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Text -- Daniel 2:8 (NET)

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Context
2:8 The king replied, “I know for sure that you are attempting to gain time, because you see that my decision is firm.
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Dictionary Themes and Topics: SACRIFICE, IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, 1 | Rulers | Redeeming the Time | Nebuchadnezzar | Magician | Government | GAIN | Daniel | DREAM; DREAMER | DIVINATION | CERTAIN; CERTAINLY; CERTAINTY | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
JFB , Clarke , Calvin , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes


Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Keil-Delitzsch , Constable , Guzik

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

JFB: Dan 2:8 - -- Literally, "buy." Compare Eph 5:16; Col 4:5, where the sense is somewhat different.

Literally, "buy." Compare Eph 5:16; Col 4:5, where the sense is somewhat different.

JFB: Dan 2:8 - -- (See on Dan 2:5).

(See on Dan 2:5).

Clarke: Dan 2:8 - -- That ye would gain the time - The king means either that they wished to prolong the time that he might recollect it, or get indifferent about it; or...

That ye would gain the time - The king means either that they wished to prolong the time that he might recollect it, or get indifferent about it; or that they might invent something in the place of it; or make their escape to save their lives, after having packed up their valuables. See Dan 2:9.

Calvin: Dan 2:8 - -- The king’s exception now follows: — I know, says he, that ye would gain time, since you are aware that the matter has gone from me, or the wo...

The king’s exception now follows: — I know, says he, that ye would gain time, since you are aware that the matter has gone from me, or the word has been pronounced, if we adopt the former sense. The king here accuses them of more disgraceful cunning, since the Magi have nothing to offer, and so desire to escape as soon as they know that the king has lost all remembrance of his dream. It is just as if he had said — You promised me to be sure interpreters of my dream, but this is false; for if I could narrate the dream, it would be easy to prove your arrogance, since ye cannot explain that enigma; but as lye know I have forgotten my dream, for that reason ye ask me to relate it; but this is only to gain time, says he; thus ye manage to conceal your ignorance and retain your credit for knowledge. But if my dream still remained in my memory I should soon detect your ignorance, for we cannot perform your boasting. We see, therefore, how the king here loads the Magi with a new crime, because they were impostors who deluded the people with false boastings; and hence he shews them worthy of death, unless they relate his dream. The argument indeed is utterly vicious; but it is not surprising when tyrants appear in the true colors of their cruelty. Meanwhile we must remember what I have said. — the Magi deserved this reproof, for they were puffed up with vanity and made false promises, through conjecturing the future from dreams, auguries, and the like. But in the king’s case, nothing was more unjust. than to invent such a crime against the Magi, since if they deceived others it arose from being self-deceived. They were blinded and fascinated by the foolish persuasion of their own wisdom, and had no intention of deceiving the king; for they thought something might immediately occur which would free his mind from all anxiety. But the king always pursued the blindest impulse of his rage. Meanwhile we must notice the origin of this feeling, — he was divinely tormented, and could not rest a single moment till he obtained an explanation of his dream. He next adds, If ye do not explain my dream, this sentence alone remains for you, says he; that is, it is already decreed concerning you all, I shall not inquire particularly which of you is in fault and which wishes to deceive me; but I will utterly cut off all the tribe of the Magi, and no one shall escape punishment, unless ye explain to me both the dream and its interpretation.

TSK: Dan 2:8 - -- gain : Chal, buy, Eph 5:16; Col 4:5

gain : Chal, buy, Eph 5:16; Col 4:5

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Dan 2:8 - -- The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time - Margin, "buy."The Chaldee word זבנין zâbe nı̂yn (...

The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time - Margin, "buy."The Chaldee word זבנין zâbe nı̂yn (from זבן ze ban ) means, to get for oneself, buy, gain, procure. Greek, ἐξαγοράζετε exagorazete - "that ye redeem time;"and so the Vulgate - quod tempus redimitis . The idea is, that they saw that they could not comply with his requisition, and that their asking him Dan 2:7 to state the dream was only a pretext for delay, in the hope that in the interval some device might be hit on by them to appease him, or to avert his threatened indignation. It would be natural to suppose that they might hope that on reflection he would become more calm, and that, although they "might"not be able to recal the dream and explain it, yet it would be seen to be unreasonable to expect or demand it. The king seems to have supposed that some such thoughts were passing through their minds, and he charges on them such a project. The argument of the king seems to have been something like this: "They who can explain a dream correctly can as well tell what it is as what its interpretation is, for the one is as much the result of Divine influence as the other; and if men can hope for Divine help in the one case, why not in the other? As you cannot, therefore, recal the dream, it is plain that you cannot interpret it; and your only object in demanding to know it is, that you may ward off as long as possible the execution of the threatened sentence, and, if practicable, escape it altogether."It is not improbable that what they said was more than the simple request recorded in Dan 2:7. They would naturally enlarge on it, by attempting to show how unreasonable was the demand of the king in the case, and their arguments would give a fair pretext for what he here charges on them.

Because ye see the thing is gone from me - According to the interpretation proposed in Dan 2:5, the "dream."The meaning is, "You see that I have forgotten it. I have made a positive statement on that point. There can be no hope, therefore, that it can be recalled, and it is clear that your only object must be to gain time. Nothing can be gained by delay, and the matter may therefore be determined at once, and your conduct be construed as a confession that you cannot perform what is required, and the sentence proceed without delay."This makes better sense, it seems to me, than to suppose that he means that a sentence had gone forth from him that if they could not recal and interpret it they should be put to death.

Poole: Dan 2:8 - -- This ye do in policy, to escape punishment; when taken up with other affairs, I may forget to make further inquiry after this thing, but it shall no...

This ye do in policy, to escape punishment; when taken up with other affairs, I may forget to make further inquiry after this thing, but it shall not serve your turn.

Haydock: Dan 2:8 - -- Gain. Literally, "redeem" (Haydock) --- St. Paul uses a similar expression, exhorting us to save our souls even at the expense of our temporal inte...

Gain. Literally, "redeem" (Haydock) ---

St. Paul uses a similar expression, exhorting us to save our souls even at the expense of our temporal interest. (Calmet) ---

The diviners wished to give the king's fury time to abate, (Haydock) and to save their lives; (Calmet) or delay punishment, at least, as much as possible. (Haydock)

Gill: Dan 2:8 - -- The king answered and said, I know of certainty,.... I see plainly and clearly what you are at, and am fully assured you mean nothing, but that ye ...

The king answered and said, I know of certainty,.... I see plainly and clearly what you are at, and am fully assured you mean nothing, but that

ye would gain the time: or buy f, or redeem time, as in Eph 5:16, prolong time, put off the answer to longer time; spin out time, as people do in buying and selling; or have it in their possession and power when to answer; and so by gaining time, or being master of it, might hope something would turn up to their advantage, and extricate them out of their present difficulties:

because ye see the thing is gone from me; the dream he could not remember; or because the decree was certain which he had determined concerning them; See Gill on Dan 2:5.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Dan 2:1-49 - --1 Nebuchadnezzar, forgetting his dream, requires it of the Chaldeans, by promises and threatenings.10 They acknowledging their inability are judged to...

MHCC: Dan 2:1-13 - --The greatest men are most open to cares and troubles of mind, which disturb their repose in the night, while the sleep of the labouring man is sweet a...

Matthew Henry: Dan 2:1-13 - -- We meet with a great difficulty in the date of this story; it is said to be in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Dan 2:1. Now Daniel w...

Keil-Delitzsch: Dan 2:1-13 - -- The dream of Nebuchadnezzar and the inability of the Chaldean wise men to interpret it. - By the ו copulative standing at the commencement of thi...

Constable: Dan 2:1--7:28 - --II. The Times of the Gentiles: God's program for the world chs. 2--7 Daniel wrote 2:4b-7:28 in the Aramaic langu...

Constable: Dan 2:1-49 - --A. Nebuchadnezzar's first dream: the big picture ch. 2 This chapter is important because it records the ...

Constable: Dan 2:4-13 - --2. The failure of the king's wise men 2:4-13 2:4 The Chaldeans took the lead in replying to the king. They responded in the Aramaic language that was ...

Guzik: Dan 2:1-49 - --Daniel 2 - Nebuchadnezzar Dreams of an Image A. Nebuchadnezzar's dream. 1. (1) The troubling dream. Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's rei...

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Introduction / Outline

JFB: Daniel (Book Introduction) DANIEL, that is, "God is my judge"; probably of the blood royal (compare Dan 1:3, with 1Ch 3:1, where a son of David is named so). Jerusalem may have ...

JFB: Daniel (Outline) THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY BEGINS; DANIEL'S EDUCATION AT BABYLON, &C. (Dan. 1:1-21) NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S DREAM: DANIEL'S INTERPRETATION OF IT, AND ADVANCEM...

TSK: Daniel 2 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Dan 2:1, Nebuchadnezzar, forgetting his dream, requires it of the Chaldeans, by promises and threatenings; Dan 2:10, They acknowledging t...

Poole: Daniel (Book Introduction) BOOK OF DANIEL THE ARGUMENT IN Daniel and his prophecy, observe these things for the better understanding of this book, and the mind of God in it...

Poole: Daniel 2 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 2 In this chapter are four principal parts: I. The king’ s, dream, Dan 2:1 . II. The wise men’ s ignorance and danger, Dan 2:2-...

MHCC: Daniel (Book Introduction) Daniel was of noble birth, if not one of the royal family of Judah. He was carried captive to Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiachin, B. C. 606, whe...

MHCC: Daniel 2 (Chapter Introduction) (Dan 2:1-13) Nebuchadnezzar's dream. (Dan 2:14-23) It is revealed to Daniel. (Dan 2:24-30) He obtains admission to the king. (Dan 2:31-45) The drea...

Matthew Henry: Daniel (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Book of the Prophet Daniel The book of Ezekiel left the affairs of Jerusalem under a doleful aspect...

Matthew Henry: Daniel 2 (Chapter Introduction) It was said (Dan 1:17) that Daniel had understanding in dreams; and here we have an early and eminent instance of it, which soon made him famous in...

Constable: Daniel (Book Introduction) Introduction Background In 605 B.C. Prince Nebuchadnezzar led the Babylonian army of h...

Constable: Daniel (Outline) Outline I. The character of Daniel ch. 1 A. Historical background 1:1-2 ...

Constable: Daniel Daniel Bibliography Albright, William F. From Stone Age to Christianity. 2nd ed. New York: Doubleday Press, Anc...

Haydock: Daniel (Book Introduction) THE PROPHECY OF DANIEL. INTRODUCTION. DANIEL, whose name signifies "the judgment of God," was of the royal blood of the kings of Juda, and one o...

Gill: Daniel (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL This book is called, in the Vulgate Latin version, "the Prophecy of Daniel"; and in the Syriac and Arabic versions "the Prop...

Gill: Daniel 2 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 2 The subject of this chapter is a dream which Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed, but had forgot; upon which he calls his magicians...

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