¹⁰ The Chaldeans answered the king, “There is not a man on earth who can do what you request, O king. Never has there been a king, no matter how great or powerful, who has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. ¹¹ What you are requiring of us is much too difficult, and no one can satisfy the king’s demand except for the gods, whose dwelling is not among mortals.”

¹² On hearing this, the king flew into a violent rage and ordered that all the wise men of Babylon were to be put to death.