Daniel 5:16
in Daniel 5But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But I have heard of thee, that thou canst give interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
KJV
And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
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This verse in Daniel 5
Commentary
6 notes on this verseDissolve doubts - Untie knots - unbind what is bound. An expression used in the east to signify a judge of eminent wisdom and skill.
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
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
But God so ordered it that they had nothing at all to say, as, when Christ was born, the heathen oracles were struck dumb. The interpretation which Daniel gave of these mystic characters, which was so far from easing the king of his fears that we may suppose it increased them rather.
And I have heard of thee,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And I have heard of thee ... - Dan 5:11. Canst make interpretations - Margin, “interpret.” Chaldee, “interpret interpretations.” The meaning is, that he was skilled in interpreting or explaining dreams, omens, etc. And dissolve doubts - See the notes at Dan 5:12. Now, if thou canst read the writing ... thou shalt be clothed with scarlet ... - This was the reward which at the first he had promised to any one that was able to do it, and as all others had failed, he was willing that it should be offered to a Jew.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
and give your lavish gifts [as translated,] and give your lavish gifts.
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
26 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַאֲנָה֙ | vaanah | and I | H576 → | 16 times |
| שִׁמְעֵ֣ת | shimet | I have heard | H8086 → | 9 times |
| עֲלָ֔ךְ | alayikh | concerning you | H5922 → | 104 times |
| דִּֽי־ | di- | that | H1768 → | 345 times |
| תִיכּ֥וּל | tukhal | you are able | H3202 → | 11 times |
| פִּשְׁרִ֛ין | pishrin | interpretations | H6591 → | 31 times |
| לְמִפְשַׁ֖ר | lemifshar | to interpret | H6590 → | |
| וְקִטְרִ֣ין | vekitrin | and knots | H7001 → | 3 times |
| לְמִשְׁרֵ֑א | lemishre' | to loosen | H8271 → | 6 times |
| כְּעַ֡ן | kean | now | H3705 → | 13 times |
| הֵן֩ | hen | if | H2006 → | 19 times |
| תִּכ֨וּל | tukhal | you will be able | H3202 → | 11 times |
| כְּתָבָ֜א | ketava' | writing the | H3792 → | 12 times |
| לְמִקְרֵ֗א | lemikre' | to read aloud | H7123 → | 11 times |
| וּפִשְׁרֵהּ֙ | ufishreh | and interpretation its | H6591 → | 31 times |
| לְהוֹדָ֣עֻתַ֔נִי | lehodautani | to make known to me | H3046 → | 47 times |
| אַרְגְּוָנָ֣א | ʾargevana' | <the> purple | H711 → | 3 times |
| תִלְבַּ֗שׁ | tilbash | you will be clothed | H3848 → | 3 times |
| וְהַֽמְנִיכָ֤א | vehamonkha' | and necklace the | H2002 → | 3 times |
| דִֽי־ | di- | of | H1768 → | 345 times |
| דַהֲבָא֙ | dahava' | <the> gold | H1722 → | 23 times |
| עַֽל־ | ʾal- | [will be] on | H5922 → | 104 times |
| צַוְּארָ֔ךְ | tzaverakh | neck your | H6676 → | 3 times |
| וְתַלְתָּ֥א | vetalta' | and third the | H8531 → | |
| בְמַלְכוּתָ֖א | vemalkhuta' | in kingdom the | H4437 → | 57 times |
| תִּשְׁלַֽט׃ פ | tishlat | you will rule | H7981 → | 7 times |
וַאֲנָה֙and I
vaanahH576 →16 times
שִׁמְעֵ֣תI have heard
shimetH8086 →9 times
עֲלָ֔ךְconcerning you
alayikhH5922 →104 times
דִּֽי־that
di-H1768 →345 times
תִיכּ֥וּלyou are able
tukhalH3202 →11 times
פִּשְׁרִ֛יןinterpretations
pishrinH6591 →31 times
לְמִפְשַׁ֖רto interpret
lemifsharH6590 →
וְקִטְרִ֣יןand knots
vekitrinH7001 →3 times
לְמִשְׁרֵ֑אto loosen
lemishre'H8271 →6 times
כְּעַ֡ןnow
keanH3705 →13 times
הֵן֩if
henH2006 →19 times
תִּכ֨וּלyou will be able
tukhalH3202 →11 times
כְּתָבָ֜אwriting the
ketava'H3792 →12 times
לְמִקְרֵ֗אto read aloud
lemikre'H7123 →11 times
וּפִשְׁרֵהּ֙and interpretation its
ufishrehH6591 →31 times
לְהוֹדָ֣עֻתַ֔נִיto make known to me
lehodautaniH3046 →47 times
אַרְגְּוָנָ֣א<the> purple
ʾargevana'H711 →3 times
תִלְבַּ֗שׁyou will be clothed
tilbashH3848 →3 times
וְהַֽמְנִיכָ֤אand necklace the
vehamonkha'H2002 →3 times
דִֽי־of
di-H1768 →345 times
דַהֲבָא֙<the> gold
dahava'H1722 →23 times
עַֽל־[will be] on
ʾal-H5922 →104 times
צַוְּארָ֔ךְneck your
tzaverakhH6676 →3 times
וְתַלְתָּ֥אand third the
vetalta'H8531 →
בְמַלְכוּתָ֖אin kingdom the
vemalkhuta'H4437 →57 times
תִּשְׁלַֽט׃ פyou will rule
tishlatH7981 →7 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Daniel 5:7The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be…
it leads to
- Daniel 5:29
Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
- Daniel 2:48
Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many generous gifts. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.
- Genesis 41:42–44
Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck.
- Daniel 5:29
Through
Genesis 40:8“We both had dreams,” they replied, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”
it leads to
- Daniel 2:47
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.”
- Genesis 41:15–16
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”
- Daniel 2:47
Through
Acts 8:18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 6:5
and constant friction between men of depraved mind who are devoid of the truth. These men regard godliness as a means of gain.
- Matthew 10:8
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
- 1 Timothy 6:5
Through
Daniel 5:29Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
it leads to
- Daniel 5:7
The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be…
- Daniel 5:7
Where this verse is studied
About Daniel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; 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.