Daniel 2:27

Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; DANIEL ANSWERED IN THE PRESENCE OF THE KING, AND SAID, THE SECRET WHICH THE KING HATH DEMANDED CANNOT THE WISE MEN, THE ASTROLOGERS ... , SHOW UNTO THE KING. Daniel, being learned in all the lore of the Chaldeans (Daniel 1:4), could authoritatively declare the impossibility of mere man solving the king's difficulty. SOOTHSAYERS, [ gaazªriyn (H1505)] - from a root 'to cut off' [ gaazar (H1504)]: referring to their cutting the heavens into divisions, and so guessing at men's destinies from the plac...

First, with respect to these names we need not trouble ourselves much, since even the Jews themselves are compelled to guess at them. They are very bold in their definitions and rash in their affirmations, and jet they cannot clearly distinguish how one kind of wise man differed from the others; hence it is sufficient for us to hold that the discourse now concerns those then esteemed “wise men,” under the various designations of Magi, Soothsayers, and Astrologers. Now, as to Daniel’s answer. He says it was not surprising that the king did not find what he hoped for among the Magi, since God had breathed into him this dream beyond the comprehension of human intellect. I know not whether those interpreters are right who think magical arts here simply condemned; for I rather think a comparison is instituted; between the king’s dream and the substance of the science of the Magi. I always exc...

24-30 Daniel takes away the king's opinion of his magicians and soothsayers. The insufficiency of creatures should drive us to the all-sufficiency of the Creator. There is One who can do that for us, and make known that to us, which none on earth can, particularly the work of redemption, and the secret designs of God's love to us therein. Daniel confirmed the king in his opinion, that the dream was of great consequence, relating to the affairs and changes of this lower world. Let those whom God has highly favoured and honoured, lay aside all opinion of their own wisdom and worthiness, that the Lord alone may be praised for the good they have and do....

Verse 27. _CANNOT THE WISE_ MEN] Cannot your own able men, aided by your gods, tell you the secret? This question was necessary in order that the king might see the foolishness of depending on the one, or worshipping the other. _THE SOOTHSAYERS_] One of our old words: "The tellers of truth:" but גזרין _gazerin_ is the name of _another class_ of those curious artists, unless we suppose it to mean the same as the CHALDEANS, Daniel 2:2. They are supposed to be persons who divined by _numbers, amulets_, c. There are many conjectures about them, which, whatever learning they show, cast little light upon this place....

DANIEL ANSWERED IN THE PRESENCE OF THE KING, AND SAID, THE SECRET WHICH THE KING HATH DEMANDED, CANNOT THE WISE MEN ... SHOW UNTO THE KING - Daniel regarded it as a settled and indisputable point that the solution could not be hoped for from the Chaldean sages. The highest talent which the realm could furnish had been applied to, and had failed. It was clear, therefore, that there was no hope that the difficulty would be removed by human skill. Besides this, Daniel would seem also to intimate that the thing, from the necessity of the case, was beyond the compass of the human powers. Alike in reference to the question whether a forgotten dream could be recalled, and to the actual “signification” of a dream so remarkable as this, the whole matter was beyond the ability of man. THE WISE MEN, THE ASTROLOGERS ... - On these words, see the notes at...

EXPOSITION DANIEL 2:1 DANIEL FIRST BECOMES DISTINGUISHED. DANIEL 2:1 AND IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THE REIGN OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR NEBUCHADNEZZAR DREAMED DREAMS, WHEREWITH HIS SPIRIT WAS TROUBLED, AND HIS SLEEP BRAKE FROM HIM. The versions only differ verbally from the Massoretic text as represented by the above. The Septuagint renders "And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, he chanced to fall into dreams and visions, and to be troubled with his vision, and his sleep went from him." The differences here that may evidence a difference of text are slight. Theodotion and the Peshitta are very close to the Massoretic. The Vulgate renders, "In the second year of

DANIEL ANSWERED IN THE PRESENCE OF THE KING,.... Boldly, and without fear: AND SAID, THE SECRET WHICH THE KING HATH DEMANDED: so he calls it, to show that it was something divine, which came from God, and could only be revealed by him, and was not to be found out by any art of man: CANNOT THE WISE MEN, THE ASTROLOGERS, THE MAGICIANS, THE SOOTHSAYERS SHOW UNTO THE KING; this he premises to the revelation of the secret, not only to observe the unreasonableness of the king's demand upon them, and the injustice of putting men to death for it; but that the discovery of the whole might appear to be truly divine, and God might have all the glory; it being what no class of men whatever could ever have made known unto him. The last word, rendered "soothsayers" u, is not used before; the Septuagint version leaves it untranslated, and calls them Gazarenes; and so Saadiah says, it is the name of a...

CHAPTER 2 NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S DREAM AND ITS INTERPRETATION _ 1. The forgotten dream (Daniel 2:1)_ 2. The prayer meeting in Babylon and the answer (Daniel 2:14) 3. Daniel before the king (Daniel 2:24) 4. The revelation and interpretation of the dream (Daniel 2:29) 5. The promotion of Daniel and his companions (Daniel 2:46) Daniel 2:1. The king had a dream which was occasioned by thinking concerning the future ...

DANIEL DECLARES THE DREAM TO THE KING. By the inspiration of God Daniel is enabled to describe to the king his forgotten dream. In this dream the king had seen the image of a colossal man, which was of surpassing brilliance. The head was made of gold, the upper part of the body of silver, the lower part of bronze, the legs of iron, the feet of iron mixed with clay. As the king watched, a stone cut without hands smote the image and smashed it in pieces. The stone then grew till it became a mountain and filled the whole earth. DANIEL 2:27. SOOTHSAYERS: lit. determiners of fates, _i.e._ fortunetellers. For the prevalence of magic at Babylon, Daniel 1:20 *. Daniel 2:28. in the latter days: lit. at the en

Daniel, brought by Arioch into Nebuchadnezzar's presence, professes his readiness to declare and interpret to him his dream....