Daniel 2 · Verse 14

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:
Daniel 2:14, King James Version

Daniel 2:14 in other translations

BSBWhen Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon, Daniel replied with discretion and tact.
WEBThen Daniel returned answer with counsel and prudence to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon.
ASVThen Daniel returned answer with counsel and prudence to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, who was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon;
YLTThen Daniel hath replied with counsel and discretion to Arioch chief of the executioners of the king, who hath gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon.
DARBYThen Daniel answered with counsel and prudence to Arioch the chief of the king's bodyguard, who had gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:
BBEThen Daniel gave an answer with wisdom and good sense to Arioch, the captain of the king's armed men, who had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon;
WebsterThen Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, who had gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:

What does Daniel 2:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. captain of the king's guard--commanding the executioners (Margin; and Ge 37:36, Margin).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 Captain of the king's guard - Chief of the king's executioners or slaughter men. Margin, רב תבחיא rab tabachaiya, chief of the butchers, he that took off the heads of those whom the king ordered to be slain, because they had in any case displeased him. "Go and bring me the head of Giaffer." The honorable butcher went and brought the head in a bag on a dish. It was Herod's chief butcher that brought the head of John the Baptist in a dish to the delicate daughter of Herodias. This was the custom of the country. No law, no judge, no jury. The will or caprice of the king governed all things. Happy England! know and value thy excellent privileges!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Daniel 2:14-23
Daniel humbly prayed that God would discover to him the king's dream, and the meaning of it. Praying friends are valuable friends; and it well becomes the greatest and best men to desire the prayers of others. Let us show that we value our friends, and their prayers. They were particular in prayer. And whatever we pray for, we can expect nothing but as the gift of God's mercies. God gives us leave in prayer to tell our wants and burdens. Their plea with God was, the peril they were in. The mercy Daniel and his fellows prayed for, was bestowed. The fervent prayers of righteous men avail much. Daniel was thankful to God for making known that to him, which saved the lives of himself and his fellows. How much more should we be thankful to God, for making known the great salvation of the soul to those who are not among the worldly wise and prudent!

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Daniel 2:14 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.

בֵּאדַ֣יִןbe.Da.yin<in> thenH116
דָּנִיֵּ֗אלda.ni.YelDanielH1841
הֲתִיב֙ha.Tivhe sent backH8421
עֵטָ֣א'e.Ta'counselH5843
וּטְעֵ֔םu.te.'Emand discretionH2942
לְאַרְי֕וֹךְle.'ar.Yokhto AriochH746
רַב\־rav-[the] chiefH7229
טַבָּחַיָּ֖אta.ba.chai.Ya'executioners theH2877
דִּ֣יdiofH1768
מַלְכָּ֑אmal.Ka'king theH4430
דִּ֚יdiwhoH1768
נְפַ֣קne.Fakhe went outH5312
לְקַטָּלָ֔הle.ka.ta.Lahto killH6992
לְחַכִּימֵ֖יle.cha.ki.Mei<obj.> [the] wise men ofH2445
בָּבֶֽל\׃ba.VelBabylonH895

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

Cross references for Daniel 2:14

  • Daniel 2:24

    Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.

  • Jeremiah 52:12

    Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzar–adan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem,

  • Genesis 37:36

    And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard.

  • Ecclesiastes 9:13-18

    This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me: There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it: Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. …

  • Jeremiah 52:14

    And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about.

  • 2 Samuel 20:16-22

    Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee. And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear. Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter. I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the Lord? …

  • Jeremiah 39:9

    Then Nebuzar–adan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
answered. Chal. returned. with.
2Sa 20:16-22; Ec 9:13-18
captain of the king's guard. or, chief marshall. Chal.chief of the executioners, or slaughter-men.
Ge 37:36; Jer 39:9; 52:12,14; *margins

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

Context

  • 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:

  • Daniel 2:15

    He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.

Read all of Daniel 2

Daniel 2:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Entonces Daniel habló avisada y prudentemente á Arioch, capitán de los de la guarda del rey, que había salido para matar los sabios de Babilonia.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Alors Daniel répondit avec prudence et avec sens à Arioc, chef des gardes du roi, qui était sorti pour tuer les sages de Babylone;
German
Elberfelder 1871
Da erwiderte Daniel mit Verstand und Einsicht dem Arioch, dem Obersten der Trabanten des Königs, welcher ausgezogen war, um die Weisen von Babel zu töten;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Tunc Daniel requisivit de lege atque sententia ab Arioch principe militiæ regis, qui egressus fuerat ad interficiendos sapientes Babylonis.