I had a dream

Daniel 2:1-15 - In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, he said to them, "I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means."

Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, "O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it."

The king replied to the astrologers, "This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble. But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me."

Once more they replied, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it."

Then the king answered, "I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me the dream, there is just one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me."

The astrologers answered the king, "There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men."

This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death.

When Arioch, the commander of the king's guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. He asked the king's officer, "Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?" Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel.

I wonder why the astrologers replied in Aramaic. Could Nebuchadnezzar understand Aramaic? If not, were the astrologers trying to show off their knowledge of languages before the king? Or was that the only language they knew? Assuming an interpreter was used, was this the only pair of languages -- Aramaic and whatever Nebuchadnezzar was speaking -- that the interpreter(s) at hand could understand and translate?

I wonder why Daniel and his 3 friends were not summoned with the others. Perhaps it was because they were still only sophomore "wise men." This was only the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign (over Israel, at least). The trainees were to be schooled for 3 years and then enter the king's service. Still, the king knew how good these men were. So why didn't he think to call them? Was he just testing the others? And yet they were included in the count when it came time to destroy all the wise men. It doesn't seem very fair of Nebuchadnezzar.

Notice how young Daniel reacts to the news of the decree. Instead of ranting or whining about how unfair it was, he used wisdom and tact. Word to those who would be wise.