Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 2:8
The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.
8. of certainty ] We should say now, ‘of a certainty.’ Murray quotes from North’s Plutarch (1580), ‘It is of certainty that her proper name was Nicostrata.’
would gain time (R.V.)] lit. are buying the time. Their repeated request to the king to tell them his dream is proof to him that they have no power to reveal secrets, and that they could not therefore interpret his dream, even though he were to describe it to them: hence he charges them with buying the time, i.e. with endeavouring to defer the fatal moment when the truth must appear, and when their inability to interpret his dream must be exposed.
because ye see that the word spoken by me is sure, (9) That, if, &c.] Because you see that I am resolved to punish you, if you do not fulfil the conditions I lay down ( Dan 2:5).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time – Margin, buy. The Chaldee word zabenyn (from zeban) means, to get for oneself, buy, gain, procure. Greek, exagorazete – that ye redeem time; and so the Vulgate – quod tempus redimitis. The idea is, that they saw that they could not comply with his requisition, and that their asking him Dan 2:7 to state the dream was only a pretext for delay, in the hope that in the interval some device might be hit on by them to appease him, or to avert his threatened indignation. It would be natural to suppose that they might hope that on reflection he would become more calm, and that, although they might not be able to recal the dream and explain it, yet it would be seen to be unreasonable to expect or demand it. The king seems to have supposed that some such thoughts were passing through their minds, and he charges on them such a project. The argument of the king seems to have been something like this: They who can explain a dream correctly can as well tell what it is as what its interpretation is, for the one is as much the result of Divine influence as the other; and if men can hope for Divine help in the one case, why not in the other? As you cannot, therefore, recal the dream, it is plain that you cannot interpret it; and your only object in demanding to know it is, that you may ward off as long as possible the execution of the threatened sentence, and, if practicable, escape it altogether. It is not improbable that what they said was more than the simple request recorded in Dan 2:7. They would naturally enlarge on it, by attempting to show how unreasonable was the demand of the king in the case, and their arguments would give a fair pretext for what he here charges on them.
Because ye see the thing is gone from me – According to the interpretation proposed in Dan 2:5, the dream. The meaning is, You see that I have forgotten it. I have made a positive statement on that point. There can be no hope, therefore, that it can be recalled, and it is clear that your only object must be to gain time. Nothing can be gained by delay, and the matter may therefore be determined at once, and your conduct be construed as a confession that you cannot perform what is required, and the sentence proceed without delay. This makes better sense, it seems to me, than to suppose that he means that a sentence had gone forth from him that if they could not recal and interpret it they should be put to death.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Dan 2:8
I know of certainty that ye would gain the time.
A Meditation for the New Year
The magicians wished to gain time, hoping that the king might remember his dream, or that something might happen to extricate them from the dreadful dilemma. Notice the two main thoughts and the suggestions suitable to the season.
I. TIME IS ON MANS SIDE. We are often made to feel that Men of the world know how precious sometimes is an extension of credit for a month, a week, a day, even an hour. Give the perplexed man time, and he will know how to act. It is all a question of time. On the higher plane of things this is specially true. Morally speaking, time is of infinite consequence to us.
1. Time is another word for mercy. So long as we enjoy the shelter of time, we are safe from the judgments which our sins have provoked. All the retributive suffering of this life is light indeed compared with the retributions which await the transgressor farther on; it is but the spilling of the red vials. Flee from the wrath to come. The fulness of penalty is reserved.
2. Time is another word for opportunity. It is not bare duration that is granted us, but a period rich in influences, succours, instrumentalities, and inspirations. To say that time is lengthened out is to say that the Word of God is continued to us, the means of grace, the privilege of prayer, the influences of the Spirit, all the fulness of the blessing of the redeeming gospel. Life teems with chances of getting good and doing good.
3. Time is another word for hope. Whilst time is granted, wonderful changes are possible.
II. THE PERIOD APPROACHES WHEN TIME CAN NO LONGER BE ON OUR SIDE. It was thus with these Magi; they had nearly exhausted the kings patience. An end comes necessarily to all respites. The business man in difficulties gains time, the bill is renewed, it is again and again renewed; but the inexorable day dawns. So a limit is fixed to the opportunities of the religious life. The dispensation of mercy and opportunity is soon past.
1. Most appropriate to the season is the spirit of thankfulness. All have reason to thank God for the past year. Thy saints shall bless Thee. They bless Thee for the sweet spring, the opulent summer, the mellow autumn, the stern winter, and for those larger, richer spaces of heavenly blessing which accompany the circling year. They bless Thee for three hundred and sixty-five days and nights burdened with spiritual benediction and hallowing influence. The unconverted also have reason to thank God for sparing mercy. Job asks, Why do the wicked live, and become old? There is but one answer: Because God delighteth in mercy.
2. The spirit of humiliation becomes us. How much more good we might have gained! Instead of ending the year with a bosom full of sheaves, too many of us with shamefacedness bring to God only a few blighted ears and withered leaves.
3. The season demands the spirit of consecration. New scenes and opportunities open to us; let us be faithful, and God shall restore unto us the years that the caterpillar has wasted. (W. L. Watkinson.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 8. That ye would gain the time] The king means either that they wished to prolong the time that he might recollect it, or get indifferent about it; or that they might invent something in the place of it; or make their escape to save their lives, after having packed up their valuables. See Da 2:9.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This ye do in policy, to escape punishment; when taken up with other affairs, I may forget to make further inquiry after this thing, but it shall not serve your turn.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. gain . . . timeliterally,”buy.” Compare Eph 5:16;Col 4:5, where the sense issomewhat different.
the thing is gone fromme(See on Da 2:5).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The king answered and said, I know of certainty,…. I see plainly and clearly what you are at, and am fully assured you mean nothing, but that
ye would gain the time: or buy f, or redeem time, as in Eph 5:16, prolong time, put off the answer to longer time; spin out time, as people do in buying and selling; or have it in their possession and power when to answer; and so by gaining time, or being master of it, might hope something would turn up to their advantage, and extricate them out of their present difficulties:
because ye see the thing is gone from me; the dream he could not remember; or because the decree was certain which he had determined concerning them; [See comments on Da 2:5].
f “quod tempus vos emitis”, Pagninus, Munster; “ementes”, Montanus; “vos tempus redimere”, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The king’s exception now follows: — I know, says he, that ye would gain time, since you are aware that the matter has gone from me, or the word has been pronounced, if we adopt the former sense. The king here accuses them of more disgraceful cunning, since the Magi have nothing to offer, and so desire to escape as soon as they know that the king has lost all remembrance of his dream. It is just as if he had said — You promised me to be sure interpreters of my dream, but this is false; for if I could narrate the dream, it would be easy to prove your arrogance, since ye cannot explain that enigma; but as lye know I have forgotten my dream, for that reason ye ask me to relate it; but this is only to gain time, says he; thus ye manage to conceal your ignorance and retain your credit for knowledge. But if my dream still remained in my memory I should soon detect your ignorance, for we cannot perform your boasting. We see, therefore, how the king here loads the Magi with a new crime, because they were impostors who deluded the people with false boastings; and hence he shews them worthy of death, unless they relate his dream. The argument indeed is utterly vicious; but it is not surprising when tyrants appear in the true colors of their cruelty. Meanwhile we must remember what I have said. — the Magi deserved this reproof, for they were puffed up with vanity and made false promises, through conjecturing the future from dreams, auguries, and the like. But in the king’s case, nothing was more unjust. than to invent such a crime against the Magi, since if they deceived others it arose from being self-deceived. They were blinded and fascinated by the foolish persuasion of their own wisdom, and had no intention of deceiving the king; for they thought something might immediately occur which would free his mind from all anxiety. But the king always pursued the blindest impulse of his rage. Meanwhile we must notice the origin of this feeling, — he was divinely tormented, and could not rest a single moment till he obtained an explanation of his dream. He next adds, If ye do not explain my dream, this sentence alone remains for you, says he; that is, it is already decreed concerning you all, I shall not inquire particularly which of you is in fault and which wishes to deceive me; but I will utterly cut off all the tribe of the Magi, and no one shall escape punishment, unless ye explain to me both the dream and its interpretation.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(8) Gain time.They hoped that by continual postponement they would induce the king to let the matter pass over; or, if not, that they might be able to wheedle the dream out of him,
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘The king answered and said, “I know of a certainty that you want to gain time, because you see that the word has gone forth from me (or ‘that the thing is certain’). But if you do not make known to me the dream, there is but one law for you. For you have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, until the time be changed (i.e. until something comes along to change things). Therefore tell me the dream and I will know that you can show me its interpretation.” ’
The king was adamant. He told them that he recognised that they were merely trying to buy time because they recognised that he meant what he had decreed. And in fact if they failed there was only one law that could be applied to them. His law. The truth was that they were using clever, deceitful methods to evade answering, hoping that something would turn up, and that time would bring them a solution. So let them now tell him what he wanted to know, or else he would fulfil his promise. If they could tell him his dream, then he would be able to have confidence in their interpretation of it. The same god who told them the dream would also be able to give its interpretation. But if they could not, then they were doomed.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Dan 2:8. I know, &c. “You only want to protract the time, either that the dream may return, or that my uneasiness may be dissipated; and that, occupied in other affairs, I may think no more of the dream. But I will have from you immediately a positive answer, and a precise explication.” However tyrannical this may appear in the king, his reasoning must be allowed to be very just and right; for if the astrologers could obtain from their gods the knowledge of future events by the explication of a dream, certainly the same gods could have made known to them what the dream was.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Dan 2:8 The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.
Ver. 8. I know of certainty. ] There is no halting before a cripple. Politicians can sound the depth of one another. Dan 11:27
That ye would gain the time.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
gain the time = gain time. It may have reference to that day being an unlucky day. Compare Est 3:7.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Dan 2:8-9
Dan 2:8 The kingH4430 answeredH6032 and said,H560 IH576 knowH3046 ofH4481 certaintyH3330 thatH1768 yeH608 would gainH2084 the time,H5732 becauseH3606 H6903 H1768 ye seeH2370 H1768 the thingH4406 is goneH230 fromH4481 me.
Dan 2:9 ButH1768 ifH2006 ye will notH3809 make knownH3046 unto me the dream,H2493 there is but oneH2298 decreeH1882 for you: for ye have preparedH2164 lyingH3538 and corruptH7844 wordsH4406 to speakH560 beforeH6925 me, tillH5705 H1768 the timeH5732 be changed:H8133 thereforeH3861 tellH560 me the dream,H2493 and I shall knowH3046 thatH1768 ye can shewH2324 me the interpretationH6591 thereof.
Dan 2:8-9
The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me. 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.
Now Nebuchadnezzar is getting upset. If he had any suspicions over the ability of the Chaldeans and the magicians, etc, it is quite evident now and is being displayed in his reaction to their insistence on him telling them what the dream was. What Nebuchadnezzar is saying here is “I know that you are trying to stall for more time. You know that your lives are forfeit and that I will do what I said if you don’t tell me about my dream. You have all conspired to lie to me, hoping for more time so that I will forget what I want you to do. Now tell me the dream and then I will know that you can tell me what it really means.”
Nebuchadnezzar’s suspicions are evidently aroused at this point. The king’s last statement now reveal his purpose of requiring the wise men to tell him the dream in order that he might also trust them to reveal the true interpretation of it.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
gain: Chal, buy, Eph 5:16, Col 4:5
Reciprocal: Gen 41:41 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Dan 2:8, Gain is from zebaw, which Strong defines, To acquire by purchase. These men had nothing of purchasing power or value by which literally to obtain more time, so we know the word is used figuratively. The explanation is in the closing words oi the verse, because ye see the thing is gone from, me. In the hope that the kings memory would finally return and he could recall the dream, they kept repeating their suggestion as a means of gaining more time.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
The king saw through his seers’ delay to an attempt to put distance between the dream and its interpretation. They hoped that as time passed, he would forget what he had dreamed, if he had not done so already. Perhaps his expectations of them would diminish as well. However, he wanted to guarantee that the interpretation they offered was correct.