Daniel 2:17-18

Daniel 2:17-18

[17] Then  Daniel  went  to his house,  and made the thing  known  to Hananiah,  Mishael,  and Azariah,  his companions:  [18] That they would desire  mercies  of  the God  of heaven  concerning  this  secret;  that Daniel  and his fellows  should not  perish  with  the rest  of the wise  men of Babylon. 

What does Daniel 2:17-18 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Daniel informed his three friends of the situation so they could pray together about it (cf. Philippians 4:6-7).
"It is the first instance of united prayer recorded in Scripture; and the fact that these children of the captivity resorted to it, discovers to us the secret of their holy and separate walk." [1]
Since the decree affected them all, they joined in interceding corporately to "the God of heavens" (lit.). This title for God appears five times in this chapter ( Daniel 2:18-19; Daniel 2:28; Daniel 2:37; Daniel 2:44) plus elsewhere, particularly in books that have pagan Babylon as their setting. It appears in Daniel 5:23; nine times in Ezra; four times in Nehemiah; and in Genesis 24:3; Genesis 24:7; Psalm 136:26; and Jonah 1:9. The Babylonians worshipped the heavens, but Yahweh is the God over all "the heavens," not just the God of heaven. He is sovereign over all.
The four young men prayed for compassion (mercy) from God, since the king"s edict was very harsh ( Daniel 2:15). They asked that God"s compassion (mercy) would manifest itself by a revelation of the king"s dream, and its interpretation ( Daniel 2:16), so they would not die with the other wise men who were worthy of death ( Daniel 2:18; cf. Genesis 18:22-33). The "mystery" in view was something unknown that they prayed God would reveal. In Scripture this is the consistent meaning of a mystery. It is not something spooky but something previously hidden by God but now revealed by Him.