Daniel 2:11

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

What the king is asking is too difficult, and no one can reveal it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals."

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וּמִלְּתָ֨א דִֽי־מַלְכָּ֤ה שָׁאֵל֙ יַקִּירָ֔ה וְאָחֳרָן֙ לָ֣א אִיתַ֔י דִּ֥י יְחַוִּנַּ֖הּ קֳדָ֣ם מַלְכָּ֑א לָהֵ֣ן אֱלָהִ֔ין דִּ֚י מְדָ֣רְה֔וֹן עִם־בִּשְׂרָ֖א לָ֥א אִיתֽוֹהִי׃

Transliteration

And milləthaʾ that-malkaʾ shaʾel yaqqirah, and waʾaḥaran laʾ ʾithay that yəḥawwinneḥ before malkaʾ, except ʾelahin that mədarəhon with-biśraʾ laʾ ʾithohi.

Grammar Details

• *milləthaʾ*: Aramaic noun, emphatic state - 'the word/matter'
• *malkaʾ*: Aramaic noun, emphatic state - 'the king'
• *shaʾel*: Aramaic peal participle, masculine singular - 'asks'
• *yaqqirah*: Aramaic adjective, feminine - 'difficult/rare'
• *waʾaḥaran*: Aramaic conjunction with adjective - 'and another'
• *laʾ*: Aramaic negative particle - 'not'
• *ʾithay*: Aramaic particle of existence - 'there is'
• *yəḥawwinneḥ*: Aramaic haphel imperfect, 3rd masculine singular with 3rd masculine singular suffix - 'he will show it'
• *ʾelahin*: Aramaic noun, plural - 'gods'
• *mədarəhon*: Aramaic noun with 3rd masculine plural suffix - 'their dwelling'
• *biśraʾ*: Aramaic noun - 'flesh'
• *ʾithohi*: Aramaic particle of existence with 3rd masculine singular suffix - 'he is'

Word Meanings

• *milləthaʾ*: the word, the matter, the thing, the affair
• *shaʾel*: asks, requests, demands
• *yaqqirah*: difficult, rare, precious, extraordinary
• *waʾaḥaran*: and another, and other
• *laʾ* *ʾithay*: there is not, there does not exist
• *yəḥawwinneḥ*: he will show it, he will declare it, he will reveal it
• *ʾelahin*: gods, deities, divine beings
• *mədarəhon*: their dwelling, their habitation, their abode
• *biśraʾ*: flesh, humanity, mortal beings
• *laʾ* *ʾithohi*: he is not, it does not exist

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And it is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is no one who can show it before the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And it is a rare{H3358} thing{H4406} that the king{H4430} requireth,{H7593} and there is{H383} no{H3809} other{H321} that can show{H2324} it before{H6925} the king,{H4430} except{H3861} the gods,{H426} whose dwelling{H4070} is{H383} not{H3809} with{H5974} flesh.{H1321}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And it is a rare{H3358} thing{H4406} that the king{H4430} requireth{H7593}{(H8751)}, and there is{H383} none{H3809} other{H321} that can shew{H2324}{(H8741)} it before{H6925} the king{H4430}, except{H3861} the gods{H426}, whose dwelling{H4070} is{H383} not{H3809} with{H5974} flesh{H1321}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  for it is a very harde matter, that the kynge requyreth. Nether is there eny, that can certifie the kynge theroff, excepte the goddes: whose dwellinge is not amonge the creatures.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  For it is a rare thing that the King requireth, and there is none other that can declare it before the King, except the gods whose dwelling is not with flesh.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  For it is a rare matter that the king requireth, neither is there any that can certifie the king therof, except the gods whose dwelling is not with fleshe.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  It 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.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and 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.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And 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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And 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.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  The 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.

• World English Bible (2000)

  It 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.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  What the king is asking is too difficult, and no one exists who can disclose it to the king, except for the gods– but they don’t live among mortals!”

Referenced Verses

• Dan 5:11 : 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father, he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners.
• Exod 29:45 : 45 Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God.
• Gen 41:39 : 39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.'
• Isa 57:15 : 15 For this is what the high and exalted One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy: 'I dwell in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.'
• Isa 66:1-2 : 1 This is what the Lord says: 'The heavens are My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where then is the house you could build for Me, and where is My resting place?'. 2 My hand made all these things, and so all these came into being,' declares the Lord. 'But I will look to this one: to the humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at My word.
• Dan 2:27-28 : 27 Daniel answered the king, saying, "The mystery which the king asks about cannot be revealed by wise men, enchanters, magicians, or diviners. 28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days. Your dream and the visions in your mind as you lay on your bed are as follows.
• Exod 8:19 : 19 I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This sign will take place tomorrow.
• Num 35:34 : 34 Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the LORD, dwell among the Israelites.
• 1 Kgs 8:27 : 27 'But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even the heavens, the highest heavens, cannot contain You. How much less this house that I have built!'
• 2 Chr 6:18 : 18 'But will God indeed dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heavens cannot contain You, much less this house that I have built!
• Ps 68:18 : 18 The chariots of God are tens of thousands, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them at Sinai in holiness.
• Ps 113:5-6 : 5 Who is like the Lord our God, the one who is enthroned on high? 6 He stoops down to look upon the heavens and the earth.
• Ps 132:14 : 14 'This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.'
• Isa 8:18 : 18 Here I am, along with the children the Lord has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the Lord of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.
• Joel 3:21 : 21 I will avenge their blood, which I have not yet avenged, for the LORD dwells in Zion.
• Matt 19:26 : 26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
• John 1:1-3 : 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not a single thing came into being that has come into existence.
• John 1:14 : 14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
• John 14:17 : 17 The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him, you know him, because he remains with you and will be in you.
• John 14:23 : 23 Jesus answered, 'If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.'
• 2 Cor 6:16 : 16 What agreement can there be between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will dwell among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.'
• Rev 21:3 : 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with humanity. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.'