Daniel 2:5
Daniel 2:5 in Multiple Translations
The king replied to the astrologers, “My word is final: If you do not tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will be cut into pieces and your houses will be reduced to rubble.
The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.
The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye make not known unto me the dream and the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.
The king made answer and said to the Chaldaeans, This is my decision: if you do not make clear to me the dream and the sense of it, you will be cut in bits and your houses made waste.
“I can't recall it,” the king told the astrologers. “If you can't reveal the dream to me, and its meaning, you will be cut into pieces and your houses will be totally destroyed!
And the King answered and sayd to the Caldeans, The thing is gone from me. If ye will not make me vnderstande the dreame with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be drawen in pieces, and your houses shall be made a iakes.
The king hath answered and said to the Chaldeans, 'The thing from me is gone; if ye do not cause me to know the dream and its interpretation, pieces ye are made, and your houses are made dunghills;
The king answered the Chaldeans, “The thing has gone from me. If you don’t make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be cut in pieces, and your houses will be made a dunghill.
The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known to me the dream, with the interpretation of it, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.
And the king answering said to the Chaldeans: The thing is gone out of my mind: unless you tell me the dream, and the meaning thereof, you shall be put to death, and your houses shall be confiscated.
But the king replied, “I have firmly decided that you must tell me the dream, and also tell me what it means. If you do not do that, I will order my soldiers to cut you into pieces, and to cause your houses to become only piles of stones!
Berean Amplified Bible — Daniel 2:5
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 2:5 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
עָנֵ֤ה
מַלְכָּ/א֙
וְ/אָמַ֣ר
ל/כשדי/א
לְ/כַשְׂדָּאֵ֔/י
מִלְּתָ֖/א
מִנִּ֣/י
אַזְדָּ֑א
הֵ֣ן
לָ֤א
תְהֽוֹדְעוּנַּ֨/נִי֙
חֶלְמָ֣/א
וּ/פִשְׁרֵ֔/הּ
הַדָּמִין֙
תִּתְעַבְד֔וּן
וּ/בָתֵּי/כ֖וֹן
נְוָלִ֥י
יִתְּשָׂמֽוּן
עָנֵ֤ה
ʻănâh
H6032
to answer
Adj
מַלְכָּ/א֙
melek
H4430
king
Adj | Art
וְ/אָמַ֣ר
ʼămar
H560
to say
Adj | V-Qal
ל/כשדי/א
Kasday
H3779
Chaldean
Adj | Ngmsd | Art
לְ/כַשְׂדָּאֵ֔/י
Kasday
H3779
Chaldean
Adj | Ngmpa | Suff
מִלְּתָ֖/א
millâh
H4406
word
Adj | Art
מִנִּ֣/י
min
H4481
from
Adj | Suff
אַזְדָּ֑א
ʼăzâd
H230
gone
Adj
הֵ֣ן
hên
H2006
if
Adj
לָ֤א
lâʼ
H3809
not
Adj
תְהֽוֹדְעוּנַּ֨/נִי֙
yᵉdaʻ
H3046
to know
Adj | Suff
חֶלְמָ֣/א
chêlem
H2493
dream
Adj | Art
וּ/פִשְׁרֵ֔/הּ
pᵉshar
H6591
interpretation
Adj | N-ms | Suff
הַדָּמִין֙
haddâm
H1917
piece
Adj
תִּתְעַבְד֔וּן
ʻăbad
H5648
to make
Adj
וּ/בָתֵּי/כ֖וֹן
bayith
H1005
house
Adj | N-mp | Suff
נְוָלִ֥י
nᵉvâlûw
H5122
dunghill
Adj
יִתְּשָׂמֽוּן
sûwm
H7761
to set
Adj
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Daniel 2:5
עָנֵ֤ה
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.
מַלְכָּ/א֙
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/אָמַ֣ר
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.
ל/כשדי/א
Kasday
H3779
"Chaldean"
Adj | Ngmsd | Art
A Chaldean is a person from Chaldea, skilled in astrology and wisdom, like those in Daniel 2:2. They were known for their knowledge and magical practices. The term is used in Ezekiel 23:14-15.
Definition: Group of kas.di (כַּשְׂדִּים "Chaldea" H3778) § Chaldean = "clod breakers" 1) a territory in lower Mesopotamia bordering on the Persian Gulf 2) the inhabitants of Chaldea, living on the lower Euphrates and Tigris 3) those persons considered the wisest in the land (by extension)
Usage: Occurs in 7 OT verses. KJV: Chaldean. See also: Daniel 2:5; Daniel 4:4; Daniel 5:30.
לְ/כַשְׂדָּאֵ֔/י
Kasday
H3779
"Chaldean"
Adj | Ngmpa | Suff
A Chaldean is a person from Chaldea, skilled in astrology and wisdom, like those in Daniel 2:2. They were known for their knowledge and magical practices. The term is used in Ezekiel 23:14-15.
Definition: Group of kas.di (כַּשְׂדִּים "Chaldea" H3778) § Chaldean = "clod breakers" 1) a territory in lower Mesopotamia bordering on the Persian Gulf 2) the inhabitants of Chaldea, living on the lower Euphrates and Tigris 3) those persons considered the wisest in the land (by extension)
Usage: Occurs in 7 OT verses. KJV: Chaldean. See also: Daniel 2:5; Daniel 4:4; Daniel 5:30.
מִלְּתָ֖/א
millâh
H4406
"word"
Adj | Art
Similar to H4405, this word means a word, command, or subject. It's used in the Bible to describe what God commands or what people discuss.
Definition: 1) word, thing 1a) word, utterance, command 1b) thing, affair, matter
Usage: Occurs in 22 OT verses. KJV: commandment, matter, thing. word. See also: Daniel 2:5; Daniel 4:30; Daniel 7:28.
מִנִּ֣/י
min
H4481
"from"
Adj | Suff
This word is used to show where something comes from, like from a place or at a certain time, and is often translated as from or out of.
Definition: 1) from, out of, by, by reason of, at, more than 1a) from, out of (of place) 1b) from, by, as a result of, by reason of, at, according to, (of source) 1c) from (of time) 1d) beyond, more than (in comparisons)
Usage: Occurs in 83 OT verses. KJV: according, after, [phrase] because, [phrase] before, by, for, from, [idiom] him, [idiom] more than, (out) of, part, since, [idiom] these, to, upon, [phrase] when. See also: Ezra 4:12; Daniel 3:22; Jeremiah 10:11.
אַזְדָּ֑א
ʼăzâd
H230
"gone"
Adj
This word means to be gone or firm, and it appears in a few places in the Bible, like in descriptions of something that has disappeared. It is similar to other words that mean to go away or to be strong.
Definition: (P'al) to be gone Aramaic of a.zal (אָזַל "be gone" H0235)
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: be gone. See also: Daniel 2:5; Daniel 2:8.
הֵ֣ן
hên
H2006
"if"
Adj
A Hebrew word meaning therefore or if, used to show cause and effect, as seen in the book of Daniel. It can also be used to ask a question or show uncertainty.
Definition: behold, if, whether Aramaic of hen (הֵן "look!" H2005)
Usage: Occurs in 12 OT verses. KJV: (that) if, or, whether. See also: Ezra 4:13; Daniel 2:9; Daniel 5:16.
לָ֤א
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.
תְהֽוֹדְעוּנַּ֨/נִי֙
yᵉdaʻ
H3046
"to know"
Adj | Suff
To know in Hebrew can also mean to let someone know or communicate, and is used in different forms, such as to certify, inform, or teach, in the Bible.
Definition: 1) to know 1a) (P'al) to know 1b) (Aphel) to let someone know, communicate, inform, cause to know
Usage: Occurs in 42 OT verses. KJV: certify, know, make known, teach. See also: Ezra 4:12; Daniel 2:30; Daniel 7:16.
חֶלְמָ֣/א
chêlem
H2493
"dream"
Adj | Art
This word simply means a dream, like the ones Joseph had in Genesis 37. It appears in the Bible when someone has a vision or dream from God.
Definition: dream Aramaic of cha.lom (חֲלוֹם "dream" H2472)
Usage: Occurs in 18 OT verses. KJV: dream. See also: Daniel 2:4; Daniel 4:2; Daniel 7:1.
וּ/פִשְׁרֵ֔/הּ
pᵉshar
H6591
"interpretation"
Adj | N-ms | Suff
This word refers to the explanation or meaning of something, like a dream. It is used in Daniel 2 and 4 to describe the interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dreams. The word is about finding the solution to a mystery.
Definition: interpretation (of dream) Aramaic of pit.ron (פִּתְרוֹן "interpretation" H6623)
Usage: Occurs in 26 OT verses. KJV: interpretation. See also: Daniel 2:4; Daniel 4:4; Daniel 7:16.
הַדָּמִין֙
haddâm
H1917
"piece"
Adj
A piece refers to a part of something, like a limb or member of the body.
Definition: member, limb, member of the body
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: piece. See also: Daniel 2:5; Daniel 3:29.
תִּתְעַבְד֔וּן
ʻăbad
H5648
"to make"
Adj
This word means to make or do something, and can also imply preparing or keeping something, as seen in the creation story in Genesis. It is a versatile verb that can be used in different ways, including creating, performing, or executing something. The word is found in various KJV translations.
Definition: 1) to make, do 1a)(P'al) 1a1) to make, create 1a2) to do, perform 1b) (Ithp'al) 1b1) to be made into 1b2) to be done, be wrought, be performed, be executed, be carried out
Usage: Occurs in 25 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] cut, do, execute, go on, make, move, work. See also: Ezra 4:15; Ezra 7:26; Jeremiah 10:11.
וּ/בָתֵּי/כ֖וֹן
bayith
H1005
"house"
Adj | N-mp | Suff
This Hebrew word for house is similar to H1004, but it primarily refers to a physical building, either a home or a temple. It is used in many passages, including those describing the construction of the temple in 1 Kings. The word emphasizes the idea of a physical structure.
Definition: 1) house (of men) 2) house (of God)
Usage: Occurs in 38 OT verses. KJV: house. See also: Ezra 4:24; Ezra 6:12; Daniel 6:11.
נְוָלִ֥י
nᵉvâlûw
H5122
"dunghill"
Adj
This Hebrew word refers to a pile of waste or a place for human waste, like an outhouse. It is translated as dunghill in the KJV Bible. In ancient times, it was a common term for a refuse heap.
Definition: refuse-heap, dunghill, outhouse
Usage: Occurs in 3 OT verses. KJV: dunghill. See also: Ezra 6:11; Daniel 2:5; Daniel 3:29.
יִתְּשָׂמֽוּן
sûwm
H7761
"to set"
Adj
This word is similar to H7760, but is more focused on setting or appointing someone or something to a specific role or task. It is used in books like Genesis and Exodus to describe God's commands and appointments.
Definition: 1) to set, make, appoint 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to make, make decree, setout (decree) 1a2) to make, appoint 1a3) to set, fix 1b) (Ithp'al) to be made, be set, be laid
Usage: Occurs in 25 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] command, give, lay, make, [phrase] name, [phrase] regard, set. See also: Ezra 4:19; Ezra 6:12; Daniel 6:27.
Study Notes — Daniel 2:5
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Daniel 2:5 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Daniel 2:5
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Daniel 2:5
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Daniel 2:5
- Trapp's Commentary on Daniel 2:5
- Ellicott's Commentary on Daniel 2:5
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Daniel 2:5
- Cambridge Bible on Daniel 2:5
- Barnes' Notes on Daniel 2:5
- Whedon's Commentary on Daniel 2:5
- Sermons on Daniel 2:5
Context — Nebuchadnezzar’s Troubling Dream
3he said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to understand it.”
4Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, “O king, may you live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”
5The king replied to the astrologers, “My word is final: If you do not tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will be cut into pieces and your houses will be reduced to rubble.
6But if you tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and its interpretation.” 7They answered a second time, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will give the interpretation.”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniel 3:29 | Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be cut into pieces and their houses reduced to rubble. For there is no other god who can deliver in this way.” |
| 2 | Ezra 6:11 | I also decree that if any man interferes with this directive, a beam is to be torn from his house and raised up, and he is to be impaled on it. And his own house shall be made a pile of rubble for this offense. |
| 3 | 2 Kings 10:27 | They also demolished the sacred pillar of Baal. Then they tore down the temple of Baal and made it into a latrine, which it is to this day. |
| 4 | Psalms 50:22 | Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you: |
| 5 | Deuteronomy 13:16 | And you are to gather all its plunder in the middle of the public square, and completely burn the city and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the LORD your God. The city must remain a mound of ruins forever, never to be rebuilt. |
| 6 | Psalms 58:7 | May they vanish like water that runs off; when they draw the bow, may their arrows be blunted. |
| 7 | Daniel 2:12 | This response made the king so furious with anger that he gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. |
| 8 | 1 Samuel 15:33 | But Samuel declared: “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal. |
| 9 | Joshua 6:26 | At that time Joshua invoked this solemn oath: “Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho; at the cost of his firstborn he will lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.” |
Daniel 2:5 Summary
[In this verse, King Nebuchadnezzar is giving the astrologers an ultimatum: tell him the dream and its interpretation, or face severe punishment. This shows how desperate the king was to understand the dream, and how much power and authority he had over the astrologers. As believers, we can trust that God is sovereign over all human kingdoms and rulers, just as He was over King Nebuchadnezzar, and that He will guide and direct us in times of uncertainty, as promised in Proverbs 3:5-6 and Isaiah 40:28-31.]
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was King Nebuchadnezzar so insistent that the astrologers tell him the dream and its interpretation?
The king was insistent because he wanted to know the meaning of the dream, and he was willing to do whatever it took to get the interpretation, as seen in Daniel 2:5, similar to how God instructed Pharaoh through Joseph in Genesis 41:1-40.
What would happen to the astrologers if they failed to tell the king the dream and its interpretation?
If the astrologers failed, they would be cut into pieces and their houses would be reduced to rubble, as stated in Daniel 2:5, a severe punishment that reflects the king's authority and power, similar to the authority given to rulers in Romans 13:1-7.
Is this kind of punishment unique to the Bible or was it common in ancient times?
This type of punishment was not unique to the Bible, as it was a common practice in ancient times for rulers to impose harsh punishments on those who failed them, as seen in the code of Hammurabi and other ancient Near Eastern texts, but it does reflect the king's desperation and the high stakes involved in interpreting the dream, as also seen in Esther 4:11.
How does this verse relate to the overall theme of the book of Daniel?
This verse sets the stage for the rest of the book of Daniel, which explores the theme of God's sovereignty over human kingdoms and the importance of faith and obedience in the face of persecution, as seen in Daniel 3:1-30 and Daniel 6:1-28.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in my life where I am seeking wisdom or guidance, and how can I trust God to provide it, just as Daniel trusted God to reveal the dream to him?
- How do I respond to pressure or threats from those in authority over me, and what can I learn from the astrologers' response to the king's demands?
- What are some 'rubble' areas in my life that need to be torn down or rebuilt, and how can I trust God to bring restoration and renewal, as promised in Isaiah 61:1-4?
- In what ways can I, like Daniel, demonstrate courage and faith in the face of uncertainty or adversity, and what role does prayer and seeking God's guidance play in my decision-making process?
Gill's Exposition on Daniel 2:5
The king answered and said to the Chaldeans,.... In the same language they spoke to him: the thing is gone from me; either the dream was gone from him; it was out of his mind, he had forgot it, and
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Daniel 2:5
The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Daniel 2:5
The thing is gone from me: this was of God, that these impostors should be made infamous, by detecting their ignorance and their arrogance, and that this should be a step to Daniel’ s honour, for knowing the king’ s dream and interpreting it, neither of which the Chaldeans could do. With the interpretation thereof: if they do not both, saith the king. Cut in pieces, and your houses, & c, this was a usual punishment in those parts of the world; thus Samuel cut Agag in pieces, . Thus David dealt with the Ammonites. And the like was in making houses a dunghill. The like we have ; and thus they did to the house of Baal, made it a draught-house to this day, by Jehu’ s command, . The like did Darius threaten to them that would alter his decree for building the house of God, . This commination argued the king’ s wrath to be excessive and furious, in punishing for not doing what was above their human strength, and which the Chaldeans never arrogated to themselves; yet was this a just reward to these men, that were so presumptuous.
Trapp's Commentary on Daniel 2:5
Daniel 2:5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.Ver. 5. The thing is gone from me.] He had dreamed of monarchies, and now forgotten his dream. He might have hereby learned that kingdoms are but phantasmata, ludicra, empty bubbles, pleasant follies, children and tales of fancy, &c. "The fashion of this world passeth away"; "Surely every man walketh in a vain shadow." Ye shall be cut in pieces.] Practisers of unjust; flatteries do often meet with unjust frowns.
Ellicott's Commentary on Daniel 2:5
(5) Is gone from me.—This difficult word, the etymology of which is very uncertain, appears only here and Daniel 2:8. It seems to mean, “The order has been published by me (comp. Esther 7:7; Isaiah 45:23), and therefore cannot be recalled.” Cut in pieces.—This was by no means an uncommon form of punishment: (See Smith’s Assurbanipal, pp. 137, 245.)
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Daniel 2:5
Verse 5. Ye shall be cut in pieces] This was arbitrary and tyrannical in the extreme; but, in the order of God's providence, it was overruled to serve the most important purpose.
Cambridge Bible on Daniel 2:5
5. The thing is gone from me] The word spoken by me—lit. (proceeding) from me—is sure. The king means that the threat which follows is fully resolved upon by him. Azda is a Persian word, meaning sure, certain (see Schrader, KAT[204][205], p. 617); the rendering ‘gone’ is philologically indefensible. [204] AT. Eb. Schrader, Die Keilinschriften und das A. T., ed. 2, 1883 (translated under the title The Cuneiform Inscriptions and the O.T. 1885, 1888). The references are to the pagination of the original, which is given on the margin of the English translation. [205] Eb. Schrader, Die Keilinschriften und das A.
T., ed. 2, 1883 (translated under the title The Cuneiform Inscriptions and the O.T. 1885, 1888). The references are to the pagination of the original, which is given on the margin of the English translation.if ye will not make known] if ye make not known (R.V.). ‘Will not,’ in this sentence would (in modern English) mean ‘are not willing to,’ which is not in the Aramaic at all. cut in pieces] more exactly, dismembered; lit. made into (separate) limbs; so Daniel 3:29 (cf. 2Ma 1:16 μέληποιήσαντες). The word for ‘limb’ (haddβm,—common in Syriac, but in the O.T. found only here and Daniel 3:29) is Persian (Zend haρdβma, Mod. Pers. andβm). The violence and peremptoriness of the threatened punishment is in accordance with what might be expected at the hands of an Eastern despot: the Assyrians and Persians, especially, were notorious for the barbarity of their punishments. be made a dunghill] Cf. Daniel 3:29 and Ezra 6:11 (where Darius decrees the same punishment for any one altering the terms of his edict).
Barnes' Notes on Daniel 2:5
The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me - The Vulgate renders this, “Sermo recessit a me” - “The word is departed from me.” So the Greek, Ὁλόγοςἀπ̓ἐμοῦἀπέστη Ho logos ap' emou apestē.
Whedon's Commentary on Daniel 2:5
5. Rather, “The word is gone forth from me” (R.V., margin; also Daniel 2:8).
Sermons on Daniel 2:5
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Immense Is the Reward by Clement of Rome | Clement of Rome speaks about the blessed and wonderful gifts of God, such as life in immortality, righteousness, truth, faith, and self-control, which are within our understanding |
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Divine Mercy to Mourning Penitents by Samuel Davies | Samuel Davies preaches about the divine mercy extended to mourning penitents, using the example of Ephraim's repentance and God's compassionate response. The sermon highlights the |
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God's Remedy for Man's Malady by James Smith | James Smith preaches about the sinful nature of mankind, infected with a dreadful disease that affects every aspect of the soul, leading to enmity with God and condemnation. Howeve |
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We Need a Double Portion by Alan Cairns | In this sermon, the speaker reflects on a chapter in the Bible that has had a significant impact on the ministry of a particular church. The speaker poses the question of whether C |
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Elijah’s Dramatic Appearance by A.W. Pink | A.W. Pink discusses the dramatic appearance of Elijah during a dark period in Israel's history, marked by rampant idolatry and wicked kings. He highlights the spiritual decline ini |