Daniel 2:10 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.

◄ Daniel 2:10 ►

New International Version
The astrologers answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer.

New Living Translation
The astrologers replied to the king, “No one on earth can tell the king his dream! And no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer!

English Standard Version
The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who can meet the king’s demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, “There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean.

New American Standard Bible
The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is no person on earth who could declare the matter to the king, because no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any soothsayer priest, sorcerer, or Chaldean.

NASB 1995
The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who could declare the matter for the king, inasmuch as no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any magician, conjurer or Chaldean.

NASB 1977
The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who could declare the matter for the king, inasmuch as no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any magician, conjurer or Chaldean.

Legacy Standard Bible
The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who is able to declare the matter for the king, inasmuch as no great king or powerful ruler has ever asked about a matter like this of any magician, conjurer, or Chaldean.

Amplified Bible
The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who can tell the king this matter, for no king, lord or ruler has ever asked such a thing as this of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean.

Christian Standard Bible
The Chaldeans answered the king, “No one on earth can make known what the king requests. Consequently, no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked anything like this of any magician, medium, or Chaldean.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Chaldeans answered the king, “No one on earth can make known what the king requests. Consequently, no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked anything like this of any diviner-priest, medium, or Chaldean.

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
His advisors explained, "Your Majesty, you are demanding the impossible! No king, not even the most famous and powerful, has ever ordered his advisors, magicians, or wise men to do such a thing.

English Revised Version
The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: forasmuch as no king, lord, nor ruler, hath asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The astrologers answered the king, "No one on earth can tell the king what he asks. No other king, no matter how great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, psychic, or astrologer.

Good News Translation
The advisers replied, "There is no one on the face of the earth who can tell Your Majesty what you want to know. No king, not even the greatest and most powerful, has ever made such a demand of his fortunetellers, magicians, and wizards.

International Standard Version
The Chaldeans answered the king directly, "There's not a single man on earth who can do what the king has commanded. No king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such a thing from any diviner, enchanter, or Chaldean.

Majority Standard Bible
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.

NET Bible
The wise men replied to the king, "There is no man on earth who is able to disclose the king's secret, for no king, regardless of his position and power, has ever requested such a thing from any magician, astrologer, or wise man.

New Heart English Bible
The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, "There is not a man on the earth who can show the king's matter, because no king, lord, or ruler, has asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean.

Webster's Bible Translation
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 hath asked such things of any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.

World English Bible
The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on the earth who can show the king’s matter, because no king, lord, or ruler has asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or Chaldean.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
The Chaldeans have answered before the king, and are saying, “There is not a man on the earth who is able to show the king’s matter; therefore, no king, chief, and ruler, has asked such a thing as this of any scribe, and enchanter, and Chaldean;

Young's Literal Translation
The Chaldeans have answered before the king, and are saying, 'There is not a man on the earth who is able to shew the king's matter; therefore, no king, chief, and ruler, hath asked such a thing as this of any scribe, and enchanter, and Chaldean;

Smith's Literal Translation
The Chaldean answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the dry land that shall be able to show the king's word: for which cause that every king, leader, and ruler, asked not a word like this to any sacred scribe, and enchanter, and Chaldean.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Then the Chaldeains answered before the king, and said: There is no man upon earth, that can accomplish thy word, O king, neither doth any king, though great and mighty, ask such a thing of any diviner, or wise man, or Chaldean.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then the Chaldeans answered before the king, and they said, “There is no man on earth who can accomplish your word, O king. For neither has any king, however great and mighty, asked for an answer of this kind from every seer, and astrologer, and Chaldean.

New American Bible
The Chaldeans answered the king: “There is not a man on earth who can do what you ask, O king; never has any king, however great and mighty, asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or Chaldean.

New Revised Standard Version
The Chaldeans answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can reveal what the king demands! In fact no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
The Chaldeans answered before the king and said, There is not a man upon the earth who can reveal what the king asks; neither has any great king or ruler ever asked such a thing of any magician or astrologer or Chaldean.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
The Chaldeans answered and they were saying before the King: “There is not a man on Earth who is able to show the King’s matter, neither has a High King or Ruler ever asked a matter like this of any Sorcerer, Enchanter or Chaldean

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said: 'There is not a man upon the earth that can declare the king's matter; forasmuch as no great and powerful king hath asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is no man upon the earth, who shall be able to make known the king's matter: forasmuch as no great king or ruler asks such a question of an enchanter, magician, or Chaldean.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
…9If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one decree for you. You have conspired to speak before me false and fraudulent words, hoping the situation will change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I will know that you can give me its interpretation.” 10The 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. 11What the king requests is so difficult that no one can tell it to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.”…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Genesis 41:8
In the morning his spirit was troubled, so he summoned all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.

Exodus 8:18-19
The magicians tried to produce gnats using their magic arts, but they could not. And the gnats remained on man and beast. / “This is the finger of God,” the magicians said to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.

Isaiah 47:12-13
So take your stand with your spells and with your many sorceries, with which you have wearied yourself from your youth. Perhaps you will succeed; perhaps you will inspire terror! / You are wearied by your many counselors; let them come forward now and save you—your astrologers who observe the stars, who monthly predict your fate.

Jeremiah 10:7
Who would not fear You, O King of nations? This is Your due. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You.

1 Kings 3:28
When all Israel heard of the judgment the king had given, they stood in awe of him, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.

Job 5:12-13
He thwarts the schemes of the crafty, so that their hands find no success. / He catches the wise in their craftiness, and sweeps away the plans of the cunning.

Job 12:17
He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.

Psalm 25:14
The LORD confides in those who fear Him, and reveals His covenant to them.

Psalm 119:99
I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.

Ecclesiastes 8:7
Since no one knows what will happen, who can tell him what is to come?

Isaiah 44:25
who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who confounds the wise and turns their knowledge into nonsense,

Matthew 2:1-2
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, / asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

Matthew 19:26
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Mark 10:27
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

Luke 1:37
For no word from God will ever fail.”

Treasury of Scripture

The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man on 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.

and there.

Daniel 2:27,28
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 5:11
There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;

Genesis 41:39
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:

whose.

Exodus 29:45
And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.

Numbers 35:34
Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.

1 Kings 8:27
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?

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Daniel 2

1. Nebuchadnezzar, forgetting his dream,
5. requires it of the Chaldeans, by promises and threats.
10. They acknowledging their inability are judged to die.
14. Daniel obtaining some respite finds the dream.
19. He blesses God.
24. He staying the decree is brought to the king.
31. The dream.
36. The interpretation.
46. Daniel's advancement.

Berean Study Bible

The Chaldeans answered the king
The Chaldeans were a priestly class in Babylon, known for their expertise in astrology and divination. Historically, they were considered wise men and advisors to the king. Their response to the king highlights their limitations despite their esteemed status. This sets the stage for God’s power to be demonstrated through Daniel, contrasting human wisdom with divine revelation.

There is not a man on earth
This phrase underscores the human limitation and the impossibility of the task from a purely earthly perspective. It reflects the Chaldeans' acknowledgment of their own inadequacy and the inadequacy of human wisdom in general. This sets the stage for God to reveal His sovereignty and omniscience, as He alone can provide the answer through Daniel.

who can do what the king requests
The king's request was for the Chaldeans to not only interpret his dream but also to recount it without being told what it was. This was an unprecedented demand, highlighting the king's desperation and the futility of relying on human wisdom. It emphasizes the need for divine intervention, which only God can provide.

For no great king or ruler
This phrase suggests that the request was beyond the norms of royal expectations. Historically, kings would consult their wise men for interpretations, but Nebuchadnezzar's demand was extraordinary. This sets a backdrop for God’s intervention, showing that His wisdom surpasses even the greatest earthly authority.

has ever asked anything like this
The uniqueness of the king's request is emphasized here. It was unheard of for a king to demand such knowledge without providing any details. This highlights the limitations of human wisdom and the need for divine revelation, which God provides through Daniel.

of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean
These groups were considered the pinnacle of wisdom and knowledge in Babylonian society. Their inability to fulfill the king's request demonstrates the futility of relying on occult practices and human wisdom. It sets the stage for God to reveal His power and wisdom through Daniel, showing that true wisdom comes from God alone.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(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."

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 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, astrologer, or Chaldean. It is to be noted, in the first place, that we have the same Syriac form of כַּשְׂדָיֵא. This seems to us a survival from an earlier condition of the text, when the Syriac forms were predominant, if not universal, in it. Scribes accustomed to speak and write in Chaldee would naturally harmonize the text to the language they were accustomed to use. The word "saying" ("and said," Authorized Version) is omitted from the. Septuagint, but it is found in all other versions: its omission in the Septuagint may have been due to error - the Aramaic is not complete without it. לָא־אִתַי (la-'itha), "there is not." The ordinary Targumic and Talmudic usage is לַיִת (layith), "is not." one word. This full way of writing this negative form is an undeniable proof of antiquity. Neither Levy nor Castell gives any example of the full writing which is the regular practice in Biblical Aramaic. Merx, 'Chrestomath. Targ.,' 168, 225, also gives only לית. As a rule, the fuller a form is, the older it is. Earth; literally, dry groined- the same word as is used in the Targum of Genesis, "Let the dry land appear," but not the usual word for "the world." Theodotion, in accordance, translates ξηρᾶς; the LXX. renders merely, ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. The Peshitta has (ar'a). The king's matter (mil-lath malea); literally, the king's word, which, consequently, Theodotion translates ῤῆμα. The LXX renders, "to tell the king that which he has seen." It is evident that he read milbdh, as it' derived from melal, "to speak," as lemallala. The rendering, "that which he has seen," is due to reading ל (l) into ד (d); the verb heva was read heza, and then the change in meaning be. conies intelligible. Therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler. The mote natural interpretation of the Aramaic is, "There is no king great and powerful." Some have regarded ral, ushlat as a title of the King of Babylon, but this does not seem to be borne out by inscriptions. The sense is rather that of 1he marginal rendering, "There is no king be he never so great and powerful." Then-dotion has this reading. The Septuagint renders, "no king and no ruler (πᾶς βασιλεὺς καὶ πᾶς δυνάστης...οὐκ)," reading כול (eol) for רב (rab). The Peshitta follows the Massoretic closely here. In this connection, it may be observed, שליט (shaleet) is not frequent in the Targums, but it occurs in the Peshitta. That asked such things. Kidnah, "like this." This form of the demonstration, ending with ה (h), instead of א, is regarded as older than the Targumic form. Theodotion inserts ῤῆμα here. At any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. The first thing that strikes the reader of the Aramaic, and for that matter the other versions, is the omission of one of the classes of soothsayers - that called "sorcerers" in our Authorized Version. We saw that, according to the Septuagint, the" Chaldeans" were not a separate college of augurs or soothsayers. When we look atlentively at the Aramaic, the reason of the presence of "Chaldeans" here, and the absence of "sorcerers" becomes probable. In the first place, כשדיא is written without the א, as singular. When so written, its resemblance to מְכַשֵׁפ (mekashshaph) suggests the question whether there might not be, occupying this place, an Aramaic noun equivalent to ashshaph, which we see is really Assyrian, and, interpreting it we find mekashshaph put thus after ashshaph elsewhere, but omitted here. The solution of' the omission of mekashshaph is the likeness the latter part of the word bears to Kusdt, especially in the script of Egypt, in which כ and א were very like each other. These assembled wise men protest against the test to which the king would put them as essentially unfair. They had been trained to divine the future from dreams, but never to find out dreams by what they had learned from their airs the future would be; and in proof of this they urge that no king, however great, had made such a demand of any astrologer or soothsayer. Nay, they go further, and say that no man upon the earth is able to tell the king what he wishes. They endeavour to make the king see that what he asks is an impossibility.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

The astrologers
כַשְׂדָּאֵ֤י (ḵaś·dā·’ê)
Noun - proper
Strong's 3779: Chaldeans -- a Chaldaean

answered
עֲנ֨וֹ (‘ă·nōw)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6032: To answer

the king,
מַלְכָּא֙ (mal·kā)
Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 4430: A king

“No
לָֽא־ (lā-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3809: Not, no

one
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5922: Above, over, upon, against

on earth
יַבֶּשְׁתָּ֔א (yab·beš·tā)
Noun - feminine singular determinate
Strong's 3007: Dry land

can
יוּכַ֖ל (yū·ḵal)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3202: To be able

do
לְהַחֲוָיָ֑ה (lə·ha·ḥă·wā·yāh)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2324: To show

what the king
מַלְכָּ֔א (mal·kā)
Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 4430: A king

requests!
מִלַּ֣ת (mil·laṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 4406: A word, command, discourse, subject

No
לָ֣א (lā)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3809: Not, no

king,
מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4430: A king

however great
רַ֣ב (raḇ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7229: Abundant

and powerful,
וְשַׁלִּ֔יט (wə·šal·lîṭ)
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7990: Mighty, permission, a premier

has ever asked
שְׁאֵ֔ל (šə·’êl)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7593: To inquire, to request, to demand

anything
מִלָּ֤ה (mil·lāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4406: A word, command, discourse, subject

like this
כִדְנָה֙ (ḵiḏ·nāh)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 1836: This

of any
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3606: The whole, all, any, every

magician,
וְאָשַׁ֥ף (wə·’ā·šap̄)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 826: A conjurer, enchanter

enchanter,
חַרְטֹּ֖ם (ḥarṭ·ṭōm)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2749: A horoscopist

or astrologer.
וְכַשְׂדָּֽי׃ (wə·ḵaś·dāy)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3779: Chaldeans -- a Chaldaean

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OT Prophets: Daniel 2:10 The Chaldeans answered before the king (Dan. Da Dn)