Daniel 2:14

14 When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, came to kill them, Daniel handled the situation with wisdom and discretion.

Daniel 2:14 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 2:14

Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom
In a discreet manner, using soft words and gentle language, humbly and modestly inquiring what should be the meaning of all this. The Vulgate Latin version is, "he inquired of the law and decree" F9; what was the reason of the king's orders, which this officer had in commission to execute; with which others agree: or, "he made to return the counsel and decree" F11, as some choose to render it; he stopped the execution of it for the present, by his inquiries and prudent behaviour but neither seem to agree with what follows; the first sense is best: to Arioch the captain of the king's guards:
there was a king of this name, ( Genesis 14:1 ) , this man, according to the Septuagint version, and others that follow it, was the chief of the king's cooks; and Aben Ezra says the word in the Arabic language so signifies: or, as it may be rendered, "the chief of the slaughterers" F12; the executioners of malefactors, so Jarchi; he was the king's chief executioner, with which agrees the business he was now charged with: the Vulgate Latin version calls him the prince of the militia; and others the king's provost marshal: which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon;
who by the king's order went forth from the court into the city, to slay all in Babylon who went under the character of wise men; they were not among those that could not answer the king's demand, since they declared none could do it; and therefore he ordered them all to be slain, as a set of useless men in his kingdom.


FOOTNOTES:

F9 (Mejw aje byth) "interrogavit de lege et decreto", V. L.; "super consilio", Munster, Calvin; "de eo consilio", Castalio.
F11 "Redire fecit consilium et statutum", Pagninus, Montanus; "reverti fecit", Michaelis.
F12 (ayxbj br) "principem carnificum", Montanus, Grotius.

Daniel 2:14 In-Context

12 The king was furious when he heard this, and he ordered that all the wise men of Babylon be executed.
13 And because of the king’s decree, men were sent to find and kill Daniel and his friends.
14 When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, came to kill them, Daniel handled the situation with wisdom and discretion.
15 He asked Arioch, “Why has the king issued such a harsh decree?” So Arioch told him all that had happened.
16 Daniel went at once to see the king and requested more time to tell the king what the dream meant.
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