10 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.
11 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!”
12 Because of this, the king became furiously angry and gave orders to execute all the wise men of Babylon.
13 So the decree went out that the wise men were about to be slaughtered. They also sought Daniel and his companions to execute them.
14 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.
15 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.
16 So Daniel went in and asked the king to grant him time, so that he might disclose the interpretation to the king.