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 again replied, “Let the king inform us of the dream; then we will disclose its interpretation.” 8The king replied, “I know for sure that you are attempting to gain time, because you see that my decision is firm. If you don’t inform me of the dream, there is only one thing that is going to happen to you. For you have agreed among yourselves to report to me something false and deceitful until such time as things might change. So tell me the dream, and I will have confidence that you can disclose its interpretation.” 10The wise men replied to the king, “There is no man on earth who is able to disclose the king’s secret, for no king, regardless of his position and power, has ever requested such a thing from any magician, astrologer, or wise man. 11What the king is asking is too difficult, and no one exists who can disclose it to the king, except for the gods – but they don’t live among mortals!”

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, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must bow down and pay homage to the statue that I had made. If you don’t pay homage to it, you will immediately be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. Now, who is that god who can rescue you from my power?”
• Esther 4:11“All the servants of the king and the people of the king’s provinces know that there is only one law applicable to any man or woman who comes uninvited to the king in the inner court – that person will be put to death, unless the king extends to him the gold scepter, permitting him to be spared. Now I have not been invited to come to the king for some thirty days!”
• 1 Kings 22:6So the king of Israel assembled about four hundred prophets and asked them, “Should I attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” They said, “Attack! The sovereign one will hand it over to the king.”
• Proverbs 12:19The one who tells the truth will endure forever, but the one who lies will last only for a moment.
• Isaiah 44:25who frustrates the omens of the empty talkers and humiliates the omen readers, who overturns the counsel of the wise men and makes their advice seem foolish,
• Ezekiel 13:6They see delusion and their omens are a lie. They say, “the Lord declares,” though the Lord has not sent them; yet they expect their word to be confirmed.
• 2 Corinthians 2:17For we are not like so many others, hucksters who peddle the word of God for profit, but we are speaking in Christ before God as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God.
• Daniel 2:21He changes times and seasons, deposing some kings and establishing others. He gives wisdom to the wise; he imparts knowledge to those with understanding;
• Daniel 5:28As for peres – your kingdom is divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”
• Daniel 7:25He will speak words against the Most High. He will harass the holy ones of the Most High continually. His intention will be to change times established by law. They will be delivered into his hand For a time, times, and half a time.
• Isaiah 41:23Predict how future events will turn out, so we might know you are gods. Yes, do something good or bad, so we might be frightened and in awe.

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