God’s Word Translation
Daniel 2:9
9If you don’t tell me the dream, you’ll all receive the same punishment. You have agreed among yourselves to make up a phony explanation to give me, hoping that things will change. So tell me the dream. Then I’ll know that you can explain its meaning to me.”
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
7Once more they said, “Your Majesty, tell us the dream, and we’ll tell you its meaning.” 8The king replied, “I’m sure you’re trying to buy some time because you know that I meant what I said. If you don’t tell me the dream, you’ll all receive the same punishment. You have agreed among yourselves to make up a phony explanation to give me, hoping that things will change. So tell me the dream. Then I’ll know that you can explain its meaning to me.” 10The astrologers answered the king, “No one on earth can tell the king what he asks. No other king, no matter how great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, psychic, or astrologer. 11What you ask is difficult, Your Majesty. No one can tell what you dreamed except the gods, and they don’t live with humans.”
Read all of Daniel 2Daniel 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 3:15When you hear the sound of the rams’ horns, flutes, lyres, harps, and three-stringed harps playing at the same time with all other kinds of instruments, will you bow down and worship the gold statue I made? If you don’t worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. What god can save you from my power then?”
- Esther 4:11“All the king’s advisers and the people in the king’s provinces know that no one approaches the king in the throne room without being summoned. By law that person must be put to death. Only if the king holds out the golden scepter to him will he live. I, myself, have not been summoned to enter the king’s presence for 30 days now.”
- 1 Kings 22:6So the king of Israel called 400 prophets together. He asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth in Gilead or not?” “Go,” they said. “The Lord will hand over Ramoth to you.”
- Proverbs 12:19The word of truth lasts forever, but lies last only a moment.
- Isaiah 44:25I cause the signs of false prophets to fail and make fools of fortunetellers. I make wise men retreat and turn their knowledge into foolishness.
- Ezekiel 13:6These foolish prophets see false visions, and their predictions don’t come true. They say, “The Lord said this.” But the Lord hasn’t sent them. Then they hope that their message will come true.
- 2 Corinthians 2:17At least we don’t go around selling an impure word of God like many others. The opposite is true. As Christ’s spokesmen and in God’s presence, we speak the pure message that comes from God.
- Daniel 2:21He changes times and periods of history. He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to those who are wise and knowledge to those who have insight.
- Daniel 5:28Divided—your kingdom will be divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
- Daniel 7:25He will speak against the Most High God, oppress the holy people of the Most High, and plan to change the appointed times and laws. The holy people will be handed over to him for a time, times, and half of a time.
- Isaiah 41:23Tell us what’s going to happen so that we may know that you are gods. Yes, do something, good or evil, to intimidate us and make us afraid.
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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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