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Daniel 5:13

in Daniel 5

So Daniel was brought before the king, who asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah?

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV

ASV

Then was Daniel brought in before the king. The king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, who art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?

KJV

Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?

This verse in Daniel 5

Commentary

5 notes on this verse
Then was Daniel brought in before the king - From this it is clear that he lived in Babylon, though in comparative obscurity. It would seem to be not improbable that he was still known to the queen-mother, who, perhaps, kept up an acquaintance with him on account of his former services. Art thou that Daniel - This is a clear proof that Belshazzar was not acquainted personally with him. See the note at Dan 5:

This site's exposition

the children of the captivity of Judah

on Daniel 5:13-16

Belshazzar's first words to Daniel identify him by exile status before anything else, art thou that Daniel of the children of the captivity of Judah, a reminder the bench reads as unintentionally exposing the king's own contempt even as he asks for help. The offer repeats verse 7's reward word for word, scarlet, the chain, and third ruler, and Henry observes that Belshazzar still imagines Daniel can be bought, having learned nothing from what his own wise men's failure should have taught him about what kind of knowledge is actually on offer here. The repetition across the two summons keeps the reward question live for the chapter's evidence note at verse 29.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Hippolytus of Rome

Commentary on Daniel 3.17.1 · Written before 235.

proposed

Then accordingly after the king heard the things concerning him he commanded Daniel to be brought and he said to him, "Are you Daniel who is from the sons of the captivity of Judea, whom my father Nebuchadnezzar brought? I have heard concerning you that you are able to interpret questions. And so now if you are able to read this writing and to make known its interpretation to me you shall be clothed in purple and a golden necklace shall be upon your neck and you shall be the third position in my kingdom." [Daniel 5:13-16]

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

He was now nearly ninety years of age, so that his years, and honours, and former preferments, might have entitled him to a free admission into the king's presence; yet he was willing to be conducted in, as a stranger, by the master of the ceremonies.
Then was Daniel brought in before the king,....

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

On the verses either side of this one

All because, etc. because a superior spirit, knowledge and understanding are within him, and the talent to tell riddles.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Daniel 5:12:1, via Sefaria, The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

24 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • בֵּאדַ֙יִן֙<in> then

    bedayinH11657 times

  • דָּֽנִיֵּ֔אלDaniel

    daniyelH184157 times

  • הֻעַ֖לhe was brought

    hualH595414 times

  • קֳדָ֣םbefore

    kodamH692542 times

  • מַלְכָּ֑אking the

    malka'H4430180 times

  • עָנֵ֨ה[was] replying

    ʾanehH603230 times

  • מַלְכָּ֜אking the

    malka'H4430180 times

  • וְאָמַ֣רand [was] saying

    veamarH56071 times

  • לְדָנִיֵּ֗אלto Daniel

    ledaniyelH184157 times

  • אַנְתְּyou

    ʾantahH60715 times

  • ה֤וּאhe

    hu'H193222 times

  • דָנִיֵּאל֙[are] Daniel

    daniyelH184157 times

  • דִּֽי־who

    di-H1768345 times

  • מִן־[is] one of

    min-H4481109 times

  • בְּנֵ֤י[the] sons of

    beneiH124719 times

  • גָלוּתָא֙exile the

    galuta'H15474 times

  • דִּ֣יof

    diH1768345 times

  • יְה֔וּדJudah

    yehudH30617 times

  • דִּ֥יwhom

    diH1768345 times

  • הַיְתִ֛יhe brought

    haytiH85816 times

  • מַלְכָּ֥אking the

    malka'H4430180 times

  • אַ֖בִיfather my

    ʾaviH29 times

  • מִן־from

    min-H4481109 times

  • יְהֽוּד׃Judah

    yehudH30617 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Ezra 6:16

    Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy.

    it leads to

    • 2 Chronicles 7:5

      And King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.

    • 1 Kings 8:63

      And Solomon offered as peace offerings to the LORD 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the house of the LORD.

  • Through

    Daniel 2:25

    Arioch hastily brought Daniel before the king and said to him, “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who will tell the king the interpretation.”

    it leads to

    • Daniel 1:6

      Among these young men were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

  • Through

    Daniel 5:11

    There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that…

    it leads to

    • Daniel 4:8–9

      But at last, into my presence came Daniel (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods). And I told him the dream:

    • Daniel 4:18

      This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you are able, because…

    • Daniel 2:47–48

      The king said to Daniel, “Your God is truly the God of gods and Lord of kings, the Revealer of Mysteries, since you were able to reveal this mystery.”

    • Daniel 5:14

      I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom.

  • Through

    Daniel 6:13

    Then they told the king, “Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, shows no regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed. He still makes his petition three times…

    it leads to

    • Daniel 3:12

      But there are some Jews you have appointed to manage the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who have ignored you, O king, and have refused to serve your gods or worship the golden statue…

Where this verse is studied

About Daniel

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Daniel; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 3.17.1; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.