Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 2:10
The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can show the king’s matter: therefore [there is] no king, lord, nor ruler, [that] asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.
10. shew ] declare.
therefore, &c.] forasmuch as (R.V.) no great and powerful king (cf. R.V. marg.) hath asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. As no king has ever thought of making such a demand, it may be fairly concluded to be one which it is impossible to satisfy.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said – Perhaps the Chaldeans answered because they were the highest in favor, and were those in whom most confidence was usually reposed in such matters. See the notes at Dan 2:2. On such an occasion, those would be likely to be put forward to announce their inability to do this who would be supposed to be able to interpret the dream, if any could, and on whom most reliance was usually placed.
There is not a man upon the earth that can show the kings matter – Chaldee, al–yabeshetha’ – upon the dry ground. Compare Gen 1:10. The meaning is, that the thing was utterly beyond the power of man. It was what none who practiced the arts of divining laid claim to. They doubtless supposed that as great proficients in that art as the world could produce might be found among the wise men assembled at the court of Babylon, and if they failed, they inferred that all others would fail. This was, therefore, a decided confession of their inability in the matter; but they meant to break the force of that mortifying confession, and perhaps to appease the wrath of the king, by affirming that the thing was wholly beyond the human powers, and that no one could be expected to do what was demanded.
Therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things – No one has ever made a similar demand. The matter is so clear, the incompetency of man to make such a disclosure is so manifest, that no potentate of any rank ever made such a request. They designed, undoubtedly, to convince the king that the request was so unreasonable that he would not insist on it. They were urgent, for their life depended on it, and they apprehended that they had justice on their side.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. There is not a man upon the earth] The thing is utterly impossible to man. This was their decision: and when Daniel gave the dream, with its interpretation, they knew that the spirit of the holy gods was in him. So, even according to their own theology, he was immeasurably greater than the wisest in Babylon or in the world.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
10. There is not a man . . . thatcan showGod makes the heathen out of their own mouth, condemntheir impotent pretensions to supernatural knowledge, in order tobring out in brighter contrast His power to reveal secrets to Hisservants, though but “men upon the earth” (compare Dan 2:22;Dan 2:23).
therefore, c.that is,If such things could be done by men, other absolute princes wouldhave required them from their magicians as they have not, it is proofsuch things cannot be done and cannot be reasonably asked from us.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The Chaldeans answered before the King, and said,…. As follows, in order to appease his wrath, and cool his resentment, and bring him to reason:
there is not a man upon the earth can show the king’s matter; or, “upon the dry land” g: upon the continent, throughout the whole world, in any country whatever; not one single man can be found, be he ever so wise and learned, that can show the king what he requires; and yet Daniel afterwards did; and so it appears, by this confession, that he was greater than they, or any other of the same profession with them: this is one argument they use to convince the king of the unreasonableness of his demand; it being such that no man on earth was equal to; another follows:
therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler; there neither is, nor never was, any potentate or prince, be who he will; whether, as Jacchiades distinguishes them, a “king” over many provinces, whose empire is very large; or “lord” over many cities; or “ruler” over many villages belonging to one city; in short, no man of power and authority, whether supreme or subordinate:
that asked things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean; never was such a thing required of any before; no instance, they suggest, could be produced in ancient history, or in the present age, in any kingdom or court under the heavens, of such a request being made; or that anything of this kind was ever insisted upon; and therefore hoped the king would not insist upon it; and which no doubt was true: Pharaoh required of his wise men to tell him the interpretation of his dream, but not the dream itself.
g “super aridam”, Pagninus, Montanus; “super arida”, Cocceius; “super arido”, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Chaldeans again excuse themselves for not relating the king’s dream. They say, in reality, this is not their peculiar art or science; and they know of no example handed down of wise men being asked in this way, and required to answer as well de facto as de jure, as the phrase is. They boasted themselves to be interpreters of dreams, but their conjectures could not be extended to discover the dreams themselves, but only their interpretation. This was a just excuse, yet the king does not admit it, but is impelled by his own wrath and by the divine instinct to shew the Magi, and sorcerers, and astrologers, to be mere impostors and deceivers of the people. And we must observe the end in view, because God wished to extol his servant Daniel, and to separate him from the common herd. They add, that no kings had ever dealt thus with Magi and wise men. It afterwards follows: —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) No king.A further argument of the wise men, offering a delicate flattery to the king, and, at the same time, assuming as a proof of their wisdom, that all possibilities had been already submitted to them. Because no king, they say, has left any precedent for such a request, therefore the thing is impossible.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10-13. The magicians in utter desperation now appeal to the king’s sense of justice and to the lack of precedent, “forasmuch as no king, be he never so great and powerful” (R.V., margin) had ever demanded such a “hard thing,” which was absolutely impossible excepting to the highest deities, which have no intercourse with man. The king is, or pretends to be, very furious at this insinuation of injustice, and their confession of inability to meet the fair test proposed (note Dan 2:5) and sends forth his edict of death against the entire order of “wise men,” to which order Daniel and his friends belonged (Dan 2:13). So Herodotus says Astyages crucified the Magi who had advised him unwisely, interpreting wrongly the portents (128) which could only mean, he thought, either that the magicians were impostors, that they were willfully deceiving him, or else that they had lost the favor of their gods, and in either case they ought to die.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Wise Men Admit That What He Asks Is Impossible To Them And Come Under His Fury.
“The Chaldeans answered before the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who can show what the king requires, forasmuch as no king, lord or ruler ( or ‘no great and powerful king’ i.e. a king-lord-ruler) has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. And it is a difficult thing that the king requires, and there is no other who can show it before the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with men.”
The wise men’s reply was simple. They could not do it. No one could do it. Indeed no ruler, however great, had ever asked such a thing of anyone. It was impossible. It was something that only the gods could do, who did not dwell among men.
By this admission they were admitting that they were fakes. They had always claimed to be able to find the will of the gods. Now they admitted that the gods were silent towards them. When faced with such a problem they were powerless, and the gods were silent. All the wisdom of Babylon was unable to provide an answer to the king.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Dan 2:10 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.
Ver. 10. There is not a man upon earth. ] Yes, there is. But this is the guise of worldly wisdom, fingit se scire omnia, excusat ac occulit suam ignorantiam, it would seem to know all things, and to be ignorant of nothing that is within the periphery of human possibility.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
earth. Chaldee. beshta’ = dry ground.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Dan 2:10-11
Dan 2:10 The ChaldeansH3779 answeredH6032 beforeH6925 the king,H4430 and said,H560 There isH383 notH3809 a manH606 uponH5922 the earthH3007 thatH1768 canH3202 shewH2324 the king’sH4430 matter:H4406 thereforeH3606 H6903 H1768 there is noH3809 H3606 king,H4430 lord,H7229 nor ruler,H7990 that askedH7593 such thingsH1836 at anyH3606 magician,H2749 or astrologer,H826 or Chaldean.H3779
Dan 2:11 And it is a rareH3358 thingH4406 thatH1768 the kingH4430 requireth,H7593 and there isH383 noneH3809 otherH321 thatH1768 can shewH2324 it beforeH6925 the king,H4430 exceptH3861 the gods,H426 whoseH1768 dwellingH4070 isH383 notH3809 withH5974 flesh.H1321
Dan 2:10-11
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. 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.
They have now acknowledged their inability before the king. Here was a full admission by the Chaldeans and their associates of their utter inability to do what the king required. Furthermore there was an inherent confession in their words of their belief in the supernatural. “The gods” to which they referred were not the one true and living God that we serve, but by citing their false ones, they demonstrated their belief in them nonetheless. This set the stage for the recognition of almighty God’s hand in the ultimate giving of the dream and its meaning through Daniel.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Reciprocal: Exo 8:18 – they could Exo 8:19 – This is Lev 19:26 – use Isa 41:28 – I beheld Isa 44:25 – maketh Dan 2:27 – cannot
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Dan 2:10. The statements the wise men made to the king were true, but they disproved their claims to being possessed with superhuman knowledge. It is true that no mere normal man can reveal that which is unknown or hid from humanity, but the Chaldeans professed to be superhuman beings as to their knowledge.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Dan 2:10-11. The Chaldeans answered, There is not a man upon the earth that can show the kings matter Here the wise men are driven to acknowledge their inability, and their excuse is, that they could indeed tell what dreams signified, if the dreams were told them; but as to telling what a person had dreamed, it was above the power of any art or knowledge but that of the gods, who knew all things. But this reasoning was weak, and showed the kings accusation to be just, namely, that they had prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before him; or, that their business and skill were only to invent or affix such interpretations of dreams as they thought suitable, without having any real knowledge at all of future things.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Chaldeans proceeded to explain with profuse courtesy and flattery that what the king requested was humanly impossible. No one could tell what the king had dreamed. Furthermore, no king had ever asked his counselors to do such a thing before. Only the immortal gods could provide this information, and the implication was that even these men could not get information from the gods. Yet that is precisely what they claimed to be able to provide: supernatural information. Their confession sets the stage for Daniel’s ability to do precisely what they said no person could do.