DANIEL 2:9

 

If you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.” [Daniel 2:9 NKJV]
 

If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one decree for you. You have conspired to speak before me false and fraudulent words, hoping the situation will change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I will know that you can give me its interpretation.” [Daniel 2:9 BSB]

Those who have word of knowledge or supernatural knowledge of other persons usually those who know Secrets about them. But if those with such knowledge know and share secrets in you to you, that also opens door for you to also know secret about them too for those who can discern well. The moment the Lord Jesus Christ shared secrets in Nathaniel to him, Nathaniel instantly knew some secrets of the Lord Jesus Christ being "The Son of God" and "The King of Israel." Again, the moment the Lord Jesus Christ shared secrets in the Samaritan woman to her, she also perceived secrets Him being a "Prophet." A little girl possessed by divination was sharing secrets in Paul and Silas, but not too long Paul knew evil spirits possessed her, and he cast them out of her. Applying all those to the top Bible verse above, we see Nebuchadnezzar was trying to know some Secrets in those prophets of dark arts of Babylon, by demanding them to share some secrets (hidden dreams) in him, Nebuchadnezzar. And what were the secrets Nebuchadnezzar was hoping to know about those prophets if they share his own secrets to him? They were these two: One, he would know they can interpret his dreams when they tell him the dreams, and two he will know their interpretation of the dreams are not lies or falsehood if their narration of the dreams are not lies or falsehood.
 

On the flip side: If they do not tell him his secret dream or show him the required word of knowledge, he will also know they harbor "Lies and Conspiracy" against him. Remember how Joseph the governor of Egypt accused his brothers of "Spying and Conspiracy" against Egypt simply because those brothers of Joseph did not know (recognize) him for lack of knowledge, even so Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon would accused those wise prophets of dark arts of Babylon of "Lies and Conspiracy" against his throne of Babylon simply because they do not reveal or show knowledge of his dreams for lack of knowledge.

*** Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to bring down fire from heaven upon their offering on mount Carmel; and that would prove to the king and people that Baal was indeed a god and they are his prophets. — "Contest of Power" — Those prophets could not do so, but Elijah did by the grace of God.
 

*** Nebuchadnezzar also challenged the prophets of the dark arts of Babylon to use divination or word of knowledge to tell the dream the king dreamt last night; and that would prove to the king and people that they able to truly tell the times, seasons and things to come in future. — "Contest of Knowledge" — Those prophets could not do so, but Daniel did by the grace of God.
 

*** Even the Lord God Himself challenged the gods and images of the nations into a contest of either revealing the secrets in the past or secrets yet to come in future. As it is written,
 

[Isaiah 41:21‭-‬24 ICB] — The Lord says, “Present your case.” The Lord, the King of Jacob, says, “Tell me your arguments. Bring in your idols to tell us what is going to happen. Have them tell us what happened in the beginning. Then we will think about these things. Then we will know how they will turn out. Tell us what will happen in the future. Tell us what is coming next. Then we will believe that you are gods. Do something, whether it is good or bad. Make us afraid of you. You false gods are less than nothing. You can’t do anything. Those who worship you should be hated.”
 

— "Contest of Knowledge and Power" — Those false or unreal gods could not do so, but the true God does by Himself.
 

But there was death penalty against those prophets of Baal at Elijah's contest and to those prophets of dark arts of Babylon at Nebuchadnezzar's contest, for their inability to be productive when it was a matter between life and death. Elijah went on to have those prophets of Baal killed, but Daniel rather interceded for the wise men and the prophets of dark arts of Babylon when the king's decree was released for their immediate death by execution.