Daniel 2:9

Daniel 2:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.
• New International Version (NIV)If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)if you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation."
• New King James Version (NKJV)if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.”

Context of Daniel 2:9

7They answered again, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will explain its interpretation [to you].” 8The king replied, “I know for certain that you are bargaining for time, because you have seen that my command [to you] is firm and irrevocable. If you will not reveal to me the [content of the] dream, there is but one sentence for you; for you have [already] prepared lying and corrupt words [and you have agreed together] to speak [them] before me [hoping to delay your execution] until the situation is changed. Therefore, tell me the dream [first], and then I will know [with confidence] that you can give me its interpretation.” 10The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who can tell the king this matter, for no king, lord or ruler has ever asked such a thing as this of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. 11Furthermore, what the king demands is an unusual and difficult thing indeed! No one except the gods can reveal it to the king, and their dwelling is not with [mortal] flesh.”

Daniel 2:9 word by word

דִּ֣י הֵן־חֶלְמָא֩ לָ֨א תְהֽוֹדְעֻנַּ֜נִי חֲדָה־הִ֣יא דָֽתְכ֗וֹן וּמִלָּ֨ה כִדְבָ֤ה וּשְׁחִיתָה֙ הִזְדְּמִנְתּוּן֙ לְמֵאמַ֣ר קָֽדָמַ֔י עַ֛ד דִּ֥י עִדָּנָ֖א יִשְׁתַּנֵּ֑א לָהֵ֗ן חֶלְמָא֙ אֱמַ֣רוּ לִ֔י וְֽאִנְדַּ֕ע דִּ֥י פִשְׁרֵ֖הּ תְּהַחֲוֻנַּֽנִי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But ifהֵןhên · ifH2006
• ye will notלָאlâ' lâh · notH3809
• make knownיְדַעyeda‛ · to knowH3046
• unto me the dreamחֵ֫לֶםchêlem · dreamH2493
• oneחַדchad · oneH2298
• oneהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1932
• decreeדָּתdâth · lawH1882
• for you: for ye have preparedזְמַןzeman · to agreeH2164
• lyingכְּדַבkedab · falseH3538
• and corruptשְׁחַתshechath · to corruptH7844
• wordsמִלָּהmillâh · wordH4406
• to speakאֲמַר'ămar · to sayH560
• beforeקֳדָםqŏdâm qedâm · beforeH6925
• me, tillעַד‛ad · tillH5705
• the timeעִדָּן‛iddân · timeH5732
• be changedשְׁנָאshenâ' · to changeH8133
• thereforeלָהֵןlâhên · exceptH3861
• thatדִּיdîy · thatH1768
• ye can shewחֲוָהchăvâ' · to showH2324
• me the interpretationפְּשַׁרpeshar · interpretationH6591

Cross-references for Daniel 2:9

• Daniel 3:15Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image which I have made, very good. But if you do not worship, you shall be thrown at once into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can rescue you out of my hands?”
• Esther 4:11“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court without being summoned, he has but one law, that he is to be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And as for me, I have not been summoned to come to the king for these [last] thirty days.”
• 1 Kings 22:6Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or should I not?” And they said, “Go up, for the Lord has handed it over to the king.”
• Proverbs 12:19Truthful lips will be established forever, But a lying tongue is [credited] only for a moment.
• Isaiah 44:25Frustrating the signs and confounding the omens of boasters (false prophets), Making fools out of fortune-tellers, Counteracting the wise And making their knowledge ridiculous,
• Ezekiel 13:6They have seen falsehood and lying divination, saying, ‘The Lord says,’ but the Lord has not sent them. Yet they hope and make men to hope for the confirmation of their word.
• 2 Corinthians 2:17For we are not like many, [acting like merchants] peddling God’s word [shortchanging and adulterating God’s message]; but from pure [uncompromised] motives, as [commissioned and sent] from God, we speak [His message] in Christ in the sight of God.
• Daniel 2:21It is He who changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise And [greater] knowledge to those who have understanding!
• Daniel 5:28‘peres’—your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”
• Daniel 7:25He will speak words against the Most High [God] and wear down the saints of the Most High, and he will intend to change the times and the law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, [two] times, and half a time [three and one-half years].
• Isaiah 41:23Tell us the things that are to come afterward, That we may know that you are gods; Indeed, you should do something good or do evil, that we may be afraid and fear [you] together [as we observe the miracle].

Commentaries on Daniel 2:9

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you - That is, you shall share the same fate. You shall all be cut to pieces, and your houses reduced to ruin, Daniel 2:5. There shall be no favor shown to any class of you, or to any individual among you. It seems to have been supposed that the responsibility rested on them individually as well as collectively, and that it would be right to hold each and every one of them bound…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Only someone with power that goes beyond human ability could tell Nebuchadnezzar what he had dreamed (compare Mark 2:9–12). No human wisdom or skill could reveal the dream without first hearing it.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. one decree--There can be no second one reversing the first (Es 4:11). corrupt--deceitful. till the time be changed--till a new state of things arrive, either by my ceasing to trouble myself about the dream, or by a change of government (which perhaps the agitation caused by the dream made Nebuchadnezzar to forebode, and so to suspect the Chaldeans of plotting). tell ... dream, and I shall know ... ye can show ... interpretation--If ye cannot tell the…Read the comment

Topics related to Daniel 2:9

• Government
• Magician
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Ask
• Iron
• Terrible
• Abed-Nego
• Aramaic; Aramaic Language
• Bible, the
• Daniel
• Daniel, Book of
• Divination
• Dream; Dreamer

Commentaries on Daniel 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings