Daniel 2 · Verse 11

Daniel 2:11

And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
Daniel 2:11, King James Version

Daniel 2:11 in other translations

BSBWhat the king requests is so difficult that no one can tell it to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.”
WEBIt is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is no other who can show it before the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
ASVAnd it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is no other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
YLTand the thing that the king is asking is precious, and others are there not that do shew it before the king, save the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.'
DARBYFor the thing that the king demandeth is extraordinary, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except thegods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
BBEThe king's request is a very hard one, and there is no other who is able to make it clear to the king, but the gods, whose living-place is not with flesh.
WebsterAnd it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is no other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

What does Daniel 2:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
11. gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh--answering to "no man upon the earth"; for there were, in their belief, "men in heaven," namely, men deified; for example, Nimrod. The supreme gods are referred to here, who alone, in the Chaldean view, could solve the difficulty, but who do not communicate with men. The inferior gods, intermediate between men and the supreme gods, are unable to solve it. Contrast with this heathen idea of the utter severance of God from man, Joh 1:14, "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us"; Daniel was in this case made His representative.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Daniel 2:1-13

Nebuchadnezzar's dream. (Dn 2:1-13) It is revealed to Daniel. (Dn 2:14-23) He obtains admission to the king. (Dn 2:24-30) The dream and the interpretation. (Dn 2:31-45) Honours to Daniel and his friends. (Dn 2:46-49) Verses 1-13 The greatest men are most open to cares and troubles of mind, which disturb their repose in the night, while the sleep of the labouring man is sweet and sound. We know not the uneasiness of…

Read the full comment on Daniel 2:1-13 →

Daniel 2:11 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וּמִלְּתָ֨אu.mi.le.Ta'and matter theH4406
דִֽי\־di-whichH1768
מַלְכָּ֤הmal.Kah'king theH4430
שָׁאֵל֙sha.'El[is] askingH7593
יַקִּירָ֔הya.ki.Rah[is] difficultH3358
וְאָחֳרָן֙ve.'o.cho.Ranand [is] anotherH321
לָ֣אla'notH3809
אִיתַ֔י'i.TaithereH383
דִּ֥יdiwhoH1768
יְחַוִּנַּ֖הּye.chav.vi.Nahhe will declare itH2324
קֳדָ֣םko.DambeforeH6925
מַלְכָּ֑אmal.Ka'king theH4430
לָהֵ֣ןla.HenexceptH3861
אֱלָהִ֔ין'e.la.HingodsH426
דִּ֚יdiwhoH1768
מְדָ֣רְה֔וֹןme.Da.re.Hondwelling place theirH4070
עִם\־'im-[is] withH5974
בִּשְׂרָ֖אbis.Ra'<the> fleshH1321
לָ֥אla'notH3809
אִיתֽוֹהִי\׃'i.To.hithere itH383

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Daniel 2:11

  • Daniel 5:11

    There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;

  • Genesis 41:39

    And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:

  • John 14:23

    Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

  • Matthew 19:26

    But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

  • Exodus 29:45

    And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.

  • 2 Corinthians 6:16

    And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

  • John 1:14

    And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

  • Isaiah 57:15

    For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

  • John 14:17

    Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

  • Psalms 68:18

    Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.

  • 2 Chronicles 6:18

    But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!

  • John 1:1-3

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
and there.This was their decision: and when the living and true God, who indeed condescends to dwell with men, and who alone could reveal the dream and the secrets contained in it, actually made it known to Daniel, he evinced the infinite difference between Jehovah and his prophets, and the idols and magicians of Babylon.
27,28; 5:11; Ge 41:39; Ex 8:19; Mt 19:26
whose.
Ex 29:45; Nu 35:34; 1Ki 8:27; 2Ch 6:18; Ps 68:18; 113:5,6; 132:14
Isa 8:18; 57:15; 66:1,2; Joe 3:21; Joh 1:1-3,14; 14:17,23; 2Co 6:16
Re 21:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Daniel 2:10

    The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.

  • Daniel 2:11

    And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

  • Daniel 2:12

    For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

Read all of Daniel 2

Daniel 2:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Finalmente, el negocio que el rey demanda, es singular, ni hay quien lo pueda declarar delante del rey, salvo los dioses cuya morada no es con la carne.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
et la chose que le roi demande est difficile, et il n’existe personne qui puisse l’indiquer devant le roi, excepté les dieux, dont la demeure n’est pas avec la chair.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Denn die Sache, welche der König verlangt, ist schwer; und es gibt keinen anderen, der sie vor dem König anzeigen könnte, als nur die Götter, deren Wohnung nicht bei dem Fleische ist.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Sermo enim, quem tu quæris, rex, gravis est: nec reperietur quisquam qui indicet illum in conspectu regis, exceptis diis, quorum non est cum hominibus conversatio.