Daniel 2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:4

Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in, Syriac ,.... These spake, either because the interpretation of dreams particularly belonged to them; or else as being the chief of the wise men, and of greatest authority; or as chosen by the rest, and spake in their name; and indeed this appellation may include them all, being all of the same country, though they might differ in their profession: they spake in the Syriac or Babylonish language, the same with the Chaldee, being their mother tongue,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:5

The king answered and said to the Chaldeans ,.... In the same language they spoke to him: the thing is gone from me ; either the dream was gone from him; it was out of his mind, he had forgot it, and could not call it to remembrance; he had been dreaming of monarchies and kingdoms, which are themselves but dreams and tales, and empty things that pass away, and which he might have learned from hence: or, as it may be rendered, "the word is confirmed by me" F26 מלתא מני אזדא ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:6

But if ye show the dream, and the interpretation thereof ,.... Which he was extremely intent upon to know; and therefore makes use of every way to obtain it, first by threatenings, to terrify, and next by promises, to allure: ye shall receive of me gifts, and rewards, and great honour ; gold, silver, jewels, rich apparel, houses, lands, and great promotion to some of the highest places of honour, trust, and profit, in the kingdom, as Daniel afterwards had: therefore show me the dream,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:7

They answered again, and said ,.... Or, a "second" F5 תנינות δευτερον , Sept.; "secundo", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; so Ar. time; repeating the same words, having nothing more to say: let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation thereof ; the first part was but right and reasonable, though the latter was mere boasting and arrogancy. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:8

The king answered and said, I know of certainty ,.... I see plainly and clearly what you are at, and am fully assured you mean nothing, but that ye would gain the time : or buy F6 די עדנא אנתון זבנין "quod tempus vos emitis", Pagninus, Munster; "ementes", Montanus; "vos tempus redimere", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. , or redeem time, as in Ephesians 5:16 , prolong time, put off the answer to longer time; spin out time, as people do in buying and selling; or have it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:9

But if ye will not make known unto me the dream ,.... For the present he does not insist upon the interpretation, only the dream itself, at least this is now only mentioned; concluding that if they could do the one, they could do the other, as is after observed: there is but one decree for you ; for them all; and that was the decree of death; which should never be revoked or mitigated, or the sentence be changed for another; but should certainly be executed, and in which they were all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:10

The Chaldeans answered before the King, and said ,.... As follows, in order to appease his wrath, and cool his resentment, and bring him to reason: there is not a man upon the earth can show the king's matter ; or, "upon the dry land" F7 על יבשתא "super aridam", Pagninus, Montanus; "super arida", Cocceius; "super arido", Michaelis. : upon the continent, throughout the whole world, in any country whatever; not one single man can be found, be he ever so wise and learned, that can... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:11

And it is a rare thing the king requireth , Meaning not scarce, or seldom heard of; for they had before asserted it never had been required; but that it was hard and difficult, yea, with them, and as they supposed with any other, impossible to be done: and there is none other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh ; these men own there was a God, though, they held, more than one; and the omniscience of God, though they seem to have no notion... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:12

For this cause the king was angry, and very furious ,.... Not only because they could not tell his dream, and the interpretation of it; but because they represented him as requiring a thing unreasonable and impossible, which had never been done by any potentate but himself, and could never be answered but by the gods: this threw him into an excess of wrath and fury; which in those tyrannical and despotic princes was exceeding great and terrible: and commanded to destroy all the wise men... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:13

And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain ,.... Or, "and the wise men were slain" F8 וחכימיא מתקטלין "et sapientes interficiebantur", Pagninus, Montanus, Munster, Piscator, Michaelis. , as the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Syriac versions render it; and so Saadiah: orders were given by the king to his proper officers, and his edict was published, and his will made known in the usual manner; upon which the wise men, at least some of them, were slain; very probably... read more

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