Daniel 2:13

“And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain, etc.] Or, “and the wise men were slain”f80, as the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Syriac versions render it; and so Saadiah: orders were given by the king to his proper officers, and his edict was published, and his will made known in the usual manner; upon which the wise men, at least some of them, were slain; very probably those who were in the king’s presence, and at court; and the officers were gone out to slay the rest: and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain; who had the character of wise men, and might be envied at court, and so the officers took this opportunity, having these orders, to slay them: there was, no…”

“And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain - The original here will bear a somewhat different translation, meaning, “the decree went forth, “and” the wise men were slain;” that is, the execution of the sentence was actually commenced. So the Vulgate: Et egressa sententia, sapientes interficiebantur. So also the Greek version: καὶ οἱ σοφοί ἀπεκτέννοντο kai hoi sophoi apektennonto - “and the wise men were slain.” This seems to me to be the more probable interpretation, and better to suit the connection. Then it would mean that they had actually begun to execute the decree, and that in the prosecution of their bloody work they sought out Daniel and his companions, and that…”

“Daniel and his fellows - Daniel and his fellows were not called, because of their youth, which the Chaldeans despised. Here it is observable: The magicians confessed, that knowledge and revelation must come from God, and therefore what Daniel did, was not of any human strength. That the Lord held the governor's hands, so that he did not slay Daniel presently with the first. That Daniel by his prudence and piety, saved all the magicians lives. Daniel 2:21”

“the decree: Dan 6:9-15; Est 3:12-15; Psa 94:20; Pro 28:15-17; Isa 10:1 and they: Dan 1:19, Dan 1:20, Dan 6:12 Daniel 2:14”