Daniel 2:11
Daniel 2:11 in Multiple Translations
What the king requests is so difficult that no one can tell it to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.”
And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is no other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
The king's request is a very hard one, and there is no other who is able to make it clear to the king, but the gods, whose living-place is not with flesh.
What Your Majesty is asking is impossible! No one can tell Your Majesty what you dreamed, except the gods, and they do not live among us mortals.”
For it is a rare thing that the King requireth, and there is none other that can declare it before the King, except the gods whose dwelling is not with flesh.
and the thing that the king is asking [is] precious, and others are there not that do shew it before the king, save the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.'
It is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is no other who can show it before the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is no other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
For the thing that thou askest, O king, is difficult; nor can any one be found that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose conversation is not with men.
What you are asking us to do is impossible. Only the gods can tell you what you dreamed, and they do not live among us!”
Berean Amplified Bible — Daniel 2:11
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 2:11 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וּ/מִלְּתָ֨/א
דִֽי
מַלְכָּ֤/ה
שָׁאֵל֙
יַקִּירָ֔ה
וְ/אָחֳרָן֙
לָ֣א
אִיתַ֔י
דִּ֥י
יְחַוִּנַּ֖/הּ
קֳדָ֣ם
מַלְכָּ֑/א
לָהֵ֣ן
אֱלָהִ֔ין
דִּ֚י
מְדָ֣רְ/ה֔וֹן
עִם
בִּשְׂרָ֖/א
לָ֥א
אִיתֽוֹ/הִי
וּ/מִלְּתָ֨/א
millâh
H4406
word
Adj | N-fs | Art
דִֽי
dîy
H1768
that
Adj
מַלְכָּ֤/ה
melek
H4430
king
Adj | Art
שָׁאֵל֙
shᵉʼêl
H7593
to ask
Adj
יַקִּירָ֔ה
yaqqîyr
H3358
honorable
Adj
וְ/אָחֳרָן֙
ʼochŏrân
H321
another
Adj | Adj
לָ֣א
lâʼ
H3809
not
Adj
אִיתַ֔י
ʼîythay
H383
there is
Adj
דִּ֥י
dîy
H1768
that
Adj
יְחַוִּנַּ֖/הּ
chăvâʼ
H2324
to show
Adj | Suff
קֳדָ֣ם
qŏdâm
H6925
before
Adj
מַלְכָּ֑/א
melek
H4430
king
Adj | Art
לָהֵ֣ן
lâhên
H3861
except
Adj
אֱלָהִ֔ין
ʼĕlâhh
H426
god
Adj
דִּ֚י
dîy
H1768
that
Adj
מְדָ֣רְ/ה֔וֹן
mᵉdôwr
H4070
dwelling
Adj | Suff
עִם
ʻim
H5974
with
Adj
בִּשְׂרָ֖/א
bᵉshar
H1321
flesh
Adj | Art
לָ֥א
lâʼ
H3809
not
Adj
אִיתֽוֹ/הִי
ʼîythay
H383
there is
Adj | Suff
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 2:11
וּ/מִלְּתָ֨/א
millâh
H4406
"word"
Adj | N-fs | 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.
דִֽי
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.
מַלְכָּ֤/ה
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.
שָׁאֵל֙
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.
יַקִּירָ֔ה
yaqqîyr
H3358
"honorable"
Adj
The word 'honorable' means noble, famous, or difficult. It describes something or someone of great value and respect, as seen in the KJV translations of 'noble' and 'rare'.
Definition: 1) rare, noble, famous, difficult 1a) honourable 1b) difficult (meton)
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: noble, rare. See also: Ezra 4:10; Daniel 2:11.
וְ/אָחֳרָן֙
ʼochŏrân
H321
"another"
Adj | Adj
The Hebrew word for another or other, used to describe something different or distinct, like in the phrase 'another time'.
Definition: other, another Aramaic of a.cher (אַחֵר "another" H0312)
Usage: Occurs in 5 OT verses. KJV: (an-) other. See also: Daniel 2:11; Daniel 3:29; Daniel 7:24.
לָ֣א
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.
אִיתַ֔י
ʼîythay
H383
"there is"
Adj
This Hebrew word is used to affirm existence, like saying there is something. It appears in conversations between God and people, like in Genesis. The KJV translates it as there is.
Definition: 1) there is, there are 2) particle denoting existence
Usage: Occurs in 16 OT verses. KJV: art thou, can, do ye, have, it be, there is (are), [idiom] we will not. See also: Ezra 4:16; Daniel 3:14; Daniel 5:11.
דִּ֥י
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.
יְחַוִּנַּ֖/הּ
chăvâʼ
H2324
"to show"
Adj | Suff
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.
קֳדָ֣ם
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.
מַלְכָּ֑/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.
לָהֵ֣ן
lâhên
H3861
"except"
Adj
This Hebrew word has two main meanings: therefore, and except or but. It's used to show a conclusion or an exception to a rule, and helps clarify relationships between ideas in the Bible.
Definition: 1) therefore 2) except, but 2a) except (with negative) 2b) however, but
Usage: Occurs in 8 OT verses. KJV: but, except, save, therefore, wherefore. See also: Ezra 5:12; Daniel 4:24; Daniel 6:13.
אֱלָהִ֔ין
ʼĕlâhh
H426
"god"
Adj
This word means God, referring to the God of Israel or a heathen deity, as seen in various KJV translations. It is used to describe a divine being.
Definition: 1) god, God 1a) god, heathen deity 1b) God (of Israel)
Usage: Occurs in 78 OT verses. KJV: God, god. See also: Ezra 4:24; Daniel 2:19; Jeremiah 10:11.
דִּ֚י
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.
מְדָ֣רְ/ה֔וֹן
mᵉdôwr
H4070
"dwelling"
Adj | Suff
A dwelling refers to a place where people live, derived from the Aramaic word for sojourning. It describes a home or residence, often used in biblical descriptions of everyday life.
Definition: dwelling place Aramaic of ma.gur (מָגוֹר "sojourning" H4033)
Usage: Occurs in 4 OT verses. KJV: dwelling. See also: Daniel 2:11; Daniel 4:29; Daniel 5:21.
עִם
ʻim
H5974
"with"
Adj
Means 'with' in the Bible, showing something is done together or at the same time, like in Genesis 1:26 where God says 'Let us make man in our image'.
Definition: 1) with 1a) together with, with 1b) with, during
Usage: Occurs in 20 OT verses. KJV: by, from, like, to(-ward), with. See also: Ezra 5:2; Daniel 4:12; Daniel 7:21.
בִּשְׂרָ֖/א
bᵉshar
H1321
"flesh"
Adj | Art
This Aramaic word for flesh is similar to the Hebrew word and is used in the Bible to describe the body or a person. It appears in books like Daniel and Ezra.
Definition: flesh Aramaic of ba.sar (בָּשָׂר "flesh" H1320)
Usage: Occurs in 3 OT verses. KJV: flesh. See also: Daniel 2:11; Daniel 4:9; Daniel 7:5.
לָ֥א
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.
אִיתֽוֹ/הִי
ʼîythay
H383
"there is"
Adj | Suff
This Hebrew word is used to affirm existence, like saying there is something. It appears in conversations between God and people, like in Genesis. The KJV translates it as there is.
Definition: 1) there is, there are 2) particle denoting existence
Usage: Occurs in 16 OT verses. KJV: art thou, can, do ye, have, it be, there is (are), [idiom] we will not. See also: Ezra 4:16; Daniel 3:14; Daniel 5:11.
Study Notes — Daniel 2:11
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Daniel 2:11 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Daniel 2:11
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Daniel 2:11
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Daniel 2:11
- Trapp's Commentary on Daniel 2:11
- Ellicott's Commentary on Daniel 2:11
- Cambridge Bible on Daniel 2:11
- Barnes' Notes on Daniel 2:11
- Whedon's Commentary on Daniel 2:11
- Sermons on Daniel 2:11
Context — Nebuchadnezzar’s Troubling Dream
9If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one decree for you. You have conspired to speak before me false and fraudulent words, hoping the situation will change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I will know that you can give me its interpretation.”
10The 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.
11What the king requests is so difficult that no one can tell it to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.”
12This response made the king so angry and furious that he gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13So the decree went out that the wise men were to be executed, and men went to look for Daniel and his friends to execute them.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniel 5:11 | There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your own father, the king, |
| 2 | Isaiah 57:15 | For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite. |
| 3 | Genesis 41:39 | Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. |
| 4 | John 14:23 | Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. |
| 5 | Matthew 19:26 | Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” |
| 6 | 2 Corinthians 6:16 | What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” |
| 7 | John 14:17 | the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you. |
| 8 | Exodus 29:45 | Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. |
| 9 | John 1:14 | The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. |
| 10 | 1 Kings 8:27 | But will God indeed dwell upon the earth? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built. |
Daniel 2:11 Summary
This verse shows that the astrologers believed the king's request was impossible for humans to fulfill, and that only their gods could know such things. However, as Christians, we know that our God is all-knowing and all-powerful, and that He can do what is humanly impossible, as seen in Matthew 19:26 and Luke 1:37. We can trust in God's power and wisdom, even when faced with difficult or seemingly impossible situations, and remember that He is always with us, as promised in Hebrews 13:5-6. By trusting in God, we can have peace and confidence, even in the midst of uncertainty and challenge, just like Daniel and his friends in Daniel 2:13-14.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the astrologers think the king's request was so difficult?
The astrologers believed the king's request was impossible because it required them to know the king's dream without being told, which they thought was only possible for the gods, as stated in Daniel 2:11, and this is similar to the concept of God knowing our thoughts in Psalm 139:2.
What did the astrologers mean by 'the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals'?
The astrologers were referring to their pagan deities, which they believed had supernatural knowledge and power, but did not dwell among humans, unlike the God of the Bible who desires to dwell with His people, as seen in Leviticus 26:12 and Revelation 21:3.
How does this verse relate to the concept of idolatry in the Bible?
This verse highlights the idolatrous beliefs of the astrologers, who attributed divine power to false gods, rather than recognizing the one true God, as commanded in Exodus 20:3-5 and Deuteronomy 6:13-15.
What can we learn from the astrologers' response to the king's request?
The astrologers' response teaches us about the limitations of human knowledge and power, and the importance of recognizing our dependence on God, as stated in Proverbs 3:5-6 and Jeremiah 9:23-24.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in my life where I am trying to rely on my own strength and wisdom, rather than trusting in God's power and guidance?
- How can I apply the principle of Proverbs 3:5-6, 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding', to my current challenges and decisions?
- In what ways can I demonstrate my trust in God's sovereignty and provision, even in difficult and uncertain circumstances, like Daniel and his friends in Daniel 2:13-14?
- What are some idols or false gods that I may be unknowingly worshiping in my life, and how can I repent and turn to the one true God, as commanded in 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10?
Gill's Exposition on Daniel 2:11
And it is a rare thing the king requireth, e.] Meaning not scarce, or seldom heard of for they had before asserted it never had been required; but that it was hard and difficult, yea, with them, and
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Daniel 2:11
And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Daniel 2:11
The Chaldeans bring three arguments to convince the king. 1. There is not a man upon earth can show the king’ s matter. 2. There is no king requires such a thing of any magician. 3. None but the gods can do this. The Chaldeans with other Gentiles did believe more gods than one and the supreme deity or deities did not meddle with the affairs of men, but had the cognizance by inferior or intermediate demons. So Plato and many of them held. The meaning then is this, Seeing there are some things that God, who knoweth all things, will not communicate the knowledge of to men, and hath not done it to us, it is therefore a singular and unreasonable thing the king should require it of us, and that so suddenly, and upon such penalties.
Trapp's Commentary on Daniel 2:11
Daniel 2:11 And [it is] a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.Ver. 11. And it is a rare thing.] Exceeding man’ s wit. Except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.] They cohabit not with men, that we might converse and confer with them. Here these wizards (1.) Superstitiously affirm a multitude of gods, which the wiser heathens denied, Thales, Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, Chrysippus, &c. (2.) They deny God’ s providence, as did also the Epicures, who held that the gods did nothing out of themselves. The Peripatetics also held that they had nothing to do with things below the moon; yea, the Platonists and Stoics placed the gods in heaven only, and other spirits good and bad in the air, which conversed with men, and were as messengers between them and the gods. Thus these famous philosophers became altogether "vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." (3.) They seem to affirm that man can know nothing of God, unless he cohabited in the flesh with him. "But we have the mind of Christ," and "the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him"; this is a paradox to the natural man. Lastly, they deny the incarnation of Christ, that great "mystery of godliness, God manifested in the flesh."
Ellicott's Commentary on Daniel 2:11
(11) A rare thing—i.e., a difficult matter. The difficulty is so great, that the gods whose dwelling is not with flesh are alone able to solve it. Here the reference is to a doctrine of Babylonian theology, according to which every man from his birth onward had a special deity attached to him as his protector. It lived in him, or “dwelt with flesh,” as the wise men here remark. The deity, being united to the man, became a partaker of human infirmities. For instance, it was subject to the action of evil spirits, and to the influence of the spirits of sickness to such an extent that it might injure the person whom it was bound to protect. Even these deities, the wise men urge, cannot do what the king requires. Such wisdom belongs only to the gods whose dwelling is apart from man. (See Lenormant, La Magie, pp. 181-183.)
Cambridge Bible on Daniel 2:11
11. rare] difficult: properly heavy. The word has the same sense sometimes in Syriac, as Exodus 18:18, in the Peshiṭ ?tâ.requireth] asketh (as Daniel 2:10), which indeed is all that the translators of 1611 meant by their rendering: for require formerly did not express the idea now attaching to the word of demanding as a right. So elsewhere in A.V., as 2 Samuel 12:20; Proverbs 30:7 (R.V. asked); Ezra 8:22 (R.V. ask); and in P.B.V. of the Psalms, as Psalms 27:4; Psalms 38:16; Psalms 40:9; Psalms 51:6; Psalms 137:3. shew] declare. whose dwelling is not with flesh] i.e. who are superhuman, supra-mundane beings.
Barnes' Notes on Daniel 2:11
And it is a rare thing that the king requireth - Chaldee, יקירה yaqqı̂yrâh - meaning, “choice, valuable, costly;” then, “heavy, hard, difficult.” Greek, βαρύς barus.
Whedon's Commentary on Daniel 2:11
10-13. The magicians in utter desperation now appeal to the king’s sense of justice and to the lack of precedent, “forasmuch as no king, be he never so great and powerful” (R.V., margin) had ever
Sermons on Daniel 2:11
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
An Excellent Spirit by Michael Howard | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of having a burning desire to do more than just passively observe one's circumstances. He references the story of Daniel in th |
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Now We Have Received by C.H. Spurgeon | The preacher delves into the Greek word 'huperecho,' which means to excel, be superior, and hold others in higher regard. Paul emphasizes the importance of esteeming others as more |
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The Word of Wisdom by Chuck Smith | Chuck Smith emphasizes the significance of the Holy Spirit's manifestations in the life of a believer, particularly focusing on the gift of wisdom. He explains the difference betwe |
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Humility vs Pride by Gerhard Du Toit | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the destructive nature of pride in a person's life. They emphasize the importance of recognizing and repenting of pride, as it hinders one's r |
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God's Neibourhood by Jim Cymbala | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of setting our minds, hearts, and affections on eternal things where God dwells. They highlight the contrast between the value |
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Attributes of God (Series 2): The Eternity of God by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of God in our lives. He mentions that God has been present since before the existence of communism, fascism, and modern inven |
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(John the Baptist Comes to Town) - Part 1 Preparatory Work by Rolfe Barnard | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the need for a change in our approach to faith. He compares the current state of religious practices to the time of John the Baptist, where |