Daniel 2:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.

NIV: So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death.

NASB: So the decree was issued that the wise men be killed; and they looked for Daniel and his friends, to kill them.

CSB: The decree was issued that the wise men were to be executed, and they searched for Daniel and his friends, to execute them.

NLT: And because of the king’s decree, men were sent to find and kill Daniel and his friends.

KJV: And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

NKJV: So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.

When king Nebuchadnezzar first proposed his challenge (Daniel 2:1–6), he spoke to four classes of advisors: magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and Chaldeans. The use of those four words is meant to summarize all the occultist and spiritualist experts of his royal court. In the prior chapter, Daniel and his companions were being prepared for roles as counselors to the king (Daniel 1:17–20). But though they were "wise men," they were not among those called to respond to the king's dream.

The all-inclusive decree for slaughter shows how Nebuchadnezzar's mood could swing from one extreme to the other. One moment he chose the four Hebrew youths to stand before him in his court, but later he ordered their executions. Some commentators believe Nebuchadnezzar's servants immediately began the extermination of Babylon's wise men, starting first with those who failed to tell the king his dream and its interpretation (Daniel 2:3–9).

It's possible this situation developed very quickly. Scripture does not give a timeline, but it may have been that Nebuchadnezzar called his occultists, challenged them, and had them executed all within a matter of hours. It does seem Daniel and his three friends were oblivious to what Nebuchadnezzar had asked, or what he had decreed (Daniel 2:15). Still, unless God intervened, they would surely be killed.

Daniel 2:1–16 builds on the introduction to Daniel and his three friends given in chapter 1. Babylon's king, Nebuchadnezzar, is deeply disturbed by a recurring dream. He insists that his pagan advisors tell him what the dream contained, to prove they have genuine insight. When the Babylonian counselors say that only a god could do that, the king plans to have every advisor in Babylon killed. Daniel, however, claims he can meet Nebuchadnezzar's challenge. The text switches from Hebrew to Aramaic in verse 4 and will not revert until chapter 8.

King Nebuchadnezzar tests his magicians, demanding they tell him what he has dreamed, rather than merely inventing an interpretation. When they fail, he prepares to execute the entire department of wise men. Daniel promises he can meet the king's request and is given a special vision from God. The king dreamed of a massive statue shattered into powder by a supernatural rock. Daniel accurately describes this and interprets it as a prophecy about kingdoms which would come after Babylon. The king appoints Daniel and his friends to positions of power and influence over Babylon.

Chapter 1 introduced King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Daniel—a captive youth from Jerusalem—and three other Jewish boys. After three years of education, the four Hebrew captives outperformed all the other trainees, even surpassing the wise men in Babylon. In chapter 2, Daniel describes and interprets Nebuchadnezzar's disturbing dream, though the court magicians could not. As a result, the king promotes Daniel and his three friends to high positions over the provinces of Babylon. This sets the stage for a severe test of faith in chapter 3.

The book of Daniel contains famous Old Testament stories and prophecies. Daniel was taken from the Israelite people and made an advisor for a conquering empire. He demonstrates faithfulness and wisdom during many years serving in this role. Though Daniel does not deliver a public message, Jesus refers to him as a "prophet" (Matthew 24:15). The first portion of the book mostly describes Daniel's interpretations of dreams and other events. The second portion looks ahead to the end times. Daniel is classified in English Bibles as a "major" prophet, meaning the book is relatively long and the content has broad implications. The book of Revelation echoes and expands on many of the same themes.