Daniel 2:7-11

b. DILEMMA OF THE DIVINERS

TEXT: Daniel 2:7-11

7

They answered the second time and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.

8

The king answered and said, I know of a certainty that ye would gain time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.

9

But if ye make not known unto me the dream, there is but one law 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 show me the interpretation thereof.

10

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,

11

And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is no other than can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

QUERIES

a.

Why was Nebuchadnezzar suspicious of their stalling?

b.

Why was the king's demand such a rare thing?

c.

Which gods did the Chaldeans have in mind?

PARAPHRASE

The Chaldeans replied again, If the king please, only tell his humble servants what he dreamed and we will most gladly show him its interpretation. But the king retorted, I can see very plainly that you are only stalling for time, because you are aware that my mind is made up to punish you severely if you do not tell me the dream. And, you are correct, for if you do not tell me what I dreamed there is only one consequence you may expectthe punishment which I have decreed. I know what you are up toyou have agreed with one another to try to deceive me with words hoping that the passing of time will bring a change in my demands. I am wise to your scheme. Tell me the dreamonly then will I believe that you can show me the true interpretation. The Chaldeans pleaded with the king, saying, You are asking the impossiblethere is not a man on the earth who can tell the king what he has dreamed. No great king, lord or ruler such as yourself has ever asked such an impossible thing of any mortal magician, enchanter or Chaldean such as we. What you have asked is so difficult there is no human being who could ever reveal to the king what he dreamed. Only the gods could do this and they do not dwell on earth with mortals.

COMMENT

Daniel 2:7. LET THE KING TELL HIS SERVANTS THE DREAM. Notice the subtle flattery here. The Chaldeans berate themselves as servants. They must find out what the dream was and so they insistbut they insist politely.

Daniel 2:8. I KNOW. THAT YE WOULD GAIN TIME, BECAUSE. THE THING IS GONE FROM ME. They are not fooling the king. He knows they are stalling for time and he knows whythey are aware of his resolute determination that they shall either tell him what he dreamed or they shall be punished severely. It is the immutability of the king's decree that is meant by the phrase because ye see the thing is gone from me.

Daniel 2:9. YE HAVE PREPARED LYING AND CORRUPT WORDS TO SPEAK BEFORE ME, TILL THE TIME BE CHANGED. Nebuchadnezzar seems to be fully cognizant of their scheme to hide their insufficiency. He senses that there is some kind of collaboration between them to speak words of deception and legerdemain until, they hoped, circumstances would change; perhaps the king's ugly mood will change with time if they can only stall the matter by talk, But the king sees through their scheme, If they do not with haste make known to the king what he dreamed as well as the interpretation, he has determined their fate by royal decree and that decree cannot be changed.

Daniel 2:10-11. THERE IS NOT A MAN UPON THE EARTH THAT CAN SHOW THE KING'S MATTER. EXCEPT THE GODS, WHOSE DWELLING IS NOT WITH FLESH. These Chaldeans face a terrifying dilemma. On the one hand there is a desperate attempt not to say anything that might further irritate or offend the despot; on the other hand they must convey to the king the idea that his demand is unreasonable and impossible. Their first statement is a frank admission of their impotency in the matter demanded. Then they hastily add another subtle innuendo of flattery, No great king or ruler has ever asked such an impossible thing from such lowly magicians and enchanters as we. They are trying to convey to the king that the gods have not given these priests of the national religion the power to reveal the dreamthey have power only to interpret the dream. Their statement is that only the gods could produce what the king has demanded and the gods do not dwell among men. There seems to be in their consciousness an admission of higher, superhuman beings, but their concepts are so saturated with ignorance and moral depravity they are thoroughly polytheistic. The enchanters specify that the gods do not dwell with men in order to specify that they have no way of being instructed with the superior knowledge of the gods.

QUIZ

1.

How do the Chaldeans use flattery to try to learn the king's dream?

2.

What does the king accuse them of attempting to do?

3.

What advantage did the Chaldeans think time would bring them?

4.

How did the Chaldeans frankly declare their inability to tell his dream?