The Meaning of Daniel 2:14 Explained

Daniel 2:14

KJV: 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:

YLT: Then 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.

Darby: Then 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:

ASV: Then 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;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Daniel 2:14 Mean?

Study Notes

captain
Or, executioner, Daniel 2:24 .

Context Summary

Daniel 2:14-35 - Wisdom Granted In The Hour Of Need
The action of Daniel in this supreme crisis is very instructive. He reckoned absolutely on God, and in his chivalrous endeavor to save the lives of the aged men, the heads of the college in which he had been trained. He never doubted that God would be His stay. A prayer meeting was convened to ask for the merciful interposition of the God of heaven, and at its close Daniel seems to have lain down to sleep in unwavering faith. In this act we are reminded of Jesus sleeping amid the storm. Only a heart so pure and true, so trustful and godly, could have slept within the shadow of so terrible a menace. It was in a night-vision that he beheld the majestic procession of empire, from the gold of absolute monarchy to the clay and metal of constitutional government. Note his care to give all the glory to God and to take the humble position of the mere channel through which the divine message was transmitted to the king. [source]

Chapter Summary: Daniel 2

1  Nebuchadnezzar, forgetting his dream,
5  requires it of the Chaldeans, by promises and threats
10  They acknowledging their inability are judged to die
14  Daniel obtaining some respite finds the dream
19  He blesses God
24  He staying the decree is brought to the king
31  The dream
36  The interpretation
46  Daniel's advancement

What do the individual words in Daniel 2:14 mean?

Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom Arioch the captain of guard of king's the who had gone out to kill the wise [men] of Babylon
בֵּאדַ֣יִן דָּנִיֵּ֗אל הֲתִיב֙ עֵטָ֣א וּטְעֵ֔ם לְאַרְי֕וֹךְ רַב־ טַבָּחַיָּ֖א דִּ֣י מַלְכָּ֑א דִּ֚י נְפַ֣ק לְקַטָּלָ֔ה לְחַכִּימֵ֖י בָּבֶֽל

דָּנִיֵּ֗אל  Daniel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּנִיֵּאל  
Sense: the 4th of the greater prophets, taken as hostage in the first deportation to Babylon, because of the gift of God of the interpretation of dreams, he became the 2nd in command of the Babylon empire and lasted through the end of the Babylonian empire and into the Persian empire. His prophecies are the key to the understanding of end time events. Noted for his purity and holiness by contemporary prophet, Ezekiel.
הֲתִיב֙  answered 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: תּוּב  
Sense: to return, come back.
עֵטָ֣א  with  counsel 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֵטָה  
Sense: counsel.
וּטְעֵ֔ם  and  wisdom 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: טְעֵם  
Sense: decree, taste, judgment, command.
לְאַרְי֕וֹךְ  Arioch 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַרְיׄוךְ 
Sense: the ancient king of Ellasar, ally of Chedorlaomer.
רַב־  the  captain 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: רַב  
Sense: great.
טַבָּחַיָּ֖א  of  guard 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural determinate
Root: טַבָּח  
Sense: bodyguard, executioner, guardsmen.
מַלְכָּ֑א  king's  the 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: מֶלֶךְ  
Sense: king.
נְפַ֣ק  had  gone  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נְפַק  
Sense: to go or come out, bring or come forth.
לְקַטָּלָ֔ה  to  kill 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: קְטַל  
Sense: to slay, kill.
לְחַכִּימֵ֖י  the  wise  [men] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: חַכִּים  
Sense: wise man, wise.
בָּבֶֽל  of  Babylon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בָּבֶל  
Sense: Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates.