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Daniel 2:27

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Daniel 2:27 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

Daniel answered the king, “No wise man, enchanter, medium, or magician can explain to the king the mystery of which he inquires.

King James Version KJV

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;

American Standard Version ASV

Daniel answered before the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded can neither wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor soothsayers, show unto the king;

Bible in Basic English BBE

Then Daniel said in answer to the king, No wise men, or users of secret arts, or wonder-workers, or readers of signs, are able to make clear to the king the secret he is searching for;

Free Bible Version FBV

“No wise men or enchanters or magicians or diviners can explain the mystery Your Majesty wants to know,” Daniel replied.

Geneva Bible 1599 GNV

Daniel answered in the presence of the King, and sayd, The secret which the King hath demanded, can neither the wise, the astrologians, the inchanters, nor the southsayers declare vnto the King.

Young's Literal Translation YLT

Daniel hath answered before the king and said, 'The secret that the king is asking, the wise men, the enchanters, the scribes, the soothsayers, are not able to shew to the king;

World English Bible WEB

Daniel answered before the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded can’t be shown to the king by wise men, enchanters, magicians, or soothsayers;

Noah Webster Bible WBS

Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded, the wise men , the astrologers, the magicians, the sooth-sayers, cannot show to the king;

Douay-Rheims 1899 DRV

And Daniel made answer before the king, and said: The secret that the king desireth to know, none of the wise men, or the philosophers, or the diviners, or the soothsayers can declare to the king.

Translation for Translators T4T

I replied, “There are no wise men or fortune-tellers or men who work magic or men who work sorcery who can tell such things to you.

Study Highlights

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Berean Amplified Bible — Daniel 2:27

BAB
Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

Daniel 2:27 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB
HEB עָנֵ֧ה דָנִיֵּ֛אל קֳדָ֥ם מַלְכָּ֖/א וְ/אָמַ֑ר רָזָ/ה֙ דִּֽי מַלְכָּ֣/א שָׁאֵ֔ל לָ֧א חַכִּימִ֣ין אָֽשְׁפִ֗ין חַרְטֻמִּין֙ גָּזְרִ֔ין יָכְלִ֖ין לְ/הַֽחֲוָיָ֥ה לְ/מַלְכָּֽ/א
עָנֵ֧ה ʻănâh H6032 to answer Adj
דָנִיֵּ֛אל Dânîyêʼl H1841 Daniel Adj
קֳדָ֥ם qŏdâm H6925 before Adj
מַלְכָּ֖/א melek H4430 king Adj | Art
וְ/אָמַ֑ר ʼămar H560 to say Adj | V-Qal
רָזָ/ה֙ râz H7328 mystery Adj | Art
דִּֽי dîy H1768 that Adj
מַלְכָּ֣/א melek H4430 king Adj | Art
שָׁאֵ֔ל shᵉʼêl H7593 to ask Adj
לָ֧א lâʼ H3809 not Adj
חַכִּימִ֣ין chakkîym H2445 wise Adj
אָֽשְׁפִ֗ין ʼashshâph H826 enchanter Adj
חַרְטֻמִּין֙ charṭôm H2749 magician Adj
גָּזְרִ֔ין gᵉzar H1505 to determine Adj
יָכְלִ֖ין yᵉkêl H3202 be able Adj
לְ/הַֽחֲוָיָ֥ה chăvâʼ H2324 to show Adj | V-Hiphil-Inf-a
לְ/מַלְכָּֽ/א melek H4430 king Adj | N-ms | Art
Hebrew Word Study

Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.

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Hebrew Word Reference — Daniel 2:27

עָנֵ֧ה ʻănâh H6032 "to answer" Adj
To answer or respond to something, often by speaking or singing. In the Bible, it can mean to pay attention or testify, as seen in 1 Samuel 12:3.
Definition: 1) to answer, respond 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to answer, make reply 1a2) to respond
Usage: Occurs in 29 OT verses. KJV: answer, speak. See also: Psalms 60:7; Daniel 3:24; Daniel 7:2.
דָנִיֵּ֛אל Dânîyêʼl H1841 "Daniel" Adj
The prophet Daniel, also called Belteshazzar, lived during the Exile and Return, and his name means God is my judge.
Definition: A prophet living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezk.14.14; also called Belteshazzar at Dan.1.7; 2.26; 4.8,9,18,19; 5.12; 10.1; Aramaic of da.niy.yel (דָּנִיֵּאל, דָּנִאֵל "Daniel" H1840) § Daniel = "God is my judge" 1) the 4th of the greater prophets, taken as hostage in the first deportation to Babylon, because of the gift of God of the interpretation of dreams, he became the 2nd in command of the Babylon empire and lasted through the end of the Babylonian empire and into the Persian empire. His prophecies are the key to the understanding of end time events. Noted for his purity and holiness by contemporary prophet, Ezekiel 1a) also, 'Belteshazzar' (H01095 or H01096)
Usage: Occurs in 43 OT verses. KJV: Daniel. See also: Daniel 2:13; Daniel 5:29; Daniel 7:28.
קֳדָ֥ם qŏdâm H6925 "before" Adj
Before something or someone, like in the book of Isaiah where it talks about things that happened before. It can also mean in front of or from the presence of, as seen in the story of Moses and the burning bush in Exodus.
Definition: 1) before, in front of 1a) before 1b) from before
Usage: Occurs in 38 OT verses. KJV: before, [idiom] from, [idiom] I (thought), [idiom] me, [phrase] of, [idiom] it pleased, presence. See also: Ezra 4:18; Daniel 5:13; Daniel 7:20.
מַלְכָּ֖/א melek H4430 "king" Adj | Art
Melek means king, referring to a ruler or monarch, used in the Bible to describe kings like David and Solomon. It is translated as king or royal in the KJV.
Definition: king Aramaic of me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4428) § 1) king
Usage: Occurs in 131 OT verses. KJV: king, royal. See also: Ezra 4:8; Daniel 3:1; Daniel 7:24.
וְ/אָמַ֑ר ʼămar H560 "to say" Adj | V-Qal
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to say or speak, often used when God commands or declares something, as seen in many KJV translations. It is used with great flexibility, including to command, declare, or tell. This word appears in various contexts, including Genesis and Exodus.
Definition: (P'al) to say, to speak, to command, to tell, to relate Aramaic of a.mar (אָמַר "to say" H0559)
Usage: Occurs in 65 OT verses. KJV: command, declare, say, speak, tell. See also: Ezra 5:3; Daniel 3:28; Jeremiah 10:11.
רָזָ/ה֙ râz H7328 "mystery" Adj | Art
This Hebrew word means a secret or mystery, often referring to something hidden or unknown. It appears in the Bible as a secret or confidential matter. In the KJV, it is translated as secret.
Definition: secret
Usage: Occurs in 8 OT verses. KJV: secret. See also: Daniel 2:18; Daniel 2:29; Daniel 4:6.
דִּֽי dîy H1768 "that" Adj
This word is used as a relative conjunction, like 'that' or 'which', to connect ideas in sentences. It appears in Genesis and Exodus to describe relationships between people and things. The KJV translates it as 'that' or 'which'.
Definition: part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because
Usage: Occurs in 186 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] as, but, for(-asmuch [phrase]), [phrase] now, of, seeing, than, that, therefore, until, [phrase] what (-soever), when, which, whom, whose. See also: Ezra 4:9; Daniel 3:7; Jeremiah 10:11.
מַלְכָּ֣/א melek H4430 "king" Adj | Art
Melek means king, referring to a ruler or monarch, used in the Bible to describe kings like David and Solomon. It is translated as king or royal in the KJV.
Definition: king Aramaic of me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4428) § 1) king
Usage: Occurs in 131 OT verses. KJV: king, royal. See also: Ezra 4:8; Daniel 3:1; Daniel 7:24.
שָׁאֵ֔ל shᵉʼêl H7593 "to ask" Adj
Similar to H7592, this Hebrew word means to ask or request something. It is used in the Bible to describe asking for information or seeking something from someone. The KJV translates it as ask, demand, or require.
Definition: 1) to ask 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to ask for, request 1a2) to enquire for or about
Usage: Occurs in 6 OT verses. KJV: ask, demand, require. See also: Ezra 5:9; Daniel 2:10; Daniel 2:27.
לָ֧א lâʼ H3809 "not" Adj
Means 'not' or 'nothing', often used to show something is absent or non-existent, like in Genesis. It implies a simple or absolute negation. Used over 2000 times in the Bible.
Definition: no, not, nothing Aramaic of lo (לֹא "not" H3808)
Usage: Occurs in 60 OT verses. KJV: or even, neither, no(-ne, -r), (can-) not, as nothing, without. See also: Ezra 4:13; Daniel 3:16; Jeremiah 10:11.
חַכִּימִ֣ין chakkîym H2445 "wise" Adj
In the Bible, this word means wise or intelligent, describing someone with good judgment. It is used to describe a wise man, like a Magian. The word appears in various books, including Proverbs and Psalms.
Definition: wise man, wise
Usage: Occurs in 13 OT verses. KJV: wise. See also: Daniel 2:12; Daniel 2:27; Daniel 5:15.
אָֽשְׁפִ֗ין ʼashshâph H826 "enchanter" Adj
In the Bible, this word refers to a conjurer or enchanter, like the ones in Daniel 2:2 who tried to interpret the king's dreams. It can also mean astrologer, as seen in Isaiah 47:13. These people were involved in occult practices.
Definition: conjurer, enchanter, (CLBL) necromancer Aramaic of ash.shaph (אַשָּׁף "enchanter" H0825)
Usage: Occurs in 6 OT verses. KJV: astrologer. See also: Daniel 2:10; Daniel 5:7; Daniel 5:15.
חַרְטֻמִּין֙ charṭôm H2749 "magician" Adj
In the Bible, this term is used to describe a magician or astrologer who practices divination and claims to have secret knowledge. These individuals were believed to possess mystical powers and were often associated with pagan practices.
Definition: magician, magician-astrologer Aramaic of char.tom (חַרְטֹם "magician" H2748)
Usage: Occurs in 5 OT verses. KJV: magician. See also: Daniel 2:10; Daniel 4:4; Daniel 5:11.
גָּזְרִ֔ין gᵉzar H1505 "to determine" Adj
This Hebrew word means to determine or decide something, like a soothsayer figuring out the future. It involves cutting or separating to understand or know something. The word is used in a few places in the Old Testament.
Definition: 1) to cut, determine 1a) (P'al) determiner (participle) 1b) (Ithp'al) to be cut out
Usage: Occurs in 6 OT verses. KJV: cut out, soothsayer. See also: Daniel 2:27; Daniel 4:4; Daniel 5:11.
יָכְלִ֖ין yᵉkêl H3202 "be able" Adj
Similar to H3201, this word also means to be able, but is used in the Aramaic language and has a slightly different connotation, still translated as 'be able' or 'prevail'.
Definition: 1) to be able 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to be able 1a2) to prevail
Usage: Occurs in 11 OT verses. KJV: be able, can, couldest, prevail. See also: Daniel 2:10; Daniel 4:15; Daniel 7:21.
לְ/הַֽחֲוָיָ֥ה chăvâʼ H2324 "to show" Adj | V-Hiphil-Inf-a
This Hebrew word means to show or explain something, like a prophet interpreting a vision. It is used in the book of Daniel to describe how God reveals secrets to his people.
Definition: 1) to show, interpret, explain, inform, tell, declare 1a) (Pael) to show, interpret 1b) (Aphel) to show
Usage: Occurs in 13 OT verses. KJV: shew. See also: Daniel 2:4; Daniel 2:16; Daniel 5:15.
לְ/מַלְכָּֽ/א melek H4430 "king" Adj | N-ms | Art
Melek means king, referring to a ruler or monarch, used in the Bible to describe kings like David and Solomon. It is translated as king or royal in the KJV.
Definition: king Aramaic of me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4428) § 1) king
Usage: Occurs in 131 OT verses. KJV: king, royal. See also: Ezra 4:8; Daniel 3:1; Daniel 7:24.

Study Notes — Daniel 2:27

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1 Isaiah 47:12–14 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. Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. There will be no coals to warm them or fire to sit beside.
2 Daniel 2:2 So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers to explain his dreams. When they came and stood before the king,
3 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,
4 Daniel 5:7–8 The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.” So all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or interpret it for him.
5 Daniel 2:10–11 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. What the king requests is so difficult that no one can tell it to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.”
6 Isaiah 19:3 Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be emptied out from among them, and I will frustrate their plans, so that they will resort to idols and spirits of the dead, to mediums and spiritists.
7 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.

Daniel 2:27 Summary

[Daniel 2:27 tells us that no human, no matter how smart or wise, can figure out God's secrets on their own, as also stated in Job 11:7-8. It takes God's revelation and guidance to understand His plans and purposes, as seen in Ephesians 1:9. Daniel is about to reveal to the king a dream that only God can interpret, and this shows us that true wisdom comes from God, not from human beings. This is an important reminder for us today, as we face our own challenges and uncertainties, and can trust in God's promise to give us wisdom when we ask, as stated in James 1:5.]

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of people did King Nebuchadnezzar typically consult for advice?

The king usually consulted wise men, enchanters, mediums, or magicians, as mentioned in Daniel 2:27, but these individuals were unable to provide the interpretation of his dream, unlike Daniel who was guided by God, as seen in Daniel 2:28 and supported by Jeremiah 33:3.

Why did Daniel say that no wise man or magician could explain the mystery to the king?

Daniel said this because he recognized that true wisdom and knowledge come from God, as stated in Proverbs 2:6, and that no human, regardless of their intelligence or expertise, can uncover the mysteries of God without divine revelation, as emphasized in Daniel 2:28.

What is the significance of Daniel's statement in the context of the king's dream?

Daniel's statement highlights the limitations of human wisdom and the superiority of God's wisdom, as seen in Isaiah 55:8-9, and sets the stage for the revelation of God's plan and purpose, which is about to be disclosed to the king through Daniel, as described in Daniel 2:28-29.

How does this verse relate to the idea of spiritual discernment?

This verse illustrates the importance of spiritual discernment, as Daniel is able to distinguish between human wisdom and divine revelation, as guided by 1 Corinthians 2:14, and understand that true insight and understanding come from God, as stated in Psalm 119:66.

Reflection Questions

  1. What are some areas in my life where I am relying on human wisdom rather than seeking divine guidance, and how can I apply the lesson from Daniel 2:27 to those situations?
  2. In what ways can I, like Daniel, acknowledge the limitations of human understanding and instead seek God's wisdom and revelation in my daily life, as encouraged in James 1:5?
  3. How can I balance the use of human resources and expertise with the need for spiritual discernment and divine guidance, as modeled by Daniel in this verse and supported by Romans 12:2?
  4. What are some 'mysteries' or uncertainties in my life that I can bring before God, trusting in His power to reveal and guide me, as promised in Jeremiah 29:12-13?
  5. In what ways can I, like Daniel, be a vessel for God's wisdom and revelation to others, as described in 1 Peter 4:10-11?

Gill's Exposition on Daniel 2:27

Daniel answered in the presence of the king,.... Boldly, and without fear: and said, the secret which the king hath demanded: so he calls it, to show that it was something divine, which came from

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Daniel 2:27

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

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Daniel 2:27

He reckons up here all sorts of divination, to show that divine things, and the secrets of God, cannot be comprehended by man without special revelation; and that those who presume to do it arrogate too much to themselves, and that it is too tyrannical to require it of any, and that upon pain of death; for, saith Daniel, they cannot do it.

Trapp's Commentary on Daniel 2:27

Daniel 2:27 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; Ver. 27. The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men … show unto thee.] And therefore thou hast done amiss, first in seeking to them, next in slaying them, though God hath a holy hand in it for their just punishment.

Ellicott's Commentary on Daniel 2:27

(27) The secret . . .—In this and the next verse Daniel justifies the astonishment of the king, and explains to him that what the wise men had stated was perfectly true. The “gods whose dwelling was with flesh” (see Note on Daniel 2:11) could not reveal the secret, but there was a God in heaven who had made it known. Daniel here teaches us what Scripture lays down elsewhere (Genesis 20:3; Genesis 41:16; Genesis 41:25; Genesis 41:28; Numbers 22:35), that all power of prediction is to be excluded from heathen gods, and is possessed by wise men only so far as they acquire it through the God of heaven.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on Daniel 2:27

Verse 27. Cannot the wise men] Cannot your own able men, aided by your gods, tell you the secret? This question was necessary in order that the king might see the foolishness of depending on the one, or worshipping the other. The soothsayers] One of our old words: "The tellers of truth:" but גזרין gazerin is the name of another class of those curious artists, unless we suppose it to mean the same as the CHALDEANS, Daniel 2:2. They are supposed to be persons who divined by numbers, amulets, &c. There are many conjectures about them, which, whatever learning they show, cast little light upon this place.

Cambridge Bible on Daniel 2:27

27. in the presence of] before (R.V.), as Daniel 2:9. demanded] simply asked, which is all that ‘demand’ formerly expressed. ‘Like Fr. demander, to ask, simply; not as now in the stronger sense of “to ask with authority, or as a right,” ’ (W. A. Wright, Bible Word-book, s.v.). So Exodus 5:14; 2 Samuel 11:7; Job 38:3. ‘Demand’ in the modern sense would suit these passages; but the Hebrew word used is the one that ordinarily means ‘ask.’ can neither wise men, enchanters (Daniel 2:2), magicians, nor determiners (of fates) declare unto the king] The terms are all indefinite in the original. ‘Determiners’ (also Daniel 4:4, Daniel 5:7; Daniel 5:11), viz. of future destinies, whether by observation of the heavens (Isaiah 47:13), or by other means. The Babylonians were famed for their astrology, and in classical times the idea of astrologer was that which was almost entirely associated with the term ‘Chaldaean’ (cf. above, p. 13). The verb (strictly, to cut), in the general sense of decide, decree, occurs in the Targums and in Syriac, and once also in the Aramaizing idiom of Job (Job 22:28); cf. the cognate subst., Daniel 4:14; Daniel 4:21. In this particular application, however, it is at present known only in the Biblical Aramaic.

Barnes' Notes on Daniel 2:27

Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded, cannot the wise men ... show unto the king - Daniel regarded it as a settled and indisputable point

Whedon's Commentary on Daniel 2:27

27-30. The one God of heaven, who has power in Babylonia as well as in Palestine, has chosen to reveal his will to Nebuchadnezzar, and the secret of its meaning, which the wise men were correct in

Sermons on Daniel 2:27

SermonDescription
Derek Prince Deliverance - Part 2 by Derek Prince In this sermon, the speaker discusses the story of Moses and the magicians in the book of Exodus. He highlights the supernatural powers displayed by both Moses and the magicians, b
Jack Hayford About Astrology by Jack Hayford Jack Hayford addresses the topic of astrology, emphasizing the Bible's rejection and condemnation of it, warning of the confusion and tragic consequences that come with practicing
Favell Lee Mortimer Matthew 2:12-15. the Heavenly Warnings. by Favell Lee Mortimer Favell Lee Mortimer preaches about God's divine protection over His faithful servants, showcasing how God can thwart the plans of the wicked through dreams, prayers, and discernmen
Charles E. Cowman The Fiery Furnace by Charles E. Cowman Charles E. Cowman preaches about how God brings about His greatest victories out of apparent defeats. Despite the enemy seemingly triumphing for a little while, God ultimately upse
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