Daniel 2:9-19

that if you do not reveal the dream to me, there is only one verdict for you. You have conspired to say something false and fraudulent, until such a time as things might change. So then, tell me the dream and I will know that you can tell me its meaning.” The Chaldeans answered the king saying, “There is no man on earth who can meet the king’s demand. For no great king, however great or mighty, has ever asked such a thing from any magician, astrologer or Chaldean. What the king asks is too difficult. There is no one who could declare it to the king, except the gods whose dwelling is not with mortals!” Because of this, the king became furiously angry and gave orders to execute all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree went out that the wise men were about to be slaughtered. They also sought Daniel and his companions to execute them. Then Daniel spoke with tact and discretion to Arioch, who was captain of the king’s guard and who had set out to execute the wise men of Babylon. He spoke up and said to Arioch, the king’s captain, “Why is the king’s decree so urgent?” Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. So Daniel went in and asked the king to grant him time, so that he might disclose the interpretation to the king. Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah about the matter so they would request mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not perish along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven