Daniel 2 · Verse 13

Daniel 2:13

And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
Daniel 2:13, King James Version

Daniel 2:13 in other translations

BSBSo the decree went out that the wise men were to be executed, and men went to look for Daniel and his friends to execute them.
WEBSo the decree went out, and the wise men were to be slain. They sought Daniel and his companions to be slain.
ASVSo the decree went forth, and the wise men were to be slain; and they sought Daniel and his companions to be slain.
YLTAnd the sentence hath gone forth, and the wise men are being slain, and they have sought Daniel and his companions to be slain.
DARBYAnd the decree went forth that the wise men were to be slain; and they sought Daniel and his companions to slay them.
BBESo the order went out that the wise men were to be put to death; and they were looking for Daniel and his friends to put them to death.
WebsterAnd the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

What does Daniel 2:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Daniel 2:12-13

12-13. Daniel and his companions do not seem to have been actually numbered among the Magi or Chaldeans, and so were not summoned before the king. Providence ordered it so that all mere human wisdom should be shown vain before His divine power, through His servant, was put forth. Da 2:24 shows that the decree for slaying the wise men had not been actually executed when Daniel interposed.

Read the full comment on Daniel 2:12-13 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 They sought Daniel and his fellows - As the decree stated that all the wise men of Babylon should be slain, the four young Hebrews, being reputed among the wisest, were considered as sentenced to death also.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · 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 2:13 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.

וְדָתָ֣אve.da.Ta'and decree theH1882
נֶפְקַ֔תnef.Katit went outH5312
וְחַכִּֽימַיָּ֖אve.cha.ki.mai.Ya'and wise men theH2445
מִֽתְקַטְּלִ֑יןmit.ka.te.Lin[were] about to be killedH6992
וּבְע֛וֹu.ve.'Oand they soughtH1156
דָּנִיֵּ֥אלda.ni.YelDanielH1841
וְחַבְר֖וֹהִיve.chav.Ro.hiand companions hisH2269
לְהִתְקְטָלָֽה\׃\ \פle.hit.ke.ta.Lahto be killedH6992

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

Cross references for Daniel 2:13

  • Daniel 1:19-20

    And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.

  • Isaiah 10:1

    Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;

  • Daniel 6:9-15

    Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. …

  • Proverbs 28:15-17

    As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people. The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days. A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.

  • Esther 3:12-15

    Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring. And the letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey. The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day. The posts went out, being hastened by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.

  • Psalms 94:20

    Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the decree.
6:9-15; Es 3:12-15; Ps 94:20; Pr 28:15-17; Isa 10:1
and they.
1:19,20; 6:12

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

Context

  • Daniel 2:12

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

  • Daniel 2:13

    And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

  • Daniel 2:14

    Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:

Read all of Daniel 2

Daniel 2:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y publicóse el mandamiento, y los sabios eran llevados á la muerte; y buscaron á Daniel y á sus compañeros para matarlos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et un décret fut promulgué portant que les sages soient tués; et on chercha Daniel et ses compagnons, pour les tuer.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und der Befehl ging aus, und die Weisen wurden getötet und man suchte Daniel und seine Genossen, um sie zu töten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et egressa sententia, sapientes interficiebantur: quærebanturque Daniel et socii ejus, ut perirent.