Discovery BoxDaniel 2:36 
Context2:36 This was the dream. Now we 1 will set forth before the king its interpretation.
Daniel 2:6
Context2:6 But if you can disclose the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts, a reward, and considerable honor. So disclose to me the dream and its interpretation!”
Daniel 5:15
Context5:15 Now the wise men and 2 astrologers were brought before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation. But they were unable to disclose the interpretation of the message.
Daniel 2:7
Context2:7 They again replied, “Let the king inform us 3 of the dream; then we will disclose its 4 interpretation.”
Daniel 2:4
Context2:4 The wise men replied to the king: [What follows is in Aramaic 5 ] “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will disclose its 6 interpretation.”
Daniel 2:16
Context2:16 So Daniel went in and 7 requested the king to grant him time, that he might disclose the interpretation to the king.
Daniel 2:26
Context2:26 The king then asked Daniel (whose name was also Belteshazzar), “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I saw, as well as its interpretation?”
Daniel 4:7
Context4:7 When the magicians, astrologers, wise men, and diviners entered, I recounted the dream for them. But they were unable to make known its interpretation to me.
Daniel 4:24
Context4:24 this is the interpretation, O king! It is the decision of the Most High that this has happened to my lord the king.
Daniel 5:8
Context5:8 So all the king’s wise men came in, but they were unable to read the writing or to make known its 8 interpretation to the king.
Daniel 5:26
Context5:26 This is the interpretation of the words: 9 As for mene 10 – God has numbered your kingdom’s days and brought it to an end.
Daniel 4:18-19
Context4:18 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its 11 interpretation, for none of the wise men in 12 my kingdom are able to make known to me the interpretation. But you can do so, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
4:19 Then Daniel (whose name is also Belteshazzar) was upset for a brief time; 13 his thoughts were alarming him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream and its interpretation alarm you.” But Belteshazzar replied, “Sir, 14 if only the dream were for your enemies and its interpretation applied to your adversaries!
1 tn Various suggestions have been made concerning the plural “we.” It is probably the editorial plural and could be translated here as “I.”
2 tn The Aramaic text does not have “and.” The term “astrologers” is either an appositive for “wise men” (cf. KJV, NKJV, ASV, RSV, NRSV), or the construction is to be understood as asyndetic (so the translation above).
3 tn Aram “his servants.”
4 tn Or “the.”
5 sn Contrary to common belief, the point here is not that the wise men (Chaldeans) replied to the king in the Aramaic language, or that this language was uniquely the language of the Chaldeans. It was this view that led in the past to Aramaic being referred to as “Chaldee.” Aramaic was used as a lingua franca during this period; its origins and usage were not restricted to the Babylonians. Rather, this phrase is better understood as an editorial note (cf. NAB) marking the fact that from 2:4b through 7:28 the language of the book shifts from Hebrew to Aramaic. In 8:1, and for the remainder of the book, the language returns to Hebrew. Various views have been advanced to account for this change of language, most of which are unconvincing. Most likely the change in language is a reflection of stages in the transmission history of the book of Daniel.
6 tn Or “the.”
7 tc Theodotion and the Syriac lack the words “went in and.”
8 tc Read וּפִשְׁרֵהּ (ufishreh) with the Qere rather than וּפִשְׁרָא (ufishra’) of the Kethib.
9 tn Or “word” or “event.” See HALOT 1915 s.v. מִלָּה.
10 tn The Aramaic term מְנֵא (mÿne’) is a noun referring to a measure of weight. The linkage here to the verb “to number” (Aram. מְנָה, mÿnah) is a case of paronomasia rather than strict etymology. So also with תְּקֵל (tÿqel) and פַרְסִין (farsin). In the latter case there is an obvious wordplay with the name “Persian.”
11 tc The present translation reads פִּשְׁרֵהּ (pishreh, “its interpretation”) with the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
12 tn Aram “of.”
13 tn Aram “about one hour.” The expression refers idiomatically to a brief period of time of undetermined length.
14 tn Aram “my lord.”
