a change of power you did not choose and cannot influence — an employer, a government, a decision made above you. Daniel does not ask for the king to be removed; he thanks God for the arrangement while still inside it. That order is the difficult part and it is the point.

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