Daniel 1:20

1:20 In every matter of wisdom and ¹  insight the king asked them about, he found them to be ten times ²  better than any of the magicians and astrologers that were in his entire empire.

Daniel 2:2

2:2 The king issued an order ³  to summon the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and wise men ⁴  in order to explain his dreams to him. ⁵  So they came and awaited the king’s instructions. ⁶ 

¹ tc The MT lacks the conjunction, reading the first word in the phrase as a construct (“wisdom of insight”). While this reading is not impossible, it seems better to follow Theodotion, the Syriac, the Vulgate, and the Sahidic Coptic, all of which have the conjunction.

² tn Heb “hands.”

³ tn Heb “said.” So also in v. 12.

⁴ tn Heb “Chaldeans.” The term Chaldeans (Hebrew כַּשְׂדִּים, kasdim) is used in the book of Daniel both in an ethnic sense and, as here, to refer to a caste of Babylonian wise men and astrologers.

⁵ tn Heb “to explain to the king his dreams.”

⁶ tn Heb “stood before the king.”