Daniel 2:13
And the decree went forth that the wise [men] should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
And the decree {H1882} went forth {H5312} that the wise {H2445} men should be slain {H6992}; and they sought {H1156} Daniel {H1841} and his fellows {H2269} to be slain {H6992}.
When the decree was published that the sages were to be slain, they sought Dani'el and his companions in order to have them put to death.
So the decree went out that the wise men were to be executed, and men went to look for Daniel and his friends to execute them.
So the decree went forth, and the wise men were to be slain; and they sought Daniel and his companions to be slain.
Cross-References
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Daniel 1:19 (3 votes)
And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. -
Daniel 1:20 (3 votes)
And in all matters of wisdom [and] understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians [and] astrologers that [were] in all his realm. -
Isaiah 10:1 (2 votes)
¶ Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness [which] they have prescribed; -
Esther 3:12 (2 votes)
Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that [were] over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and [to] every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring. -
Esther 3:15 (2 votes)
The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed. -
Daniel 6:9 (2 votes)
Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. -
Daniel 6:15 (2 votes)
Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians [is], That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
Commentary
Context
Daniel 2:13 immediately follows King Nebuchadnezzar's frustrated decree to execute all the "wise men" of Babylon. Despite the failure of the Chaldean wise men to discern the king's forgotten dream and its interpretation, they had confessed that only the gods could reveal such a thing. Enraged by their inability and what he perceived as deceit, the king issued a swift and deadly command. This verse highlights the immediate implementation of that decree, specifically naming Daniel and his three friends (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, also known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) as targets, since they were counted among the Babylonian wise men (astrologers, magicians, sorcerers, and Chaldeans).
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The term "wise men" (Aramaic: ḥakkimîn) in this context refers broadly to the learned class in Babylon, encompassing various specialists like astrologers, enchanters, sorcerers, and Chaldeans (a specific caste known for their magical arts and divination). The KJV's inclusion of "[men]" in brackets signifies that it's implied in the original Aramaic, referring to these individuals who served as royal advisors and interpreters of omens and dreams.
Practical Application
Daniel 2:13 reminds us that even in the face of impossible circumstances and dire threats, God's purposes cannot be thwarted. For believers, it highlights:
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