The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore [there is] no king, lord, nor ruler, [that] asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.
The Chaldeans {H3779} answered {H6032} before {H6925} the king {H4430}, and said {H560}, There is {H383} not {H3809} a man {H606} upon {H5922} the earth {H3007} that can {H3202} shew {H2324} the king's {H4430} matter {H4406}: therefore {H6903}{H1768} there is no {H3809} king {H4430}, lord {H7229}, nor ruler {H7990}, that asked {H7593} such {H1836} things {H4406} at any {H3606} magician {H2749}, or astrologer {H826}, or Chaldean {H3779}.
The astrologers answered the king, "Your majesty, nobody in the world can do this! Never has a king, no matter how great and powerful, asked such a thing of any magician or exorcist or astrologer.
The astrologers answered the king, “No one on earth can do what the king requests! No king, however great and powerful, has ever asked anything like this of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer.
The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can show the king’s matter, forasmuch as no king, lord, or ruler, hath asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean.
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Daniel 2:27
Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise [men], the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;
Daniel 2:10 captures a pivotal moment in the narrative of King Nebuchadnezzar's mysterious dream, where the limitations of human wisdom are starkly exposed. The king had demanded not only an interpretation of his forgotten dream but also that his wise men first tell him the dream itself. This verse records the Chaldeans' desperate reply, highlighting the impossibility of such a request for any mortal.
Context
Following King Nebuchadnezzar's troubling dream and his inability to recall its details, he summoned his most esteemed wise men—the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and Chaldeans—to interpret it. His unusual demand was that they reveal the dream to him first, then its meaning, threatening severe punishment if they failed (see Daniel 2:5). The Chaldeans, a prominent class of diviners and scholars in Babylon, found themselves in an unprecedented predicament. Their response in this verse is an admission of utter helplessness, confirming that no human being could possibly fulfill the king's demand, as it required supernatural knowledge.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The term "Chaldeans" (Hebrew: Kasdim) here refers not just to an ethnic group, but specifically to a learned class of priests, astrologers, and diviners in ancient Babylon. They were considered the peak of Babylonian wisdom and occult knowledge. The collective terms "magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean" emphasize that the king had consulted every known category of wise men, and all were equally stumped by his extraordinary request. Their admission that "no king, lord, nor ruler" had ever made such a demand underscores the unprecedented nature of Nebuchadnezzar's challenge.
Practical Application
Daniel 2:10 serves as a powerful reminder that there are limits to human knowledge and understanding. In our own lives, we often encounter problems or mysteries that defy human solutions, whether in science, personal struggles, or global events. This verse encourages us to recognize these limitations and look beyond ourselves for answers. It points us to the God who "reveals deep and hidden things" (Daniel 2:22), reminding us that true wisdom and ultimate revelation come from Him alone. When human ingenuity fails, it is an invitation to seek divine wisdom and trust in God's sovereign power to make known what is hidden.