Daniel 6:18

6:18 Then the king departed to his palace. But he spent the night without eating, and no diversions ¹  were brought to him. He was unable to sleep. ² 

Daniel 7:2

7:2 Daniel explained: ³  “I was watching in my vision during the night as ⁴  the four winds of the sky ⁵  were stirring up the great sea. ⁶ 

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¹ tn The meaning of Aramaic דַּחֲוָה (dakhavah) is a crux interpretum. Suggestions include “music,” “dancing girls,” “concubines,” “table,” “food” – all of which are uncertain. The translation employed here, suggested by earlier scholars, is deliberately vague. A number of recent English versions follow a similar approach with “entertainment” (e.g., NASB, NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT). On this word see further, HALOT 1849-50 s.v.; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 37.

² tn Aram “his sleep fled from him.”

³ tn Aram “answered and said.”

⁴ tn Aram “and behold.”

⁵ tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

⁶ sn The referent of the great sea is unclear. The common view that the expression refers to the Mediterranean Sea is conjectural.