Daniel 2:2-13

2So the king issued an order to summon the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and Chaldeans in order to explain to the king his dreams. When they came and stood before the king,

3he said to them, “I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit is anxious to understand the dream.”

4Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic , “May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will declare the interpretation.”

5The king answered the Chaldeans saying, “I firmly decree: If you do not make the dream and its meaning known to me, you will be torn limb from limb and your houses reduced to rubble.

6But if you tell the dream and its meaning, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and its meaning!”

7They responded a second time, saying, “Let the king tell his servants the dream and we will declare the interpretation.”

8The king replied saying, “I know for sure that you are buying time since you see that I have firmly decreed

9that if you do not reveal the dream to me, there is only one verdict for you. You have conspired to say something false and fraudulent, until such a time as things might change. So then, tell me the dream and I will know that you can tell me its meaning.”

10The Chaldeans answered the king saying, “There is no man on earth who can meet the king’s demand. For no great king, however great or mighty, has ever asked such a thing from any magician, astrologer or Chaldean.

11What the king asks is too difficult. There is no one who could declare it to the king, except the gods whose dwelling is not with mortals!”

12Because of this, the king became furiously angry and gave orders to execute all the wise men of Babylon.

13So the decree went out that the wise men were about to be slaughtered. They also sought Daniel and his companions to execute them.