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Good News Translation

Daniel 2:10

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.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Government;   Magician;   Rulers;   Sorcery;   Scofield Reference Index - Kingdom;   Times of the Gentiles;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Dream;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Aram;   Dream;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Astrologer;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Daniel, Book of;   Magi;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Heres;   Hushim;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Apocalyptic Literature;   Magi ;   Sorcery;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Astrologer;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Astrology;   Ruler;   Witch;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Enos;   Poetry;  

Parallel Translations

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.
Hebrew Names Version
The Kasdim answered before the king, and said, There is not a man on the eretz who can show the king's matter, because no king, lord, or ruler, has asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Kasdai.
King James Version
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.
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.
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.
New Century Version
The wise men answered the king, saying, "No one on earth can do what the king asks! No great and powerful king has ever asked the fortune-tellers, magicians, or wise men to do this;
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.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the Caldeans answered before the King, and sayde, There is no man vpon earth that can declare the Kings matter: yea, there is neither king nor prince nor lorde that asked such things at an inchanter or astrologian or Caldean.
New American Standard Bible (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.
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.
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
The astrologers answered the king, "Your majesty, nobody in the world can do this! Never has a king, no matter how great and powerful, asked such a thing of any magician or exorcist or astrologer.
Darby Translation
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, however great and powerful, that hath asked such a thing of any scribe, or magician, or Chaldean.
Easy-to-Read Version
The Chaldeans answered the king. They said, "There is not a man on earth who can do what the king is asking! No king has ever asked the wise men, the men who do magic, or the Chaldeans to do something like this. Not even the greatest and most powerful king has ever asked his wise men to do such a thing.
George Lamsa Translation
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.
Lexham English Bible
The astrologers answered the king and said, "There is not a man on earth that is able to reveal the word of the king; in fact, no great and powerful king has ever asked a thing like this of any magician or conjurer or astrologer.
Literal Translation
The Chaldeans replied before the king and said, There is not a man on the earth who can reveal the king's matter, because not any king, lord, or ruler has asked such a thing from any magician, or conjurer, or Chaldean.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Vpon this, the Caldees gaue answere before the kynge, and sayde: there is no man vpon earth, that can tell the thinge, which ye kynge speaketh of: Yee there is nether kynge prynce ner LORDE, that euer axed soch thinges at a soythsayer, charmer or Caldeer:
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.
Bible in Basic English
Then the Chaldaeans said to the king in answer, There is not a man on earth able to make clear the king's business; for no king, however great his power, has ever made such a request to any wonder-worker or user of secret arts or Chaldaean.
JPS Old Testament (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.
King James Version (1611)
The Caldeans answered before the King, and said, There is not a man vpon the earth that can shew the kings matter: therefore there is no King, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any Magician, or Astrologer, or Caldean.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Upon this the Chaldees gaue aunswere before the king, and sayde: There is no man vpon earth that can tell the thing which the king speaketh of, yea there is neither king, prince, nor lorde, that euer asked such thinges at a wyse man, soothsayer, or Chaldean.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
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.
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.
World 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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor Caldeis answeriden bifor the kyng, and seiden, Kyng, no man is on erthe, that mai fille thi word; but nether ony greet man and myyti of kyngis axith siche a word of ony dyuynour, and astronomyen, and of a man of Caldee.
Update Bible Version
The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man on the earth that can show the king's matter, since no king, lord, or ruler, has asked such a thing of any sacred scholar, or psychic, 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.
New English Translation
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 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 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!
New Life Bible
Those who learn from stars answered the king and said, "There is not a man on earth who can do this for the king. For no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any wonder-worker or one who learns from stars.
New Revised Standard
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.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The Chaldeans answered before the king and said, There is not a man upon the earth, who can declare, the matter of the king, - although indeed, there is no king, chief ruler who, a thing like this, hath asked of any sacred scribe or magician or Chaldean;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Then the Chaldeans 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.
Revised Standard Version
The Chalde'ans answered the king, "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 Chalde'an.
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;
THE MESSAGE
The fortunetellers said, "Nobody anywhere can do what you ask. And no king, great or small, has ever demanded anything like this from any magician, enchanter, or fortuneteller. What you're asking is impossible unless some god or goddess should reveal it—and they don't hang around with people like us."

Contextual Overview

1 In the second year that Nebuchadnezzar was king, he had a dream. It worried him so much that he couldn't sleep, 2 so he sent for his fortunetellers, magicians, sorcerers, and wizards to come and explain the dream to him. When they came and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, "I'm worried about a dream I've had. I want to know what it means." 4 They answered the king in Aramaic, "May Your Majesty live forever! Tell us your dream, and we will explain it to you." 5 The king said to them, "I have made up my mind that you must tell me the dream and then tell me what it means. If you can't, I'll have you torn limb from limb and make your houses a pile of ruins. 6 But if you can tell me both the dream and its meaning, I will reward you with gifts and great honor. Now then, tell me what the dream was and what it means." 7 They answered the king again, "If Your Majesty will only tell us what the dream was, we will explain it." 8 At that, the king exclaimed, "Just as I thought! You are trying to gain time, because you see that I have made up my mind 9 to give all of you the same punishment if you don't tell me the dream. You have agreed among yourselves to go on telling me lies because you hope that in time things will change. Tell me what the dream was, and then I will know that you can also tell me what it means." 10 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Exodus 8:18 - they could Exodus 8:19 - This is Leviticus 19:26 - use Isaiah 41:28 - I beheld Isaiah 44:25 - maketh Daniel 2:27 - cannot

Cross-References

Psalms 46:4
There is a river that brings joy to the city of God, to the sacred house of the Most High.
Revelation 22:1
The angel also showed me the river of the water of life, sparkling like crystal, and coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb

Gill's Notes on the 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 על יבשתא "super aridam", Pagninus, Montanus; "super arida", Cocceius; "super arido", Michaelis.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 Daniel 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 king’s matter - Chaldee, על־יבשׁתא ‛al-yabeshethâ' - “upon the dry ground.” Compare Genesis 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Daniel 2:10. 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.


 
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