Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
2:4 Aramaic had been established by the Assyrians as the lingua franca of international communication. The practice was continued by the Babylonians. • Tell us the dream: The Babylonian wise men needed to know the contents of the dream in order to look them up in reference books. They did not depend on divine revelation.
Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
2:4 Aramaic had been established by the Assyrians as the lingua franca of international communication. The practice was continued by the Babylonians. • Tell us the dream: The Babylonian wise men needed to know the contents of the dream in order to look them up in reference books. They did not depend on divine revelation.
Literal English (Darby)ⓘThe Darby Bible (1890) — a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation used here as the Old Testament comparison text.The Darby Bible (1890) — a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation used here as the Old Testament comparison text.
And the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, O king, live for ever! tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.
Hebrew (Masoretic Text)ⓘThe Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.The Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.
King James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
King James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.
American Standard VersionⓘAmerican Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.American Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.
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.
World English BibleⓘWorld English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.World English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.
Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in the Syrian language, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.”
Bible in Basic EnglishⓘBible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written using a limited vocabulary of about 1,000 words.Bible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written using a limited vocabulary of about 1,000 words.
Then the Chaldaeans said to the king in the Aramaean language, O King, have life for ever: give your servants an account of your dream, and we will make clear to you the sense of it.