Daniel 2.27-Daniel Tells Nebuchadnezzar That No Wise Man, Necromancer, Occult Priest Or Divination Astrologer Could Make Known To Him The Interpretation Of His Dream
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday March 21, 2012
Daniel: Daniel 2:27-Daniel Tells Nebuchadnezzar That No Wise Man, Necromancer, Occult Priest Or Divination Astrologer Could Make Known To Him The Interpretation Of His Dream
Lesson # 51
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 2:1.
Daniel 2:1 Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him. 2 Then the king gave orders to call in the magicians, the conjurers, the sorcerers and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 The king said to them, “I had a dream and my spirit is anxious to understand the dream.” 4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic: “O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” 5 The king replied to the Chaldeans, “The command from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb and your houses will be made a rubbish heap. 6 But if you declare the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts and a reward and great honor; therefore declare to me the dream and its interpretation.” 7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” 8 The king replied, “I know for certain that you are bargaining for time, inasmuch as you have seen that the command from me is firm 9 that if you do not make the dream known to me, there is only one decree for you. For you have agreed together to speak lying and corrupt words before me until the situation is changed; therefore tell me the dream, that I may know that you can declare to me its interpretation.” 10 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. 11 Moreover, the thing which the king demands is difficult, and there is no one else who could declare it to the king except gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh.” 12 Because of this the king became indignant and very furious and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they looked for Daniel and his friends to kill them. 14 Then Daniel replied with discretion and discernment to Arioch, the captain of the king’s bodyguard, who had gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon. 15 he said to Arioch, the king’s commander, “For what reason is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. 16 So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him time, in order that he might declare the interpretation to the king. 17 Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, about the matter. 18 so that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel said, “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. 21 It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding. 22 It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him. 23 To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for You have given me wisdom and power; Even now You have made known to me what we requested of You, for You have made known to us the king’s matter.” 24 Therefore, Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and spoke to him as follows: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon! Take me into the king’s presence, and I will declare the interpretation to the king.” 25 Then Arioch hurriedly brought Daniel into the king’s presence and spoke to him as follows: “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can make the interpretation known to the king!” 26 The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?” 27 Daniel answered before the king and said, “As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians nor diviners are able to declare it to the king. (NASB95)
Daniel 2:27 is composed of the masculine singular peʿal (Hebrew: qal) active participle form of the verb ʿǎnā(h) (עֲנָה) (an-aw´), “answered” and then we have the masculine singular proper noun dā∙niy∙yē(ʾ)l (דָּנִיֵּאל) (daw-nee-yale), “Daniel” which is followed by the preposition qǒḏām (קֳדָם) (kod-awm´), “before” and its object is the masculine singular form of the noun mě∙lěḵ (מֶלֶךְ) (meh´-lek), “the king’s” and then we have the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), which is not translated and followed by the masculine singular peʿal (Hebrew equivalent is the qal) active participle form of the verb ʾǎmǎr (אֲמַר) (am-ar´), “said” which is followed by the masculine singular noun rāz (רָז) (rawz), “mystery” and then we have the relative particle dî (דִּי) (dee), “about which” and then we have the masculine singular form of the noun mě∙lěḵ (מֶלֶךְ) (meh´-lek), “the king” and this is followed by the masculine singular peʿal (Hebrew: qal) active participle form of the verb šeʾēl (שְׁאֵל) (sheh-ale´), “has inquired” which is followed by the negative particle lā(ʾ) (לָא) (law), “neither” and then we have the masculine plural form of the noun ḥǎk∙kîm (חַכִּים) (khak-keem´), “wise men” which is followed by the masculine plural form of the noun ʾǎš∙šāp̄ (אַשָּׁף) (ash-shawf), “conjurers” and then we have the masculine plural form of the noun ḥǎr∙ṭōm (חַרְטֹם) (khar-tome), “magicians” which is followed by the masculine plural peʿal (Hebrew: qal) active participle form of the verb gezǎr (גְּזַר) (ghez-ar´), “diviners” and then we have the third person masculine plural peʿal (Hebrew: qal) active participle form of the verb yeḵil (יְכִל) (yek-ale´), “are able” which is followed by the preposition lĕ (לְ) (lamed), “to” and its object is the hafʿel (Hebrew: hiphil) infinitive construct form the verb ḥǎwā(h) (חֲוָה) (khav-aw´), “declare” which is followed by the preposition lĕ (לְ) (lamed), “to” and its object is the masculine singular form of the noun mě∙lěḵ (מֶלֶךְ) (meh´-lek), “the king.”
The noun rāz means “mystery” and refers to the content of the king’s dream as well as its interpretation since Daniel 2:26 records Nebuchadnezzar asking Daniel if he could tell him the content of his dream as well as its interpretation.
Daniel uses the word when speaking to Nebuchadnezzar where he uses it this time to describe the content of the king’s dream as well as its interpretation since Daniel is responding to the king’s question if he can tell him the content of his dream as well as interpretation.
This indicates that Daniel is saying to Nebuchadnezzar that no wise men, necromancer, occult priest or divination astrologer has the ability to make known to the king the content of the king’s dream as well as its interpretation.
The verb šeʾēl means “to inquire or ask about” indicating that Nebuchadnezzar was “asking” Daniel if he could tell him the content of his dream as well as its interpretation.
The verb yeḵil means “to be able” and its meaning is emphatically negated by the negative particle lā(ʾ) and it object is Nebuchadnezzar’s wise men, necromancers, occult priests and astrologers.
Thus, these two words indicate that Daniel is saying to the king that “absolutely no” wise man, necromancer, occult priest or astrologer “is able” or “has the ability to” make known to the king the mystery, which is the content of the king’s dream and its interpretation.
The noun ḥǎk∙kîm means “wise men” and is referring to the four groups mentioned in Daniel 2:2, namely, occult priests (ḥǎr∙ṭōm), necromancers (ʾǎš∙šāp̄), witches (kā∙šǎp̄) and astrologers (kǎś∙dîm).
It does not include the diplomats and dignitaries like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah since they did not claim that they could interpret dreams.
This term serves as a heading or a title for the necromancers, occult priests and those who practiced divination through astrology.
The noun ʾǎš∙šāp̄ refers to a necromancer who was an individual who attempted to contact the dead for the purpose of magically revealing the future or influencing the course of events.
The noun ḥǎr∙ṭōm refers to “occultist priests” who were a class of intelligent and clever priests involved with the occult, which is driven by demons and they led the Babylonians in the worship of their gods like Marduk.
The verb gezǎr literally means “one who cuts” and is a reference to those individuals who would cut open animals and examine their livers for omens.
This practice is called “extispicy” (eks-TIHS-pih-see).
In the ancient word, ceremonies were performed so that the gods would answer questions posed by the diviners through their inspection of an animal’s internal organs, especially, the liver.
It was believed that the gods would leave hints to be uncovered.
Diviners were required to notice subtle changes in the color, texture and shape of each section of the organ in question.
The NRSV, NET, NIV and NASB translate this word in Daniel 2:27 as “diviners” whereas the ESV and GNB renders the word “astrologers.”
The ESV and GNB employ this translation since this verb could refer to someone who practices divination by examining the movement of the stars.
There were various forms of divination, namely, rhabdomancy, hepatoscopy, teraphim, necromancy, hydromancy, lots, dreams or astrology.
Now, in Daniel 2:27, we see that Daniel has already mentioned those who practice a form of divination called necromancy.
Astrology was the most popular form of divination in Babylon in the sixth century B.C. thus the participle form of this verb gezǎr is a reference to those who practiced divination by means of astrology.
Now, Daniel does not use kǎś∙dîm to refer to astrologers, which is the case when the word appears in Daniel chapter 2 but rather, he uses the participle form of the verb gezǎr since this word describes astrology as a form of divination.
The verb ḥǎwā(h) means “to make known” and denotes the inability of any wise men, necromancers, occult priests or divination astrologers to make known to the king the mystery, which is the content of his dream and its interpretation.
Daniel 2:27 presents to the reader Daniel’s response to the king’s question, which is recorded in Daniel 2:26.
The king asked Daniel if he could make known to him the content of his dream as well as its interpretation.
Daniel responds to this question by telling the king that absolutely no wise men, necromancers, occult priests or divination astrologers are able to make known to him the mystery which he is asking him about.
His response is considered by some expositors to be a rebuke of Nebuchadnezzar for expecting any human being to be able to meet his demands. However, this is not the case but rather, Daniel is confirming what Nebuchadnezzar concluded himself.
We must remember that God does not want Nebuchadnezzar to listen to his wise men, i.e. the occult priests, necromancers, witches and astrologers since their practices are condemned by Him in the Mosaic Law.
God gave Nebuchadnezzar this revelation in a dream in order that the king would worship and obey Him.
In His omniscience, God gave him this revelation in a dream knowing that the king would go to these wise men and demand that they tell him the content of the dream in order that he could be sure that they could interpret this dream for him.
God knew that these wise men had no ability to do this.
He also wanted the king to expose them for their inability to do so because He wanted the king to listen to Him rather than the wise men.
Therefore, Daniel is confirming to the king that his opinion of his wise men’s inability to interpret dreams is right.
That being said, Daniel’s response to the king also confirms what the wise men told the king in Daniel 2:10-11 that there is not a person on the face of the earth who could meet the king’s demand.
However, they claimed to be in touch with the supernatural.
Thus, their response in these verses exposes the fact that they were lying to the king about their ability to interpret dreams since if they were in touch with the gods as they claimed and could interpret dreams they should be able to go to the gods and receive the content of the king’s dream.
Therefore, the plea of the wise men that it was humanly impossible for them to meet the king’s demands was the direct result of being exposed by the king whereas the king’s opinion of their abilities was based upon keen discernment.
Therefore, Daniel’s response in Daniel 2:27 is not a commendation of the wise men but rather Nebuchadnezzar since the former were deceivers who were deceived by the kingdom of darkness and the latter was seeking the truth.
Daniel is also not rebuking the king for issuing such an unjust order to execute the city of Babylon’s wise men since he specifically points out which particular branches of the wise men have no ability to make known to the king the mystery.
Daniel singles out the necromancers, occult priests and divination astrologers and does not mention any other branch of the wise men such as diplomats or dignitaries but only those who claim to be in touch with the supernatural and can interpret dreams.
Daniel and his three friends did not belong to the occult priests, necromancers, witches and astrologers.
They along with others served in the king’s government but did not engage in the practices of the occult priests, necromancers, witches and astrologers.
Therefore, the fact that Daniel singles out the necromancers, occult priests and divination astrologers and that these groups were the only branches of the wise men who claimed to be able to interpret dreams indicates that the term “wise men” in Daniel 2:27 is a heading or a title for these three groups.
So we can see that Daniel’s response to the king’s question if he could tell him the content of his dream as well as its interpretation was the first step in leading the king to meeting his God, Yahweh, the God of Israel.
Daniel wanted to confirm Nebuchadnezzar’s suspicions about the wise men in order that the king would reject their practices, which were inspired by the devil and the kingdom of darkness.
So Daniel’s response is designed to lead the king away from Satan and the kingdom of darkness who sought to lead him away from worshipping the God of Israel, who is the Creator.
Its purpose is designed to discredit the practices of the wise men which were the means by which they worshipped Satan.
Daniel is confirming with the king that he should have absolutely no confidence in the practices of the occult priests, necromancers, witches and astrologers so that the king might turn to worship the true and living God, the God of Israel, Yahweh.