John Gill Commentary Daniel 2:4

"Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in the Syrian language, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation." — Daniel 2:4 (ASV)

Then spoke the Chaldeans to the king in, Syriac
These spoke, either because the interpretation of dreams particularly belonged to them; or else as being the chief of the wise men, and of greatest authority; or as chosen by the rest, and spoke in their name; and indeed this appellation may include them all, being all of the same country, though they might differ in their profession: they spoke in the Syriac or Babylonish language, the same with the Chaldee, being their mother tongue, and that of the king too; and therefore could more easily speak it themselves, and be more easily understood by him, than if they had spoke in another; (See Gill on Daniel 1:4) and from hence, to the end of the "seventh" chapter, Daniel writes in Chaldee; the things he treats of chiefly relating to the Chaldeans:

O king, live for ever ;
which is a wish of long life, health, and prosperity; and does not intend an everlasting continuance in this world, or an eternal life in another, to the knowledge of which they might be strangers: this was an usual form of salutation of kings in these eastern nations; like to this is that of Sinaetus, a Persian, to Artaxerxes Mnemon ^F24``O King Artaxerxes, reign for ever;'' so said <sup>F25</sup> Artabazus, a faithful friend of Darius, to Alexander the great, when he met him with the friends and relations of Darius, ``O king, may you flourish in perpetual happiness:''

tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation ;
this was not the thing that was asked of them, but the dream itself; and if that had been told them, they promise more than there is reason to believe they would have fulfilled, had that been done; it is more than the Egyptian magicians could do, even when Pharaoh had told them his dream: this they said partly to get time, and partly to make a show of their skill and knowledge; though in a very vain and arrogant manner.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F24: Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 1. c. 32.
• F25: Curtius, l. 6. c. 5.