Daniel 2:16
New International Version
At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.

New Living Translation
Daniel went at once to see the king and requested more time to tell the king what the dream meant.

English Standard Version
And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king.

Berean Standard Bible
So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give him the interpretation.

King James Bible
Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.

New King James Version
So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation.

New American Standard Bible
So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him a grace period, so that he might declare the interpretation to the king.

NASB 1995
So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him time, in order that he might declare the interpretation to the king.

NASB 1977
So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him time, in order that he might declare the interpretation to the king.

Legacy Standard Bible
So Daniel went in and sought from the king that he would give him time, in order that he might declare the interpretation to the king.

Amplified Bible
So Daniel went in and asked the king to appoint a date and give him time, so that he might reveal to the king the interpretation of the dream.

Christian Standard Bible
So Daniel went and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give the king the interpretation.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So Daniel went and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give the king the interpretation.

American Standard Version
And Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would appoint him a time, and he would show the king the interpretation.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Daniel begged of the King that he would give him time, and he would show the interpretation to the King

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Daniel intreated the king to give him time, and that he might thus declare to the king the interpretation of it.

Contemporary English Version
Daniel rushed off and said to the king, "If you will just give me some time, I'll explain your dream."

Douay-Rheims Bible
Daniel went in and desired of the king, that he would give him time to resolve the question and declare it to the king.

English Revised Version
And Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would appoint him a time, and he would shew the king the interpretation.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Daniel went and asked the king to give him some time so that he could explain the dream's meaning.

Good News Translation
Daniel went at once and obtained royal permission for more time, so that he could tell the king what the dream meant.

International Standard Version
so Daniel went to ask Nebuchadnezzar for an appointment to see him , and it was granted him so that he could reveal the meaning to the king.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, that he might declare unto the king the interpretation.

Literal Standard Version
and Daniel has gone up, and sought of the king that he would give him time to show the interpretation to the king.

Majority Standard Bible
So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give him the interpretation.

New American Bible
Daniel went and asked for time from the king, that he might give him the interpretation.

NET Bible
So Daniel went in and requested the king to grant him time, that he might disclose the interpretation to the king.

New Revised Standard Version
So Daniel went in and requested that the king give him time and he would tell the king the interpretation.

New Heart English Bible
Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would appoint him a time, and he would show the king the interpretation.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation.

World English Bible
Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would appoint him a time, and he would show the king the interpretation.

Young's Literal Translation
and Daniel hath gone up, and sought of the king that he would give him time to shew the interpretation to the king.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Dream Revealed to Daniel
15“Why is the decree from the king so harsh?” he asked. At this time Arioch explained the situation to Daniel. 16So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give him the interpretation. 17Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,…

Cross References
Daniel 2:15
"Why is the decree from the king so harsh?" he asked. At this time Arioch explained the situation to Daniel.

Daniel 2:17
Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,


Treasury of Scripture

Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation.

and desired.

Daniel 2:9-11
But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof…

Daniel 1:18,19
Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar…

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Appoint Besought Clear Daniel Declare Desired Dream Interpret Interpretation Order Request Requested Sense Shew Show Sought Time
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Appoint Besought Clear Daniel Declare Desired Dream Interpret Interpretation Order Request Requested Sense Shew Show Sought Time
Daniel 2
1. Nebuchadnezzar, forgetting his dream,
5. requires it of the Chaldeans, by promises and threats.
10. They acknowledging their inability are judged to die.
14. Daniel obtaining some respite finds the dream.
19. He blesses God.
24. He staying the decree is brought to the king.
31. The dream.
36. The interpretation.
46. Daniel's advancement.














(16) Daniel went in.--Two characteristics of the prophet strike us, which distinguish the one who trusts in God's help from those who relied entirely upon their secular wisdom. (1) The courage of Daniel, which led him to venture into the king's presence upon a humane errand. (2) His humility, in asking the king to give him time. The wise men regarded the whole matter as an impossibility, and treated it as such, not even asking for any extension of time. But the faith of Daniel inspired him with this courageous humility, and was amply rewarded.

We are not told in so many words that this extension of time was granted, or that Daniel undertook to show more than the interpretation of the dream. A true account of what happened can only be gathered by reading Daniel 2:18; Daniel 2:28 by the side of this verse. It should be remembered that many narratives of scripture are related in a very condensed form, fuller details being added afterwards. (See Daniel 2:24, Note.)

Verse 16. - Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation. The version of Theodotion omits all mention of Daniel's going into the palace, "And Daniel petitioned the king that he should give him time, and he would tell his interpretation to the king." The rendering of the Peshitta agrees with this, "And Daniel petitioned the king for time, and he would show the interpretation to the king." The version of the Septuagint is longer, "And Daniel went in quickly to the king, and petitioned that time should be given him from the king, and he would show all things to the king." Jerome gives a rendering of the Massoretic text in Latin condensation. The question of reading here is of some importance in the light of the apparent contradiction implied in the twenty-fifth verse. There Arioch declares that he "had found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation" - as if Nebuchadnezzar had never seen him before, whereas, if the Massoretic recension is correct, Nebuchadnezzar had seen Daniel but a little while before. According to the reading of Theodotion and the Peshitta, Daniel pet:tinned the king for time, but that petition does not imply necessarily that he was admitted into the king's presence; the petition would pass through court officials, and reach the king in due course. We may note the ease with which he granted this request, and look upon it as confirmatory of our notion that the king, now that his rage had gone down, repented of his harsh decree, and was hoping against hope that the catastrophe would be averted. The only other explanation that would save the authenticity of both passages is that Daniel's entrance into the palace and his petition to the king happened without Arioch being aware. The most natural explanation of Arioch's conduct in post-poning the execution of the royal decree is that the postponement was during the interval the petition for time was being presented, but still not decided on. This seems not unlikely. Of course, it is always open to us to declare the verses from this to the twenty-fourth inclusive an interpolation; Daniel has suffered so much from this, that an additional case has no prima facie probability against it. Moreover, the prayer or hymn has strong resemblance to the prayer of Azarias, which is acknowledged to be an interpolation. Still, one ought to be slow to cut a knot in this way, unless there is some clear ground of suspicion. It may be observed also that the Massoretic text does not necessarily assert entrance into the palace or into the king's presence. Certainly עֲלַל: ('alal) means "entered," and in the connection this would suggest the palace as the place entered, but it may have been the house of Arioch, though this is not likely. We have no means of knowing whether any others of those implicated in the sentence of the king petitioned also for time. Not impossibly they did. The king, who was so suspicious that the wise men wished to delay till the auspicious time was passed, is willing to grant time when it is asked. This is explicable on the idea that Nebuchadnezzar was anxious to be delivered from the horrible slaughter which his decree involved. Another thing to be observed is that in the Massoretic text, Theodotion, and the Peshitta, there is no word of the dream being told. Of course, this interpretation implied a knowledge of the dream also, but it would appear to be another evidence that the king was relenting, when a petition that omitted the crucial point of the question between him and the wise men should be granted without difficulty. We are not told the amount of time requested, the word used, זְמָן (zeman), is, "a fixed time," from זְמַן, "to determine." It occurs again frequently in Daniel, as in ver. 21. It is generally of a fixed point of time, but sometimes, as Daniel 7:12, their lives were prolonged for a season (זְמָן). There being only one instance among the other passages where this word occurs, in which it means a space of time, we are inclined to think that here Daniel petitioned that a time be appointed him when he too should have an audience of the king in regard to the matter of the dream, as the other wise men had. There certainly is implied a space of time in this request. The space must have involved at least twenty-four hours, as the matter is revealed to Daniel in "a night vision." It is unlikely it would be much longer, for fear the planetary collocation would change - certainly not more than a week. Tertullian ('Adv. Psychicos,' 7) says, "Daniel Deo fidens... spatium tridui poslulat." We learn from what follows that Daniel acted tamely from his general faith in God, and was confident that God would not suffer his saints to be destroyed causelessly, it is noted by Calvin that Daniel (lees not tell the king the reasons of his confidence. A falsarius would have taken the opportunity of making Daniel declare his confidence in the God of heaven from the very first. The real Daniel acts as any wise saint would do, confident that God would do justly, hopeful that he would reveal to him the secret, yet too careful of the honour of Jehovah to put it in pledge; he knew God could and would defend his own honour, and his plan might not involve the saving of their lives.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So Daniel
וְדָ֣נִיֵּ֔אל (wə·ḏā·nî·yêl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1841: Daniel -- 'God is my judge', an Israelite leader in Babylon

went in
עַ֖ל (‘al)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5954: To enter, to introduce

and asked
וּבְעָ֣ה (ū·ḇə·‘āh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1156: To seek, ask

the king
מַלְכָּ֑א (mal·kā)
Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 4430: A king

to give
יִנְתֵּן־ (yin·tên-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5415: To give

him
לֵ֔הּ (lêh)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

some time,
זְמָ֣ן (zə·mān)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2166: An appointed occasion

so that he could give
לְהַֽחֲוָיָ֥ה (lə·ha·ḥă·wā·yāh)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2324: To show

[him]
לְמַלְכָּֽא׃ (lə·mal·kā)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 4430: A king

the interpretation.
וּפִשְׁרָ֖א (ū·p̄iš·rā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 6591: An interpretation


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OT Prophets: Daniel 2:16 Daniel went in and desired (Dan. Da Dn)
Daniel 2:15
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