Daniel 2:10

10 The Chaldeans answered the king: "No one on earth can do what the king is asking! No king or ruler, no matter how great, has ever asked such a thing of any dream interpreter, enchanter, or Chaldean.

Daniel 2:10 Meaning and 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: 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 show the king what he requires; and yet Daniel afterwards did; and so it appears, by this confession, that he was greater than they, or any other of the same profession with them: this is one argument they use to convince the king of the unreasonableness of his demand; it being such that no man on earth was equal to; another follows: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler;
there neither is, nor never was, any potentate or prince, be who he will; whether, as Jacchiades distinguishes them, a "king" over many provinces, whose empire is very large; or "lord" over many cities; or "ruler" over many villages belonging to one city; in short, no man of power and authority, whether supreme or subordinate: that asked things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean;
never was such a thing required of any before; no instance, they suggest, could be produced in ancient history, or in the present age, in any kingdom or court under the heavens, of such a request being made; or that anything of this kind was ever insisted upon; and therefore hoped the king would not insist upon it; and which no doubt was true: Pharaoh required of his wise men to tell him the interpretation of his dream, but not the dream itself.


FOOTNOTES:

F7 (atvby le) "super aridam", Pagninus, Montanus; "super arida", Cocceius; "super arido", Michaelis.

Daniel 2:10 In-Context

8 The king replied: "Now I definitely know you are stalling for time, because you see that my decision is final
9 and that if you can't tell me the dream, your fate is certain. You've conspired to make false and lying speeches before me until the situation changes. Tell me the dream now! Then I'll know you can explain its meaning to me."
10 The Chaldeans answered the king: "No one on earth can do what the king is asking! No king or ruler, no matter how great, has ever asked such a thing of any dream interpreter, enchanter, or Chaldean.
11 What the king is asking is impossible! No one could declare the dream to the king but the gods, who don't live among mere humans."
12 At this, the king exploded in a furious rage and ordered that all Babylon's sages be wiped out.
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