TRV
Translation
King James Version
For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
Complete Jewish Bible
At this the king flew into a rage and ordered all the sages of Bavel put to death.
Berean Standard Bible
This response made the king so furious with anger that he gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
American Standard Version
For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
World English Bible Messianic
For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
Geneva Bible (1599)
For this cause the king was angrie and in great furie, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babel.
Young's Literal Translation
Therefore the king hath been angry and very wroth, and hath said to destroy all the wise men of Babylon;
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Commentary on Daniel 2 verses 1–13
1 ¶ And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.
4 Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.
5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.
6 But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.
7 They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.
8 The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.
9 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.
10 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.
11 And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
We meet with a great difficulty in the date of this story; it is said to be in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Dan 2:1. Now Daniel was carried to Babylon in his first year, and, it should seem, he was three years under tutors and governors before he was presented to the king, Dan 1:5. How then could this happen in the second year? Perhaps, though three years were appointed for the education of other children, yet Daniel was so forward that he was taken into business when he had been but one year at school, and so in the second year he became thus considerable. Some make it to be the second year after he began to reign alone, but the fifth or sixth year since he began to reign in partnership with his father. Some read it, and in the second year, (the second after Daniel and his fellows stood before the king), in the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar, or in his reign, this happened; as Joseph, in the second year after his skill in dreams, showed and expounded Pharaoh's, so Daniel, in the second year after he commenced master in that art, did this service. I would much rather take it some of these ways than suppose, as some do, that it was in the second year after he had conquered Egypt, which was the thirty-sixth year of his reign, because it appears by what we meet with in Ezekiel, that Daniel was famous both for wisdom and prevalence in prayer long before that; and therefore this passage, or story, which shows how he came to be so eminent for both these must be laid early in Nebuchadnezzar's reign. Now here we may observe,
I. The perplexity that Nebuchadnezzar was in by reason of a dream which he had dreamed but had forgotten (Dan 2:1): He dreamed dreams, that is, a dream consisting of divers distinct parts, or which filled his head as much as if it had been many dreams. Solomon speaks of a multitude of dreams, strangely incoherent, in which there are divers vanities, Ecc 5:7. This dream of Nebuchadnezzar's had nothing in the thing itself but what might be paralleled in many a common dream, in which are often represented to men things as foreign as are here mentioned; but there was something in the impression it made upon him which carried with it an incontestable evidence of its divine original and its prophetic significancy. Note, The greatest of men are not exempt from, nay, they lie most open to, those cares and troubles of mind which disturb their repose in the night, while the sleep of the labouring man is sweet and sound, and the sleep of the sober temperate man free from confused dreams. The abundance of the rich will not suffer them to sleep at all for care, and the excesses of gluttons and drunkards will not suffer them to sleep quietly for dreaming. But this recorded here was not from natural causes. Nebuchadnezzar was a troubler of God's Israel, but God here troubled him; for he that made the soul can make his sword to approach to it. He had his guards about him, but they could not keep trouble from his spirit. We know not the uneasiness of many that live in great pomp, and, one would think, in pleasure, too. We look into their houses, and are tempted to envy them; but, could we look into their hearts, we should pity them rather. All the treasures and all the delights of the children of men, which this mighty monarch had command of, could not procure him a little repose, when by reason of the trouble of his mind his sleep broke from him. But God gives his beloved sleep, who return to him as their rest.
II. The trial that he made of his magicians and astrologers whether they could tell him what his dream was, which he had forgotten. They were immediately sent for, to show the king his dreams, Dan 2:2. There are many things which we retain the impressions of, and yet have lost the images of the things; though we cannot tell what the matter was, we know how we were affected with it; so it was with this king. His dream had slipped out of his mind, and he could not possibly recollect it, but he was confident he should know it if he heard it again. God ordered it so that Daniel might have the more honour, and, in him, the God of Daniel. Note, God sometimes serves his own purposes by putting things out of men's minds as well as by putting things into their minds. The magicians, it is likely, were proud of their being sent for into the king's bed-chamber, to give him a taste of their office, not doubting but it would be for their honour. He tells them that he had dreamed a dream, Dan 2:3. They speak to him in the Syriac tongue, which was then the same with the Chaldee, but now they differ much. And henceforward Daniel uses that language, or dialect of the Hebrew, for the same reason that those words, Jer 10:11, are in that language because designed to convince the Chaldeans of the folly of their idolatry and to bring them to the knowledge and worship of the true and living God, which the stories of these chapters have a direct tendency to. But ch. 8 and forward, being intended for the comfort of the Jews, is written in their peculiar language. They, in their answer, complimented the king with their good wishes, desired him to tell his dream, and undertook with all possible assurance to interpret it, Dan 2:4. But the king insisted upon it that they must tell him the dream itself, because he had forgotten it and could not tell it to them. And, if they could not do this, they should all be put to death as deceivers (Dan 2:5), themselves cut to pieces and their houses made a dunghill. If they could, they should be rewarded and preferred, Dan 2:6. And they knew, as Balaam did concerning Balak, that he was able to promote them to great honour, and give them that wages of unrighteousness which, like him, they loved so dearly. No question therefore that they will do their utmost to gratify the king; if they do not, it is not for want of good-will, but for want of power, Providence so ordering it that the magicians of Babylon might now be as much confounded and put to shame as of old the magicians of Egypt had been, that, how much soever his people were both in Egypt and Babylon vilified and made contemptible, his oracles might in both be magnified and made honourable, by the silencing of those that set up in competition with them. The magicians, having reason on their side, insist upon it that the king must tell them the dream, and then, if they do not tell him the interpretation of it, it is their fault, Dan 2:7. But arbitrary power is deaf to reason. The king falls into a passion, gives them hard words, and, without any colour of reason, suspects that they could tell him but would not; and instead of upbraiding them with impotency, and the deficiency of their art, as he might justly have done, he charges them with a combination to affront him: You have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me. How unreasonable and absurd is this imputation! If they had undertaken to tell him what his dream was, and had imposed upon him with a sham, he might have charged them with lying and corrupt words; but to say this of them when they honestly confessed their own weakness only shows what senseless things indulged passions are, and how apt great men are to think it is their prerogative to pursue their humour in defiance of reason and equity, and all the dictates of both. When the magicians begged of him to tell them the dream, though the request was highly rational and just, he tells them that they did but dally with him, to gain time (Dan 2:8), till the time be changed (Dan 2:9), either till the king's desire to know his dream be over, and he grown indifferent whether he be told it or no, though now he is so hot upon it, or till they may hope he has so perfectly forgotten his dream (the remaining shades of which are slipping from him apace as he catches at them) that they may tell him what they please and make him believe it was his dream, and, when the thing which is going, is quite gone from him, as it will be in a little time, he will not be able to disprove them. And therefore, without delay, they must tell him the dream. In vain do they plead, 1. That there is no man on earth that can retrieve the king's dream, Dan 2:10. There are settled rules by which to discover what the meaning of the dream was; whether they will hold or no is the question. But never were any rules offered to be given by which to discover what the dream was; they cannot work unless they have something to work upon. They acknowledge that the gods may indeed declare unto man what is his thought (Amo 4:13), for God understands our thoughts afar off (Psa 139:2), what they will be before we think them, what they are when we do not regard them, what they have been when we have forgotten them. But those who can do this are gods, that have not their dwelling with flesh (Dan 2:11), and it is they alone that can do this. As for men, their dwelling is with flesh; the wisest and greatest of men are clouded with a veil of flesh, which quite obstructs and confounds all their acquaintance with spirit, and their powers and operations; but the gods, that are themselves pure spirit, know what is in man. See here an instance of the ignorance of these magicians, that they speak of many gods, whereas there is but one and can be but one infinite; yet see their knowledge of that which even the light of nature teaches and the works of nature prove, that there is a God, who is a Spirit, and perfectly knows the spirits of men and all their thoughts, so as it is not possible that any man should. This confession of the divine omniscience is here extorted from these idolaters, to the honour of God and their own condemnation, who though they knew there is a God in heaven, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secret is hid, yet offered up their prayers and praises to dumb idols, that have eyes and see not, ears and hear not. 2. That there is no king on earth that would expect or require such a thing, Dan 2:10. This intimates that they were kings, lords, and potentates, not ordinary people, that the magicians had most dealings with, and at whose devotion they were, while the oracles of God and the gospel of Christ are dispensed to the poor. Kings and potentates have often required unreasonable things of their subjects, but they think that never any required so unreasonable a thing as this, and therefore hope his imperial majesty will not insist upon it. But it is all in vain; when passion is in the throne reason is under foot: He was angry and very furious, Dan 2:12. Note, It is very common for those that will not be convinced by reason to be provoked and exasperated by it, and to push on with fury what they cannot support with equity.
III. The doom passed upon all the magicians of Babylon. There is but one decree for them all (Dan 2:9); they all stand condemned without exception or distinction. The decree has gone forth, they must every man of them be slain (Dan 2:13), Daniel and his fellows (though they knew nothing of the matter) not excepted. See here, 1. What are commonly the unjust proceedings of arbitrary power. Nebuchadnezzar is here a tyrant in true colours, speaking death when he cannot speak sense, and treating those as traitors whose only fault is that they would serve him, but cannot. 2. What is commonly the just punishment of pretenders. How unrighteous soever Nebuchadnezzar was in this sentence, as to the ringleaders in the imposture, God was righteous. Those that imposed upon men, in pretending to do what they could not do, are now sentenced to death for not being able to do what they did not pretend to.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–13. Public domain.
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Hippolytus of RomeAD 235
Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments - Scholia on Daniel
"Arioch, the captain of the king's guard" (literally, "the chief slaughterer or cook"). For as the cook slays all animals and cooks them, of a similar nature was his occupation. And the rulers of the world slay men, butchering them like brute beasts.
JeromeAD 420
St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER TWO
Verses 12, 13. "And when he had heard this, the king in a furious rage gave orders that all the wise men of Babylon should be slain. And when the decree went forth, the wise men were being slaughtered..." The Hebrews raise the question of why Daniel and the three lads did not enter before the king along with the other wise men, and why they were ordered to be slain with the rest when the decree was issued. They have explained the difficulty in this way, by saying that at that time, when the king was promising rewards and gifts and great honor, they did not care to go before him, lest they should appear to be shamelessly grasping after the wealth and honor of the Chaldeans. Or else it was undoubtedly true that the Chaldeans themselves, being envious of the Jews' reputation and learning, entered alone before the king, as if to obtain the rewards by themselves. Afterwards they were perfectly willing to have those whom they had denied any hope of glory to share in a common peril.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Daniel 2:12 powerfully depicts King Nebuchadnezzar's explosive and unbridled rage, which immediately precipitates a chilling decree for the wholesale execution of all the wise men in Babylon. This dramatic moment, born from his profound frustration and the perceived insolence of his advisors' inability to reveal and interpret his forgotten dream, underscores the volatile nature of despotic power and sets the stage for God's sovereign intervention through Daniel.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse marks a pivotal and dramatic turning point in the narrative of Daniel chapter 2. Following a deeply troubling dream that eluded his memory, King Nebuchadnezzar summoned his most esteemed advisors—magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and Chaldeans—demanding not merely an interpretation but the very content of the dream itself (Daniel 2:2-3). The wise men, representing the pinnacle of human and occult knowledge within the Babylonian Empire, repeatedly confessed their utter inability to meet such an unprecedented demand, famously stating, "there is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter" (Daniel 2:10), and attributing such knowledge solely to the gods, who "dwell not with flesh" (Daniel 2:11). Their collective failure, perceived by the king as either incompetence or deliberate defiance, ignited Nebuchadnezzar's wrath, culminating directly in the destructive command articulated in Daniel 2:12. This decree immediately precedes Daniel's intervention, highlighting the dire circumstances that necessitate divine revelation.
Historical & Cultural Context: In the ancient Near East, monarchs, especially powerful ones like Nebuchadnezzar II of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, wielded absolute and often arbitrary authority. Their decrees were considered law, and any perceived failure to obey or satisfy their demands could result in swift and brutal punishment, including mass execution. The "wise men" (Aramaic: ḥakkîmîn) were not merely scholars; they constituted a distinct and influential class of royal advisors, diviners, astrologers, and interpreters of omens, deeply integrated into the state's administration and religious practices. Their position and very lives were intrinsically linked to their ability to serve the king effectively and maintain his favor. Nebuchadnezzar's demand, though extraordinary, was rooted in the widespread cultural belief that dreams were divine communications, and the inability of his spiritual and intellectual advisors to interpret them was a profound failure, potentially even a sign of disloyalty or incompetence that could undermine the stability and legitimacy of his rule. The decree to destroy them all was a terrifying display of royal power, intended to reassert his absolute authority and eliminate perceived threats or failures within his court, demonstrating the precariousness of life under such a regime.
Key Themes: Daniel 2:12 significantly contributes to several overarching themes woven throughout the book of Daniel. Firstly, it starkly highlights the limitations of human wisdom and power when confronted with divine mysteries. The most learned and influential men in the greatest empire of their time were utterly helpless before a challenge that only God could answer, contrasting sharply with the divine wisdom later demonstrated by Daniel (Daniel 2:20-23). Secondly, it underscores the absolute, often tyrannical, nature of earthly kingdoms and their rulers, setting the stage for the revelation of God's ultimate sovereignty over all earthly powers and His ability to set up and depose kings (Daniel 2:21). Finally, the decree creates an imminent crisis for Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who were counted among the wise men (Daniel 2:13), thereby establishing the narrative tension that will lead to God's miraculous intervention, the exaltation of His servants, and the demonstration of His protective care and purpose even amidst great peril (Daniel 2:17-19).
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several potent literary devices to convey the intensity and significance of the moment. The most prominent is Hyperbole, seen in the phrase "angry and very furious," which emphasizes the extreme, almost excessive nature of Nebuchadnezzar's rage. While his anger was undoubtedly genuine, the language amplifies its magnitude, painting a vivid picture of a monarch losing control in a terrifying display of power. There is also a strong element of Irony at play: the very men who were supposed to possess ultimate wisdom and insight, the intellectual and spiritual pillars of the kingdom, are now deemed utterly useless and condemned to death by the king they serve. This sets up the greater irony of a young Hebrew exile, Daniel, who possesses true divine wisdom, ultimately intervening to save them. The decree itself functions as a crucial Plot Device, immediately creating life-threatening stakes for Daniel and his friends, thereby propelling the narrative forward and necessitating divine intervention to avert the impending catastrophe.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Daniel 2:12 serves as a stark and powerful reminder of the inherent limitations of human wisdom and power when confronted with divine truth and mystery. It highlights the profound chasm between the finite capabilities of humanity, even at its most learned and influential, and the infinite, all-knowing wisdom of God. Nebuchadnezzar's decree, born of human frustration and uncontrolled rage, paradoxically sets the stage for God to reveal His absolute sovereignty not only over dreams and hidden mysteries but also over the hearts and actions of the most powerful earthly kings. This moment underscores that true wisdom and ultimate authority do not reside in human intellect, political power structures, or occult practices, but solely in the divine, preparing the reader for Daniel's subsequent demonstration of God's unique ability to reveal "deep and secret things" and to know "what is in the darkness" (Daniel 2:22).
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Daniel 2:12, while depicting a tyrannical act, offers profound and enduring lessons for believers today. It reminds us that human power, no matter how absolute or seemingly invincible, is ultimately finite, often driven by volatile emotions, and incapable of solving truly divine mysteries. When we are faced with situations beyond our control or understanding, or when the "wise men" of the world (experts, systems, philosophies) offer no viable solutions, our ultimate trust and dependence must be placed in God alone. This verse dramatically sets the stage for Daniel's courageous and faith-filled response, demonstrating that true wisdom and effective action come from seeking God in earnest prayer and trusting in His ability to reveal hidden truths and provide miraculous solutions where human efforts inevitably fail. It encourages us to cultivate a spirit of profound dependence on God, especially when confronting seemingly impossible challenges, knowing that He is sovereign even over the most furious of human decrees and can turn even the most dire circumstances to His glory.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was King Nebuchadnezzar so angry and furious?
Answer: King Nebuchadnezzar was "angry and very furious" because his wise men, who were supposed to possess profound insight and knowledge, confessed their complete inability to both tell him his forgotten dream and interpret it (Daniel 2:10-11). This unprecedented demand was designed to test their true capabilities, and their collective failure was perceived by the king as a direct challenge to his absolute authority and a humiliating sign of their incompetence. This perceived affront led to his explosive rage and the drastic decree to destroy them all, as he felt mocked and powerless.
Did the king really intend to destroy all the wise men, or was this an empty threat?
Answer: The text indicates that the king's command was indeed to "destroy all the wise [men] of Babylon." This was not an empty threat but a genuine, albeit extreme and tyrannical, decree born of his unbridled fury. The immediate and very real danger to Daniel and his companions, who were also part of this group of wise men, underscores the seriousness and literal intent of the command. It was only through Daniel's divinely empowered intervention and God's sovereign revelation that the decree was halted and the lives of the wise men spared (Daniel 2:24).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Daniel 2:12, with its stark depiction of human power's limitations and the king's destructive, irrational decree, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate triumph of divine wisdom and authority, perfectly embodied in Jesus Christ. The wise men of Babylon, representing the pinnacle of human intellect, occult knowledge, and earthly power, were utterly helpless before a divine mystery, leading to a decree of death that exposed their futility. This contrasts sharply with Christ, who is revealed as "the wisdom of God and the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:24). While Nebuchadnezzar's fury led to a command of destruction against those who failed him, Christ's authority is exercised not in wrath against the innocent, but in life-giving power, revealing the deepest mysteries of God's kingdom to those who believe and are called by His grace (Matthew 13:11). The crisis in Daniel 2, where human wisdom fails and only divine revelation can save lives, points profoundly to the ultimate "mystery of Christ" (Ephesians 3:4), which was hidden for ages but now revealed through the gospel. Just as Daniel, a righteous servant, intervened to save the wise men from certain death, Christ, the ultimate righteous servant and the Son of God, intervened to deliver humanity from the decree of spiritual death brought about by sin, offering eternal life through His perfect sacrifice on the cross (Romans 5:8). He is the true interpreter of all divine mysteries, the one in whom "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3), and the only one capable of revealing God's ultimate plan of salvation.