Teks -- Daniel 2:4 (NET)

2:4 The wise men replied to the king: What follows is in Aramaic “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will disclose its interpretation.”

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Dan 2:4 - In Syriack

That is in the Chaldee tongue, for Syria or Aram is sometimes taken in a large sense, containing, Assyria, Babylon, Mesopotamia, Phoenicia, Palestine, 2Ki 18:26. From hence all is written in the Chaldee language, to the eighth chapter.

JFB: Dan 2:4

Here begins the Chaldee portion of Daniel, which continues to the end of the seventh chapter. In it the course, character, and crisis of the Gentile power are treated; whereas, in the other parts, which are in Hebrew, the things treated apply more particularly to the Jews and Jerusalem.

JFB: Dan 2:4 - Syriac

The Aramean Chaldee, the vernacular tongue of the king and his court; the prophet, by mentioning it here, hints at the reason of his own adoption of it from this point.

JFB: Dan 2:4 - live for ever

A formula in addressing kings, like our "Long live the king!" Compare 1Ki 1:31.

Clarke: Dan 2:4 - Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriac

Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriac - ארמית aramith , the language of Aram or Syria. What has been generally called the Chaldee

Clarke: Dan 2:4 - O king, live for ever

O king, live for ever - מלכא לעלמין חיי Malca leolmin cheyi . With these words the Chaldee part of Daniel commences; and continues to the end of the seventh chapter. These kinds of compliments are still in use in the East Indies. A superior gives a blessing to an inferior by saying to him, when the latter is in the act of doing him reverence, "Long life to thee."A poor man, going into the presence of a king to solicit a favor, uses the same kind of address: O father, thou art the support of the destitute; mayest thou live to old age! - Ward’ s Customs.

Defender: Dan 2:4 - Syriac

From this point, Daniel's account is significantly written in Aramaic (same as Syriac, the language of ancient Syria, and practically identical with the Chaldaic language of the Babylonians). It returns to Hebrew at Daniel 8. Thus, the Babylonian section of Daniel is in the language of the Babylonians, a fact that helps confirm the authenticity of the entire book. Because of its remarkably fulfilled prophecies, skeptics and liberals have tried to assign its writing to a much later date, after the events prophesied had taken place. The internal evidence of the book, however, indicates that it could only have been written by a man fluent in the language of Nebuchadnezzar's court. The inclusion of certain Persian and Greek words in the account still further indicates that the writer was connected with the court of Nebuchadnezzar where he would have contact with emissaries from different nations. The authenticity of the book has been further confirmed by his contemporary Ezekiel (Eze 14:14, Eze 14:20; Eze 28:3) and by Christ Himself (Mat 24:15; Heb 11:33)."

TSK: Dan 2:4 - in // Syriack // O king // tell

in : Gen 31:47; Ezr 4:7; Isa 36:11

Syriack : Aramith, ""Aramean,""the language of Aram or Syria; a general term comprehending both the Chaldee and Syriac, the latter merely differing from the former as a dialect, and being written in a different character. With the following words the Chaldee part of Daniel commences; and is continued to the end of the Dan 7:1.

O king : Dan 3:9, Dan 4:19, Dan 5:10, Dan 6:6, Dan 6:21; 1Sa 10:24; 1Ki 1:25, 1Ki 1:31; Neh 2:3; Mat 21:9; Mar 11:9, Mar 11:10

tell : Dan 4:7, Dan 5:8; Gen 41:8; Isa 44:25

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Dan 2:4 - In Syriac // O king, live for ever // We will show the interpretation

In Syriac that is, in the Chaldee tongue, for Syria or Aram is taken in a large sense sometimes, containing Assyria, Babylon, Mesopotamia, Phoenicia, Palestine, 2Ki 18:26 , and from hence to the 8th chapter all is written in the Chaldee language, and not Hebrew, because it most concerned that people, and from thence in Hebrew again.

O king, live for ever: this was a salutation to princes of old, 1Sa 10:24 1Ki 1:25 ; their meaning was, Let him live a long happy life, for thus the word live is often taken, Psa 34:12 , and this is agreeable to the desires of all worldly men in their prosperity.

We will show the interpretation: it is observed of old to this day, that there is not any sort of men who are such flatterers as impostors. So confident and arrogant are these fortune-tellers, that they promise to interpret a dream which they never knew: this was boldly said of them, seeing the Egyptian magicians could not interpret Pharaoh’ s dream though he told it them, Gen 41:8 .

Haydock: Dan 2:4 - Syriac

Syriac. It was originally the same as the Chaldee. Daniel understood this language, as well as Hebrew and writes in it what concerned the Chaldees, to Chap. viii. This shews his accuracy, as he makes his speakers use their own tongue. Spinosa ignorantly asserts, that all the seven first chapters are in Chaldeee and taken from the records of that nation by Judas Maccabeus. How then did Matthathias become acquainted with the contents?

Gill: Dan 2:4 - Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in, Syriac // O king, live for ever // tell thy servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation

Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in, Syriac,.... These spake, either because the interpretation of dreams particularly belonged to them; or else as being the chief of the wise men, and of greatest authority; or as chosen by the rest, and spake in their name; and indeed this appellation may include them all, being all of the same country, though they might differ in their profession: they spake in the Syriac or Babylonish language, the same with the Chaldee, being their mother tongue, and that of the king too; and therefore could more easily speak it themselves, and be more easily understood by him, than if they had spoke in another; See Gill on Dan 1:4 and from hence, to the end of the "seventh" chapter, Daniel writes in Chaldee; the things he treats of chiefly relating to the Chaldeans:

O king, live for ever; which is a wish of long life, health, and prosperity; and does not intend an everlasting continuance in this world, or an eternal life in another, to the knowledge of which they might be strangers: this was an usual form of salutation of kings in these eastern nations; like to this is that of Sinaetus, a Persian, to Artaxerxes Mnemon ^x.

"O King Artaxerxes, reign for ever;''

so said ^y Artabazus, a faithful friend of Darius, to Alexander the great, when he met him with the friends and relations of Darius,

"O king, may you flourish in perpetual happiness:''

tell thy servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation; this was not the thing that was asked of them, but the dream itself; and if that had been told them, they promise more than there is reason to believe they would have fulfilled, had that been done; it is more than the Egyptian magicians could do, even when Pharaoh had told them his dream: this they said partly to get time, and partly to make a show of their skill and knowledge; though in a very vain and arrogant manner.