Understanding is something that we all desire. According to Scripture, it says, that there is two different kinds of understanding. Things of this earth and spiritual understanding. Now someone who is not born again and does not have the Holy Spirit giving them understanding will not understand spiritual things. We see that understanding comes when we tune our ears to wisdom and concentrate on understanding. This could be applied in either worldly wisdom or spiritual understanding. Remember there are two different subjects being spoken of here. We are going to focus on the spiritual understanding. In spiritual understanding you are going to grow with the knowledge of God. In Isaiah chapter 6 it says that we will not understand if we harden our hearts against God. It says that you will see with your own eyes but not understand. Now the book of Proverbs was written to help people understand how this world works and to testify of the truths of God. If you study the book of Proverbs it will help you relate to people and identify who the wicked, the fool, the wise and every other type of people that are out there among us. It will specifically tell you how to deal with them and this is the reason that a lot of Bible scholars call it the Book of Wisdom. If you cry out for insight and understanding then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD and He will give you understanding. It says that understanding will keep you safe. In Proverbs 3:5 it says “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.” If we do this we will truly be understanding things in the spiritual realm.
We have taken paths that do not benefit us and usually are very devastating to us in one way or another. Whenever I do not understand something nowadays I cry out to the LORD for understanding. He is the one that grants the understanding and peace through the circumstance. Even if I do not completely understand it at the time, I trust in the LORD and try my hardest not to lean on my own understanding. Usually what happens is in God’s timing something else happens that gives me understanding. According to Scripture is says that we can gain understanding and some people lack understanding, it also says that understanding is given by wisdom and I hope that you will notice the difference between the two. Wisdom is applying the knowledge to do the right thing and understanding is seeing the benefit of it. May God Bless You and I hope that the LORD blesses you with His understanding!!!
Understand: v. 1. to get the meaning of; know what is meant by something or someone [ Do you understand my question?] 2. to get an idea or notion from what is heard, known, etc. [I understand that you like to fish.] 6. to know the feelings of and have sympathy toward [She felt like no one understood her.]
Understanding: n. 1. the fact of knowing what is meant; knowledge [ A full understanding of the subject.] 2. the ability to think, learn, judge, etc.; intelligence [a person of keen understanding].
Ephesians 1:8
He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
Ephesians 1:16-17
I have never stopped thanking God for you, I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.
Ephesians 1:18
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people.
Ephesians 1:19-20
I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and who seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.
John 3:31-36 Side Note: This was John the Baptist speaking about Jesus.
“He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. I am of the earth, and my understanding is limited to the things of the earth, but he has come from heaven. He tells what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! Those who believe him discover that God is true. For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God’s Spirit is upon him without measure or limit. And all who believe in God’s Son have eternal life. Those who don’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life, but the wrath of God remains upon them.”
Ecclesiastes 7:13
Notice the way God does things; then fall into line. Don’t fight the ways of God, for who can straighten out what he has made crooked?
Isaiah 6:9-10 Side Note: Isaiah was sent to the nation of Israel, which had hardened their hearts against God, and God made it clear that they wouldn’t repent as a nation, but God obviously knew that some would repent. (Isaiah 6:13)
And he said, “Yes, go. But tell my people this: ‘You will hear my words, but you will not understand. You will see what I do, but you will not perceive its meaning.’ Harden the hearts of these people. Close their ears, and shut their eyes. That way, they will not see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn to me for healing.”
Proverbs 1:2-7
The purpose of these proverbs is to teach people wisdom and discipline, and to help them understand wise sayings. Through these proverbs, people will receive instruction in discipline, good conduct, and doing what is right, just, and fair. These proverbs will make the simpleminded clever. They will give knowledge and purpose to young people.
Let those who are wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. And let those who understand receive guidance by exploring the depth of meaning in these proverbs, parables, wise sayings, and riddles.
Fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. Only fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Proverbs 2:1-11
My child, listen to me and treasure my instructions. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight and understanding. Search for them as you would for lost money or hidden treasure. Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of good sense to the godly. He is their shield, protecting those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of justice and protects those who are faithful to him.
Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will know how to find the right course of action every time. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy. Wise planning will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe.
Proverbs 3:1-8
My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart, for they will give you a long and satisfying life. Never let loyalty and kindness get away from you! Wear them like a necklace; write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will gain a good reputation.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn your back on evil. Then you will gain renewed health and vitality.
Proverbs 3:13-15
Happy is the person who finds wisdom and gains understanding. For the profit of wisdom is better than silver, and her wages are better than gold. Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.
Proverbs 3:19-20
By wisdom the LORD founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens. By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth, and the clouds poured down rain.
Proverbs 4:1-9
My child, listen to me. Listen to your father’s instruction. Pay attention and grow wise, for I am giving you good guidance. Don’t turn away from my teaching. For I, too, was once my father’s son, tenderly loved by my mother as an only child.
My father told me, “Take my words to heart. Follow my instructions and you will live. Learn to be wise, and develop good judgment. Don’t forget or turn away from my words. Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And whatever else you do, get good judgment. If you prize wisdom, she will exalt you. She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown.
Proverbs 6:32
Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul
Proverbs 7:4-27
Love wisdom like a sister; make insight a beloved member of your family. Let them hold you back from an affair with an immoral woman, from listening to the flattery of an adulterous woman.
I was looking out the window of my house one day and saw a simpleminded young man who lacked common sense. He was crossing the street near the house of an immoral woman. He was strolling down the path by her house at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in. The woman approached him, dressed seductively and sly of heart. She was the brash, rebellious type who never stays at home. She is often seen in the streets and markets, soliciting at every corner.
She threw her arms around him and kissed him, and with a brazen look she said, “I’ve offered my sacrifices and just finished my vows. It’s you I was looking for! I came out to find you, and here you are! My bed is spread with colored sheets of finest linen imported from Egypt. I’ve perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let’s drink our fill of love until morning. Let’s enjoy each other’s caresses, for my husband is not home. He’s away on a long trip. He has taken a wallet full of money with him, and he won’t return until later in the month.”
So she seduced him with her pretty speech. With her flattery she enticed him. He followed her at once, like an ox going to the slaughter or like a trapped stag, awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart. He was like a bird flying into a snare, little knowing it would cost him his life.
Listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to my words. Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her. Don’t wander down her wayward path. For she has been the ruin of many; numerous men have been her victims. Her house is the road to the grave. Her bedroom is the den of death.
Proverbs 8:1-21
Listen as wisdom calls out! Hear as understanding raises her voice! She stands on the hilltop and at the crossroads. At the entrance to the city, at the city gates, she cries aloud, “I call to you, to all of you! I am raising my voice to all people. How naïve you are! Let me give you common sense. O foolish ones, let me give you understanding. Listen to me! For I have excellent things to tell you. Everything I say is right, for I speak the truth and hate every kind of deception. My advice is wholesome and good. There is nothing crooked or twisted in it. My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those who want to learn.
“Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge over pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can be compared with it.
“I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment. All who fear the LORD will hate evil. That is why I hate pride, arrogance, corruption, and perverted speech. Good advice and success belong to me. Insight and strength are mine. Because of me, kings reign, and rulers make just laws. Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgments.
“I love all who love me. Those who search for me will surely find me. Unending riches, honor, wealth, and justice are mine to distribute. My gifts are better than the purest gold, my wages better than sterling silver! I walk in righteousness, in paths of justice. Those who love me inherit wealth, for I fill their treasuries.
Proverbs 9:1-6
Wisdom has built her spacious house with seven pillars. She has prepared a great banquet, mixed the wines, and set the table. She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come. She calls out from the heights overlooking the city. “Come home with me,” she urges the simple. To those without good judgment, she says, “Come, eat my food, and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your foolish ways behind, and begin to live; learn how to be wise.” Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get a smart retort. Anyone who rebukes the wicked will get hurt. So don’t bother rebuking mockers; they will only hate you. But the wise, when rebuked, will love you all the more. Teach the wise, and they will be wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn more. Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in understanding.
Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life. If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.
Proverbs 10:13
Wise words come from the lips of people with understanding, but fools will be punished with a rod.
Proverbs 10:23
To do evil is like sport to a fool, But a man of understanding has wisdom.
Proverbs 11:12
It is foolish to belittle a neighbor; a person with good sense remains silent.
Proverbs 13:15
Good understanding gains favor, But the way of the unfaithful is hard.
Proverbs 14:6
A mocker seeks wisdom and never finds it, but knowledge comes easily to those with understanding.
Proverbs 14:29
Those who control their anger have great understanding; those with a hasty temper will make mistakes.
Proverbs 14:33
Wisdom is enshrined in an understanding heart; wisdom is not found among fools.
Proverbs 15:14
The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.
Proverbs 15:21
Folly is joy to him who is destitute of discernment, But a man of understanding walks uprightly.
Proverbs 15:32
If you reject criticism, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.
Proverbs 16:16
How much better to get wisdom than gold, and understanding than silver!
Proverbs 16:21
The wise are known for their understanding, and instruction is appreciated if it’s well presented.
Proverbs 17:10
A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.
Proverbs 17:18
A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, And becomes surety for his friend.
Proverbs 17:27
A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.
Proverbs 17:28
Even fools are thought to be wise when they keep silent; when they keep their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.
Proverbs 18:2
Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.
Proverbs 19:8
To acquire wisdom is to love oneself; people who cherish understanding will prosper.
Proverbs 19:25
Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary; Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.
Proverbs 20:5
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw it out.
Proverbs 20:24
How can we understand the road we travel? It is the LORD who directs our steps.
Proverbs 21:30
There is no wisdom or understanding Or counsel against the LORD.
Proverbs 23:23
Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
Proverbs 24:3
Through wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established.
Proverbs 24:30-34
I went by the field of the lazy man, And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; Its surface was covered with nettles; Its stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered it well. I looked on it and received instruction; A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest; So shall your poverty come like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.
Proverbs 28:11
The rich man is wise in his own eyes, But the poor who has understanding searches him out.
Proverbs 28:16
A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor, But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.
Isaiah 1:2-3
Hear, O heavens! Listen, O earth! This is what the LORD says: “The children I raised and cared for have turned against me. Even the animals – the donkey and the ox – know their owner and appreciate his care, but not my people Israel. No matter what I do for them, they still do not understand.
Exodus 31:1-5
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.
Deuteronomy 4:1-14
“AND NOW, O Israel, give heed to the statutes and the ordinances which I teach you, and do them; that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, gives you. You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it; that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. Your eyes have seen what the LORD did at Baal-peor; for the LORD your God destroyed from among you all the men who followed the Baal or Peor; but you who held fast to the LORD your God are all alive this day. Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land which you are entering to take possession of it. Keep them and do them; for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day?
“Only take heed, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children – how on the day that you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, the LORD said to me, ‘Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, sot that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children so.’ And you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, wrapped in darkness, cloud, and gloom. Then the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire; you heard the sound of words, but saw no form; there was only a voice. And he declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, that is, the ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone. And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, that you might do them in the land which you are going over to possess.
1 Samuel 25:1-38
Now Samuel died, and all Israel gathered for his funeral. They buried him near his home at Ramah. Then David moved down to the wilderness of Maon. There was a wealthy man from Maon who owned property near the village of Carmel. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, and it was sheep-shearing time. This man’s name was Nabal, and his wife, Abigail, was a sensible and beautiful woman. But Nabal, a descendant of Caleb, was mean and dishonest in all his dealings.
When David heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep, he sent ten of his young men to Carmel. He told them to deliver this message: “Peace and prosperity to you, your family, and everything you own! I am told that you are shearing your sheep and goats. While your shepherds stayed among us near Carmel, we never harmed them, and nothing was ever stolen from them. Ask your own servants, and they will tell you this is true. So would you please be kind to us, since we have come at a time of celebration? Please give us any provisions you might have on hand.” David’s young men gave this message to Nabal and waited for his reply.
“Who is this fellow David?” Nabal sneered. “Who does this son of Jesse think he is? There are lots of servants these days who run away from their masters. Should I take my bread and water and the meat I’ve slaughtered for my shearers and give it to a band of outlaws who come from who knows where?” So David’s messengers returned and told him what Nabal had said.
“Get your swords!” was David’s reply as he strapped on his own. Four hundred men started off with David, and two hundred remained behind to guard their equipment.
Meanwhile, one of Nabal’s servants went to Abigail and told her, “David sent men from the wilderness to talk to our master, and he insulted them. But David’s men were very good to us, and we never suffered any harm from them. Nothing was stolen from us the whole time they were with us. In fact, day night they were like a wall of protection to us and the sheep. You’d better think fast, for there is going to be trouble for our master and his whole family. He’s so ill-tempered that no one can even talk to him!”
Abigail lost no time. She quickly gathered two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, nearly a bushel of roasted grain, one hundred raisin cakes, and two hundred fig cakes. She packed them on donkeys and said to her servants, “Go on ahead. I will follow you shortly.” But she didn’t tell her husband what she was doing.
As she was riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, she saw David and his men coming toward her. David had just been saying, “A lot of good it did to help this fellow. We protected his flocks in the wilderness, and nothing he owned was lost or stolen. But he has repaid me evil for good. May God deal with me severely if even one man of his household is still alive tomorrow morning!”
When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed low before him. She fell at his feet and said, “I accept all blame in this matter, my lord. Please listen to what I have to say. I know Nabal is a wicked and ill-tempered man; please don’t pay any attention to him. He is a fool, just as his name suggests. But I never even saw the messengers you sent.
“Now, my lord, as surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, since the LORD has kept you from murdering and taking vengeance into your own hands, let all your enemies be as cursed as Nabal is. And here is a present I have brought to you and your young men. Please forgive me if I have offended in any way. The LORD will surely reward you with a lasting dynasty, for you are fighting the LORD’s battles. And you have not done wrong throughout your entire life.
“Even when you are chased by those who seek your life, you are safe in the care of the LORD your God, secure in his treasure pouch! But the lives of your enemies will disappear like stones shot from a sling! When the LORD has done all he promised and has made you leader of Israel, don’t let this be a blemish on your record. Then you won’t have to carry on your conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed and vengeance. And when the LORD has done these great things for you, please remember me!”
David replied to Abigail, “Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you to meet me today! Thank God for your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murdering the man and carrying out vengeance with my own hands. For I swear by the LORD, the God of Israel, who has kept me from hurting you, that if you had not hurried out to meet me, not one of Nabal’s men would be alive tomorrow morning.” Then David accepted her gifts and told her, “Return home in peace. We will not kill your husband.”
When Abigail arrived home, she found that Nabal had thrown a big party and was celebrating like a king. He was very drunk, so she didn’t tell him anything about her meeting with David until the next morning. The next morning when he was sober, she told him what had happened. As a result he had a stroke, and he lay on his bed paralyzed. About ten days later, the LORD struck him and he died.
1 Kings 3:1-28
Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and married one of his daughters. He brought her to live in the City of David until he could finish building his palace and the Temple of the LORD and the wall around the city. At that time the people of Israel sacrificed their offerings at local altars, for a temple honoring the name of the LORD had not yet been built.
Solomon loved the LORD and followed all the instructions of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local altars. The most important of these altars was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed one thousand burnt offerings. That night the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”
Solomon replied, “You were wonderfully kind to my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued this great kindness to him today by giving him a son to succeed him. O LORD my God, now you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a child who doesn’t know his way around. And here I am among your own chosen people, a nation so great they are too numerous to count! Give me an understanding mind so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great nation of yours?”
The Lord was pleased with Solomon’s reply and was glad that he had asked for wisdom. So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people and have not asked for a long life or riches for yourself or the death of your enemies – I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding mind such as no one else has ever had or ever will have! And I will also give you what you did not ask for – riches and honor! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! And if you follow me and obey my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.”
Then Solomon woke up and realized it had been a dream. He returned to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Lord’s covenant, where he sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then he invited all his officials to a great banquet.
Some time later, two prostitutes came to the king to have an argument settled. “Please, my lord,” one of them began, “this woman and I live in the same house, I gave birth to a baby while she was with me in the house. Three days later, she also had a baby. We were alone; there were only two of us in the house. But her baby died during the night when she rolled over on it. Then she got up in the night and took my son from beside me while I was asleep. She laid her dead child in my arms and took mine to sleep beside her. And in the morning when I tried to nurse my son, he was dead! But when I looked more closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t my son at all.”
Then the other woman interrupted, “It certainly was your son, and the living child is mine.”
“No,” the first woman said, “the dead one is yours, and the living one is mine.” And so they argued back and forth before the king.
Then the king said, “Let’s get the facts straight. Both of you claim the living child is yours, and each says that the dead child belongs to the other. All right, bring me a sword.” So a sword was brought to the king. Then he said, “Cut the living child in two and give half to each of these women!”
Then the woman who really was the mother of the living child, and who loved him very much, cried out, “Oh no, my lord! Give her the child – please do not kill him!
But the other woman said, “All right, he will be neither yours nor mine; divide him between us!”
Then the king said, “Do not kill him, but give the baby to the woman who wants him to live, for she is the mother!”
Word of the king’s decision spread quickly throughout all Israel, and the people were awed as they realized the great wisdom God had given him to render decisions with justice.
1 Kings 4:29-34
God gave Solomon great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge too vast to be measured. In fact, his wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite and Heman, Calcol, and Darda – the sons of Mahol. His fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations. He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. And kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen to the wisdom of Solomon.
1 Chronicles 12:32
Of Issachar, two hundred of their leaders who had understanding of the times and knew what Israel should do, and under whose command were all their fellow tribesmen;
1 Chronicles 22:11-13
“Now, my son, may the LORD be with you and give you success as you follow his instructions in building the Temple of the LORD your God. And may the LORD give you wisdom and understanding, that you may obey the law of the LORD your God as you rule over Israel. For if you carefully obey the laws and regulations that the LORD gave to Israel through Moses, you will be successful. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart!
2 Chronicles 26:3-5
Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.
Job 12:13-25
“But true wisdom and power are with God; counsel and understanding are his. What he destroys cannot be rebuilt. When he closes in on someone, there is no escape. If he holds back the rain, the earth becomes a desert. If he releases the waters, they flood the earth.
“Yes, strength and wisdom are with him; deceivers and deceived are both in his power. He leads counselors away stripped of good judgment; he drive judges to madness. He removes the royal robes of kings. With ropes around their waist, they are led away. He leads priests away stripped of status; he overthrows the mighty. He silences the trusted adviser, and he removes the insight of the elders. He pours disgrace upon princes and confiscates weapons from the strong.
“He floods the darkness with light; he brings light to the deepest gloom. He raises up nations, and he destroys them. He makes nations expand, and he abandons them. He takes away the understanding of kings, and he leaves them wandering in a waste-land without a path. They grope in the darkness without a light. He makes them stagger like drunkards.
Job 17:4 Side note: This was Job speaking to God.
You have closed their minds to understanding, but do not let them triumph.
Job 28:1-28
“People know how to mine silver and refine gold. They know how to dig iron from the earth and smelt copper from stone. They know how to put light into darkness and explore the farthest, darkest regions of the earth as they search for ore. They sink a mine shaft into the earth far from where anyone lives. They descend on ropes, swinging back and forth. Bread comes from the earth, but below the surface the earth is melted as by fire.
“People know how to find sapphires and gold dust – treasures that no bird of prey can see, no falcon’s eye observe – for they are deep within the mines. No wild animal has ever walked upon those treasures; no lion has set his paw there. People know how to tear apart flinty rocks and overturn the roots of mountains. They cut tunnels in the rocks and uncover precious stones. They dam up the trickling streams and bring to light the hidden treasures.
“But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding? No one knows where to find it, for it is not found among the living. ‘It is not here,’ says the ocean. ‘Nor is it here,’ says the sea.
“It cannot be bought for gold or silver. Its value is greater than all the gold of Ophir, greater than precious onyx stone or sapphires. Wisdom is far more valuable than gold and crystal. It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold. Coral and valuable rock crystal are worthless in trying to get it. The price of wisdom is far above pearls. Topaz from Ethiopia cannot be exchanged for it. Its value is greater than the purest gold.
“But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding? For it is hidden from the eyes of all humanity. Even the sharp-eyed birds in the sky cannot discover it. But Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor of where wisdom can be found.’
“God surely knows where it can be found, for he looks throughout the whole earth, under all the heavens. He made the winds blow and determined how much rain should fall. He made the laws of the rain and prepared a path for the lightning. Then, when he had done all this, he saw wisdom and measured it. He established it and examined it thoroughly. And this is what he says to all humanity: “The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.”
Job 32:6-22
Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said, “I am young and you are old, so I held back and did not dare to tell you what I think. I thought, ‘Those who are older should speak, for wisdom comes with age.’ Surely it is God’s Spirit within people, the breath of the Almighty within them, that makes them intelligent. But sometimes the elders are not wise. Sometimes the aged do not understand justice. So listen to me and let me express my opinion.
“I have waited all this time, listening very carefully to your arguments, listening to you grope for words. I have listened, but not one of you has refuted Job or answered his arguments. And don’t tell me, ‘He is too wise for us. Only God can convince him.’ If Job had been arguing with me, I would not answer with that kind of logic! You sit there baffled, with no further response. Should I continue to wait, now that you are silent? No, I will say my piece. I will speak my mind. I surely will. For I am pent up and full of words, and the spirit within me urges me on. I am like a wine cask without a vent. My words are ready to burst out! I must speak to find relief, so let me give my answers. I won’t play favorites or try to flatter anyone. And if I tried, my Creator would soon do away with me.
Job 34:16-30
“Listen now and try to understand. Could God govern if he hated justice? Are you going to condemn the almighty judge? For he says to kings and nobles, ‘You are wicked and unjust.’ He doesn’t care how great a person may be, and he doesn’t pay any more attention to the rich than to the poor. He made them all. In a moment they die. At midnight they all pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.
“For God carefully watches the way people live; he sees everything they do. No darkness is thick enough to hide the wicked from his eyes. For it is not up to mortals to decide when to come before God in judgment. He brings the mighty to ruin without asking anyone, and he sets up others in their places. He watches what they do, and in the night he overturns them, destroying them. He openly strikes them down for their wickedness. For they turned aside from following him. They have no respect for any of his ways. So they cause the poor to cry out, catching God’s attention. Yes, he hears the cries of the needy. When he is quiet, who can make trouble? But when he hides his face, who can find him? He prevents the godless from ruling so they cannot be a snare to the people.
Job 38:34-38
“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, That an abundance of water may cover you? Can you send out lightnings, that they may go, And say to you, ‘Here we are!’? Who has put wisdom in the mind? Or who has given understanding to the heart? Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven, When the dust hardens in clumps, And the clods cling together?
Job 39:13-18
“The ostrich flaps her wings grandly, but they are no match for the feathers of the stork. She lays her eggs on top of the earth, letting them be warmed in the dust. She doesn’t worry that a foot might crush them or that wild animals might destroy them. She is harsh toward her young, as if they were not her own. She is unconcerned though they die, for God has deprived her of wisdom. He has give her no understanding. But whenever she jumps up to run, she passes the swiftest horse with its rider.
Psalms 32:9
Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you.
Psalm 49:1-20
HEAR THIS, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together! My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.
Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me, men who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches? Truly no man can ransom himself, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of his life is costly, and can never suffice, that he should continue to live on for ever, and never see the Pit.
Yea, he shall see that even the wise die, the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. Their graves are their homes for ever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they named lands their own. Man cannot abide in his pomp, he is like the beasts that perish.
This is the fate of those who have foolish confidence, the of those who are pleased with their portion. Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; straight to the grave they descend, and their form shall waste away; Sheol shall be their home. But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me.
Be not afraid when one becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him. Though, while he lives, he counts himself happy, and though a man gets praise when he does well for himself, he will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never more see the light. Man cannot abide in his pomp, he is like the beasts that perish.
Psalms 111:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.
Psalms 119:33-39
Teach me, O LORD, to follow every one of your principles. Give me understanding and I will obey your law; I will put it into practice with all my heart. Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found. Give me an eagerness for your decrees; do not inflict me with love for money! Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word. Reassure me of your promise, which is for those who honor you. Help me abandon my shameful ways; your laws are all I want in life.
Psalms 119:73
Your hands have made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
Psalms 119:99-100
I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts.
Psalms 119:104
Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.
Psalms 119:125
I am Your servant; Give me understanding, That I may know Your testimonies
Psalms 119:130
The entrance of Your words gives light: It gives understanding to the simple.
Psalms 119:144
The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting; Give me understanding, and I shall live.
Psalms 147:5
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.
Ecclesiastes 9:10-12
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.
I returned and saw under the sun that –
The race is not to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong,
Nor bread to the wise,
Nor riches to men of understanding,
Nor favor to men of skill;
But time and chance happen to them all.
For man also does not know his time;
Like fish taken in a cruel net,
Like birds caught in a snare,
So the sons of men are snared in an evil time,
When it falls suddenly upon them.
Isaiah 29:9-16
Are you amazed and incredulous? Do you not believe it? Then go ahead and be blind if you must. You are stupid, but not from wine! You stagger, but not from beer! For the LORD has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has closed the eyes of your prophets and visionaries. All these future events are a sealed book to them. When you give it to those who can read, they will say, “We can’t read it because it is sealed.” When you give it to those who cannot read, they will say, “Sorry, we don’t know how to read.”
And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. And their worship of me amounts to nothing more than human laws learned by rote. Because of this, I will do wonders among these hypocrites. I will show that human wisdom is foolish and even the most brilliant people lack understanding.”
Destruction is certain for those who try to hide their plans from the LORD, who try to keep him in the dark concerning what they do! “The LORD can’t see us,” you say to yourselves. “He doesn’t know what is going on!” How stupid can you be? He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you. You are only the jars he makes! Should the thing that was created say to the one who made it, “He didn’t make us”? Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid”?
Isaiah 40:12-31
Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed out the mountains and the hills? Who is able to advise the Spirit of the LORD? Who knows enough to be his teacher or counselor? Has the LORD ever needed anyone’s advice? Does he need instruction about what is good or what is best? No, for all the nations of the world are nothing in comparison with him. They are but a drop in the bucket, dust on the scales. He picks up the islands as though they had no weight at all. All Lebanon’s forests do not contain sufficient fuel to consume a sacrifice large enough to honor him. All Lebanon’s sacrificial animals would not make an offering worthy of our God. The nations of the world are as nothing to him. In his eyes they are less than nothing – mere emptiness and froth.
To whom, then, can we compare God? What image might we find to resemble him? Can he be compared to an idol formed in a mold, overlaid with gold, and decorated with silver chains? Or is a poor person’s wooden idol better? Can God be compared to an idol that must be placed on a stand so it won’t fall down?
Have you never heard or understood? Are you deaf to the words of God – the words he gave before the world began? Are you so ignorant? It is God who sits above the circle of the earth. The people below must seem to him like grasshoppers! He is the one who spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them. He judges the great people of the world and brings them all to nothing. They hardly get started, barely taking root, when he blows on them and their work withers. The wind carries them off like straw.
“To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One.
Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out one after another, calling each by its name. And he counts them to see that none are lost or have strayed away.
O Israel, how can you say the LORD does not see your troubles? How can you say God refuses to hear your case? Have you never heard or understood? Don’t you know that the LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never grows faint or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary, They will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 43:9-21
Gather the nations together! Which of all their idols ever has foretold such things? Which can predict a single day ahead? Where are the witnesses of anything they said? If there are no witnesses, then they must confess that only God can prophesy.
But I have witnesses, O Israel, says the Lord! You are my witnesses and my servants, chosen to know and to believe me and to understand that I alone am God. There is no other God; there never was and never will be. I am the Lord, and there is no other Savior. Whenever you have thrown away your idols. I have shown you my power. With one word I have saved you. You have seen me do it; you are my witnesses that it is true. From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can oppose what I do.
The Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, says:
For your sakes I will send an invading army against Babylon, that will walk in almost unscathed. The boasts of the Babylonians will turn to cries of fear. I am the Lord, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator and King. I am the Lord, who opens a way through the waters, making a path right through the sea. I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses, to lie beneath the waves, dead, their lives snuffed out like candlewicks.
But forget all that – it is nothing compared to what I’m going to do! For I’m going to do a brand new thing. See, I have already begun! Don’t you see it? I will make a road through the wilderness of the world for my people to go home, and create rivers for them in the desert! The wild animals in the fields will thank me, the jackals and ostriches too, for giving them water in the wilderness, yes, springs in the desert, so that my people, my chosen ones, can be refreshed. I have made Israel for myself, and these my people will some day honor me before the world.
Isaiah 44:9-19
What fools they are who manufacture idols for their gods. Their hopes remain unanswered. They themselves are witnesses that this is so, for their idols neither see nor know. No wonder those who worship them are so ashamed. Who but a fool would make his own god – an idol that can help him not one whit! All that worship these will stand before the Lord in shame, along with all these carpenters – mere men – who claim that they have made a god. Together they will stand in terror. The metalsmith stands at his forge to make an axe, pounding on it with all his might. He grows hungry and thirsty, weak and faint. Then the woodcarver takes the axe and uses it to make an idol. He measures and marks out a block of wood and carves the figure of a man. Now he has a wonderful idol that can’t so much as move from where it is placed. He cuts down cedars, he selects the cypress and the oak, he plants the ash in the forest to be nourished by the rain. And after his care, he uses part of the wood to make a fire to warm himself and bake his bread, and then – he really does – he takes the rest of it and makes himself a god – a god for men to worship! An idol to fall down before and praise! Part of the tree he burns to roast his meat and to keep him warm and fed and well content, and with what’s left he makes his god: a carved idol! He falls down before it and worships it and prays to it. “Deliver me,” he says. “You are my god!”
Such stupidity and ignorance! God has shut their eyes so that they cannot see, and closed their minds from understanding. The man never stops to think or figure out, “Why, it’s just a block of wood! I’ve burned it for heat and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat. How can the rest of it be a god? Should I fall down before a chunk of wood?”
Jeremiah 3:14-18
“Return home, you wayward children,” says the LORD, “for I am your husband. I will bring you again to the land of Israel – one from here and two from there, from wherever you are scattered. And I will give you leaders after my own heart, who will guide you with knowledge and understanding.
“And when your land is once more filled with people,” says the LORD, “you will no longer wish for ‘the good old days’ when you possessed the Ark of the LORD’s covenant. Those days will not be missed or even thought about, and there will be no need to rebuild the Ark. In that day Jerusalem will be known as The Throne of the LORD. All nations will come there to honor the LORD. They will no longer stubbornly follow their own evil desires. In those days the people of Judah and Israel will return together from exile in the north. They will return to the land I gave their ancestors as an inheritance forever.
Jeremiah 4:22
“My people are foolish and do not know me,” says the LORD. “They are senseless children who have no understanding. They are clever enough at doing wrong, but they have no talent at all for doing right!”
Jeremiah 5:18-31
“Nevertheless in those days,” says the LORD, “I will not make a complete end of you. And it will be when you say, ‘Why does the LORD our God do all these things to us?’ the you shall answer them, ‘Just as you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve aliens in a land that is not yours.’
“Declare this in the house of Jacob
And proclaim it in Judah, saying,
‘Hear this now, O foolish people,
Without understanding,
Who have eyes and see not,
And who have ears and hear not:
Do you not fear Me?’ says the LORD.
‘Will you not tremble at My presence,
Who have placed the sand as the
bound of the sea,
By a perpetual decree, that it
cannot pass beyond it?
And though its waves toss to and fro,
Yet they cannot prevail;
Though they roar, yet they cannot
pass over it.
But this people has a defiant and
rebellious heart;
They have revolted and departed;
They do not say in their heart,
“Let us now fear the LORD our God,
Who gives rain, both the former
and the latter, in its season.
He reserves for us the appointed
weeks of the harvest.”
Your iniquities have turned these
things away,
And your sins have withheld good from you.
‘For among My people are found
wicked men;
They lie in wait as one who sets snares;
They set a trap;
They catch men.
As a cage is full of birds,
So their houses are full of deceit,
Therefore they have become great
and grown rich.
They have grown fat, they are sleek;
Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked;
They do not plead the cause,
The cause of the fatherless;
Yet they prosper,
And the right of the needy they do not defend.
Shall I not punish them for these
things?’ says the LORD.
‘Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?’
“An astonishing and horrible thing
Has been committed in the land:
The prophets prophesy falsely,
And the priests rule by their own power;
And My people love to have it so.
But what will you do in the end?
Jeremiah 51:15
He has made the earth by His power; He has established the world by His wisdom, And stretched out the heaven by His understanding.
Ezekiel 28:1-10
This message came to me from the LORD: “Son of man, give the prince of Tyre this message from the Sovereign LORD: In your great pride you claim, ‘I am a god! I sit on a divine throne in the heart of the sea.’ But you are only a man and not a god, though you boast that you are like a god. You regard yourself as wiser than Daniel and think no secret is hidden from you. With your wisdom and understanding you have amassed great wealth – gold and silver for your treasuries. Yes, your wisdom has made you very rich, and your riches have made you very proud.
“Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because you think you are as wise as a god, I will bring against you an enemy army, the terror of the nations. They will suddenly draw their swords against your marvelous wisdom and defile your splendor! They will bring you down to the pit, and you will die there on your island home in the heart of the sea, pierced with many wounds. Will you then boast, ‘I am a god!’ to those who kill you? To them you will be no god but merely a man! You will die like an outcast at the hands of foreigners. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!”
Daniel 1:3-21 Side note: In King James Version this verse says understanding in sciences.
Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of the eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles, young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king.”
So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.” So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days.
And at the end of the ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies. Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm. Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus.
Daniel 2:1-49
One night during the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that disturbed him so much that he couldn’t sleep. He called in his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers, and he demanded that they tell him what he had dreamed. As they stood before the king, he said, “I have had a dream that troubles me. Tell me what I dreamed, for I must know what it means.”
Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, “Long live the king! Tell us your dream, and we will tell you what it means.”
But the king said to the astrologers, “I am serious about this. If you don’t tell me what my dream was and what it means, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be demolished into heaps of rubble! But if you tell me what I dreamed and what the dream means, I will give you many wonderful gifts and honors. Just tell me the dream and what it means!”
They said again, “Please, Your Majesty. Tell us the dream, and we will tell you what it means.”
Then king replied, “I can see through your trick! You are trying to stall for time because you know I am serious about what I said. If you don’t tell me the dream, you will be condemned. You have conspired to tell me lies in hopes that something will change. But tell me the dream, and then I will know that you can tell me what it means.”
The astrologers replied to the king, “There isn’t a man alive who can tell Your Majesty his dream! And no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer! This is an impossible thing the king requires. No one except the gods can tell you your dream, and they do not live among people.”
The king was furious when he heard this, and he sent out orders to execute all the wise men of Babylon. And because of the king’s decree, men were sent to find and kill Daniel and his friends. When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, came to kill them, Daniel handled the situation with wisdom and discretion. He asked Arioch, “Why has the king issued such a harsh decree?” So Arioch told him all that had happened. Daniel went at once to see the king and requested more time so he could tell the king what the dream meant.
Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon. That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven, saying,
“Praise the name of God forever and ever,
for he alone has all wisdom and power.
He determines the course of world events;
he removes kings and sets others on the
throne.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the scholars.
He reveals deep and mysterious things
and knows what lies hidden in darkness,
though he himself is surrounded by light.
I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors,
for you have given me wisdom and strength.
You have told me what we asked of you
and revealed to us what the king demanded.”
Then Daniel went in to see Arioch, who had been ordered to execute the wise men of Babylon. Daniel said to him, “Don’t kill the wise men. Take me to the king, and I will tell him the meaning of his dream.”
Then Arioch quickly took Daniel to the king and said, “I have found one of the captives from Judah who will tell Your Majesty the meaning of your dream!”
The king said to Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar), “Is this true? Can you tell me what my dream was and what it means?”
Daniel replied, “There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune tellers who can tell the king such things. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you your dream and the visions you saw as you lay on your bed.
“While Your Majesty was sleeping, you dreamed about coming events. The revealer of mysteries has shown you what is going to happen. And it is not because I am wiser than any living person that I know the secret of your dream, but because God wanted you to understand what you were thinking about.
“Your Majesty, in your vision you saw in front of you a huge and powerful statue of a man, shining brilliantly, frightening and awesome. The head of the statue was made of fine gold, its chest and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs were of bronze, its legs were of iron, and its feet were a combination of iron and clay. But as you watched, a rock was cut from a mountain by supernatural means. It struck the feet of iron and clay, smashing them to bits. The whole statue collapsed into a heap of iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold. The pieces were crushed as small as chaff on a threshing floor, and the wind blew them all away without a trace. But the rock that knocked the statue down became a great mountain that covered the whole earth.
“That was the dream; now I will tell Your Majesty what it means. Your Majesty, you are a king over many kings. The God of heaven has given you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. He has made you the ruler over all the inhabited world and has put even the animals and birds under your control. You are the head of gold.
“But after your kingdom comes to an end, another great kingdom inferior to yours, will rise to take your place. After that kingdom has fallen, yet a third great kingdom, represented by the bronze belly and thighs, will rise to rule the world. Following that kingdom, there will be a fourth great kingdom, as strong as iron. That kingdom will smash and crush all previous empires, just as iron smashes and crushes everything is strikes. The feet and toes you saw that were a combination of iron and clay show that this kingdom will be divided. Some parts of it will be strong as iron, and others as weak as clay. This mixture of iron and clay also shows that these kingdoms will try to strengthen themselves by forming alliances with each other through intermarriage. But this will not succeed, just as iron and clay do not mix.
“During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed; no one will ever conquer it. It will shatter all these kingdoms into nothingness, but it will stand forever. That is the meaning of the rock cut from the mountain by supernatural means, crushing to dust the statue of iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold.
“The great God has shown Your Majesty what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its meaning is certain.”
Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed to the ground before Daniel and worshiped him, and he commanded his people to offer sacrifices and burn sweet incense before him. The king said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is the God of gods, the Lord over kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal his secret.”
Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men. At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be in charge of all the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king’s court.