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 

Daniel 2:27

2:27 Daniel replied to the king, “The mystery that the king is asking about is such that no wise men, astrologers, magicians, or diviners can possibly disclose it to the king.

Daniel 4:7

4:7 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 5:7

5:7 The king called out loudly ⁷  to summon ⁸  the astrologers, wise men, and diviners. The king proclaimed ⁹  to the wise men of Babylon that anyone who could read this inscription and disclose its interpretation would be clothed in purple ¹⁰  and have a golden collar ¹¹  placed on his neck and be third ruler in the kingdom.

[1:20]  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.

[1:20]  ² tn Heb “hands.”

[2:2]  ³ tn Heb “said.” So also in v. 12.

[2:2]  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.

[2:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “to explain to the king his dreams.”

[2:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “stood before the king.”

[5:7]  ⁷ tn Aram “in strength.”

[5:7]  ⁸ tn Aram “cause to enter.”

[5:7]  ⁹ tn Aram “answered and said.”

[5:7]  ¹⁰ sn Purple was a color associated with royalty in the ancient world.

[5:7]  ¹¹ tn The term translated “golden collar” here probably refers to something more substantial than merely a gold chain (cf. NIV, NCV, NRSV, NLT) or necklace (cf. NASB).