Daniel Chapter 2 · Verse 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.
Original Language Analysis
עָנֵ֤ה
answered
H6032
עָנֵ֤ה
answered
Strong's:
H6032
Word #:
1 of 17
properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e., pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout,
לְכַשְׂדָּיֵ֔א
to the Chaldeans
H3779
לְכַשְׂדָּיֵ֔א
to the Chaldeans
Strong's:
H3779
Word #:
4 of 17
a chaldaean or inhabitant of chaldaea; by implication, a magian or professional astrologer
מִנִּ֣י
from me
H4481
מִנִּ֣י
from me
Strong's:
H4481
Word #:
6 of 17
properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of
תִּתְעַבְד֔וּן
thereof ye shall be cut
H5648
תִּתְעַבְד֔וּן
thereof ye shall be cut
Strong's:
H5648
Word #:
14 of 17
to do, make, prepare, keep, etc
Cross References
Daniel 3:29Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.Ezra 6:11Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.2 Kings 10:27And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.
Historical Context
Babylonian kings exercised absolute authority including capital punishment for failed advisors. The threat to destroy houses and make their dwellings dunghill (refuse heap) reflects ancient conquest practices where enemies' property was demolished and defiled. The promised rewards—'gifts and rewards and great honour'—included wealth, position, and privilege. Court wise men lived precariously between potential enrichment and execution based on royal favor.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God orchestrate circumstances to expose the inadequacy of worldly wisdom systems that claim divine authority?
- What does the impossible demand teach about authentic divine revelation versus religious systems built on human speculation?
Analysis & Commentary
The shocking demand 'The thing is gone from me' (possibly 'the decree has gone forth from me') reverses normal procedure. The king demands they reveal both dream and interpretation, threatening execution and property destruction if they fail, promising wealth if they succeed. This impossible standard exposes the hollowness of pagan wisdom—if they truly access divine knowledge, they should know the dream without being told. God orchestrates this crisis to demonstrate that only He reveals mysteries. The extreme threat shows absolute monarchy's power and the desperate stakes of claiming divine insight without actually possessing it.