Daniel 2:15

2:15 He inquired of Arioch the king’s deputy, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” ¹  Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter.

Daniel 2:14

2:14 Then Daniel spoke with prudent counsel ²  to Arioch, who was in charge of the king’s executioners and who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel 2:24-25

2:24 Then Daniel went in to see ³  Arioch (whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon). He came ⁴  and said to him, “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon! Escort me ⁵  to the king, and I will disclose the interpretation to him!” ⁶ 

2:25 So Arioch quickly ushered Daniel into the king’s presence, saying to him, “I ⁷  have found a man from the captives of Judah who can make known the interpretation to the king.”

[2:15]  ¹ tn The Aramaic word מְהַחְצְפָה (mÿhakhtsÿfah) may refer to the severity of the king’s decree (i.e., “harsh”; so HALOT 1879 s.v. חצף; BDB 1093 s.v. חֲצַף), although it would seem that in a delicate situation such as this Daniel would avoid this kind of criticism of the king’s actions. The translation above understands the word to refer to the immediacy, not harshness, of the decree. See further, F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 50, §116; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 67.

[2:14]  ² tn Aram “returned prudence and counsel.” The expression is a hendiadys.

[2:24]  ³ tc The MT has עַל עַל (’al ’al, “he entered upon”). Several medieval Hebrew MSS lack the verb, although this may be due to haplography.

[2:24]  ⁴ tc The LXX and Vulgate, along with one medieval Hebrew MS, lack this verb.

[2:24]  ⁵ tn Aram “cause me to enter.” So also in v. 25.

[2:24]  ⁶ tn Aram “the king.”

[2:25]  ⁴ sn Arioch’s claim is self-serving and exaggerated. It is Daniel who came to him, and not the other way around. By claiming to have found one capable of solving the king’s dilemma, Arioch probably hoped to ingratiate himself to the king.