Daniel 2 · Verse 9

Daniel 2:9

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 2:9, King James Version

Daniel 2:9 in other translations

BSBIf you do not tell me the dream, there is only one decree for you. You have conspired to speak before me false and fraudulent words, hoping the situation will change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I will know that you can give me its interpretation.”
WEBBut if you don’t make known to me the dream, there is but one law for you; for you have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, until the situation changes. Therefore tell me the dream, and I will know that you can show me its interpretation.”
ASVBut if ye make not known unto me the dream, there is but one law 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 show me the interpretation thereof.
YLTso that, if the dream ye do not cause me to know--one is your sentence, seeing a word lying and corrupt ye have prepared to speak before me, till that the time is changed, therefore the dream tell ye to me, then do I know that its interpretation ye do shew me.'
DARBYbut if ye do 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 its interpretation.
BBEThat if you do not make my dream clear to me there is only one fate for you: for you have made ready false and evil words to say before me till the times are changed: so give me an account of the dream, and I will be certain that you are able to make the sense of it clear.
WebsterBut if ye will not make known to 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 show me the interpretation of it.

What does Daniel 2:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. one decree--There can be no second one reversing the first (Es 4:11). corrupt--deceitful. till the time be changed--till a new state of things arrive, either by my ceasing to trouble myself about the dream, or by a change of government (which perhaps the agitation caused by the dream made Nebuchadnezzar to forebode, and so to suspect the Chaldeans of plotting). tell ... dream, and I shall know ... ye can show ... interpretation--If ye cannot tell the past, a dream actually presented to me, how can ye know, and show, the future events prefigured in it?

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 2:9 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.

דִּ֣יdithatH1768
הֵן\־hen-ifH2006
חֶלְמָא֩chel.Ma'dream theH2493
לָ֨אla'notH3809
תְהֽוֹדְעֻנַּ֜נִיte.hod.'u.Na.niyou will make known to meH3046
חֲדָה\־cha.dah-[is] oneH2298
הִ֣יאhi'itH1932
דָֽתְכ֗וֹןda.te.Khondecree yourH1882
וּמִלָּ֨הu.mi.Lahand a wordH4406
כִדְבָ֤הkhid.Vaha lieH3538
וּשְׁחִיתָה֙u.she.chi.Tahand corruptH7844
הִזְדְּמִנְתּוּן֙haz.min.tunyou have agreed togetherH2164
לְמֵאמַ֣רle.me.Marto sayH560
קָֽדָמַ֔יka.da.Maibefore meH6925
עַ֛ד'aduntilH5705
דִּ֥יdithatH1768
עִדָּנָ֖א'i.da.Na'time theH5732
יִשְׁתַּנֵּ֑אyish.ta.Ne'it will be changedH8133
לָהֵ֗ןla.HenthereforeH2006
חֶלְמָא֙chel.Ma'dream theH2493
אֱמַ֣רוּ'e.Ma.rutell!H560
לִ֔יLito me
וְֽאִנְדַּ֕עve.'in.Da'so I may knowH3046
דִּ֥יdithatH1768
פִשְׁרֵ֖הּfish.Rehinterpretation itsH6591
תְּהַחֲוֻנַּֽנִי\׃te.ha.cha.vu.Na.niyou will declare to meH2324

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

Cross references for Daniel 2:9

  • Esther 4:11

    All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

  • Daniel 7:25

    And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

  • Isaiah 41:23

    Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.

  • Daniel 2:21

    And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

  • Daniel 3:15

    Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

  • Daniel 5:28

    PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

  • Ezekiel 13:6

    They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The Lord saith: and the Lord hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.

  • Isaiah 44:25

    That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

  • 2 Corinthians 2:17

    For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

  • Ezekiel 13:19

    And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?

  • 1 Kings 22:6

    Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth–gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

  • Ezekiel 13:17

    Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them,

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
there is.
3:15; Es 4:11
for.
1Ki 22:6,22; Pr 12:19; Isa 44:25; Eze 13:6,17,19; 2Co 2:17
the time.
21; 5:28,31; 7:25
I shall.
Isa 41:23

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

Context

  • Daniel 2:8

    The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.

  • Daniel 2:9

    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 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.

Read all of Daniel 2

Daniel 2:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Si no me mostráis el sueño, una sola sentencia será de vosotros. Ciertamente preparáis respuesta mentirosa y perversa que decir delante de mí, entre tanto que se muda el tiempo: por tanto, decidme el sueño, para que yo entienda que me podéis mostrar su declaración.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
or, si vous ne me faites pas connaître le songe, il y a un seul et même décret pour vous; car vous avez préparé une parole mensongère et perverse pour la dire devant moi, en attendant que le temps ait changé. C’est pourquoi, dites-moi le songe, et je saurai que vous pouvez m’en indiquer l’interprétation.
German
Elberfelder 1871
daß, wenn ihr mir den Traum nicht kundtut, es bei eurem Urteil verbleibt denn ihr habt euch verabredet, Lug und Trug vor mir zu reden, bis die Zeit sich ändere. Darum saget mir den Traum, und ich werde wissen, daß ihr mir seine Deutung anzeigen könnt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Si ergo somnium non indicaveritis mihi, una est de vobis sententia, quod interpretationem quoque fallacem, et deceptione plenam composueritis, ut loquamini mihi donec tempus pertranseat. Somnium itaque dicite mihi, ut sciam quod interpretationem quoque ejus veram loquamini.