Daniel 5:17
in Daniel 5In response, Daniel said to the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; nevertheless I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
KJV
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
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This verse in Daniel 5
Commentary
9 notes on this verseVerse 17. "To this Daniel made answer before the king, saying: 'Thy gifts be unto thyself, and bestow the presents of thy house upon someone else...'" We should follow the example of a man like Daniel, who despised the honor and gifts of a king, and who without any reward even in that early day followed the Gospel injunction: "Freely have ye received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8) And besides, when one is announcing sad tidings, it is unbecoming for him willingly to accept gifts.
This site's exposition
Let thy gifts be to thyself
Daniel refuses the reward before he has even read the writing, let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another, a single verse the bench treats as the moral center of the whole scene: he will tell Belshazzar the truth whether or not it is rewarded, because the truth does not change with the fee. Gill contrasts this refusal with Daniel's earlier acceptance of honors under Nebuchadnezzar, reading the difference as circumstance rather than principle, since here the king's own doom is the message and no gift could soften what must be said. He still promises to read the writing and make known the interpretation, refusing payment, not the task.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
John ChrysostomON THE EPISTLES TO THE HEBREWS, HOMILY 26:8-9 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
Why then, you ask, being so humble did Daniel not repel either the adoration that was paid him by the king or the offerings? This I will not say, for it is sufficient for me simply to mention the question, and the rest I leave to you, that at least in this way I may stir up your thoughts.… For that [Daniel] did not do this out of arrogance is evident from his saying, "your gifts be to yourself."
But the blessed Daniel, not taking pleasure in earthly gifts nor being lifted up at kingly glory answered, "Let your gifts, O king, be to you and give the present of your house to another. But I shall read the writing and I shall make known the interpretation to you." [Daniel 5:17]
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He slights the offer he made him of rewards, is not pleased that it was mentioned, for he is not one of those that divine for money; what gratuities Nebuchadnezzar gave him afterwards he gladly accepted, but he scorned to bargain for them, or to read the writing to the king for and in consideration of such and such honours promised him.
Then Daniel answered and said before the king,.... With great freedom, boldness, and intrepidity: let thy gifts be to thyself; remain with thee; I neither want them, nor desire them; nor will I receive them on condition of reading and interpreting the writing: and give thy rewards to another; which he had promised to those that could read and interpret the handwriting on the wall; even to be clothed with scarlet, have a golden chain, and be the third ruler in the kingdom.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
For here he declares his interpretation of the words is not from the desire of reward. The honors in Da 5:29 were doubtless urged on him, without his wish, in such a way that he could not with propriety refuse them. Had he refused them after announcing the doom of the kingdom, he might have been suspected of cowardice or treason.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Let thy gifts be to thyself - They could be of little use to any, as the city was in a few hours to be taken and pillaged.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself - That is, “I do not desire them; I do not act from a hope of reward.” Daniel means undoubtedly to intimate that what he would do would be done from a higher motive than a desire of office or honor. The answer is one that is eminently dignified.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
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
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בֵּאדַ֜יִן | bedayin | <in> then | H116 → | 57 times |
| עָנֵ֣ה | ʾaneh | [was] replying | H6032 → | 30 times |
| דָנִיֵּ֗אל | daniyel | Daniel | H1841 → | 57 times |
| וְאָמַר֙ | veamar | and [say] saying | H560 → | 71 times |
| קֳדָ֣ם | kodam | before | H6925 → | 42 times |
| מַלְכָּ֔א | malka' | king the | H4430 → | 180 times |
| מַתְּנָתָךְ֙ | matenatokh | gifts your | H4978 → | 3 times |
| לָ֣ךְ | lakh | for yourself | ||
| לֶֽהֶוְיָ֔ן | lehevyan | let them be | H1934 → | 71 times |
| וּנְבָ֥זְבְּיָתָ֖ךְ | unevazebeyatakh | and rewards your | H5023 → | |
| לְאָחֳרָ֣ן | leochoran | to another | H321 → | 5 times |
| הַ֑ב | hav | give! | H3052 → | 28 times |
| בְּרַ֗ם | beram | nevertheless | H1297 → | 5 times |
| כְּתָבָא֙ | ketava' | writing the | H3792 → | 12 times |
| אֶקְרֵ֣א | ʾekre' | I will read aloud | H7123 → | 11 times |
| לְמַלְכָּ֔א | lemalka' | to king the | H4430 → | 180 times |
| וּפִשְׁרָ֖א | ufishra' | and interpretation the | H6591 → | 31 times |
| אֲהוֹדְעִנֵּֽהּ׃ | ʾahodineh | I will make known to him | H3046 → | 47 times |
בֵּאדַ֜יִן<in> then
bedayinH116 →57 times
עָנֵ֣ה[was] replying
ʾanehH6032 →30 times
דָנִיֵּ֗אלDaniel
daniyelH1841 →57 times
וְאָמַר֙and [say] saying
veamarH560 →71 times
קֳדָ֣םbefore
kodamH6925 →42 times
מַלְכָּ֔אking the
malka'H4430 →180 times
מַתְּנָתָךְ֙gifts your
matenatokhH4978 →3 times
לָ֣ךְfor yourself
lakh
לֶֽהֶוְיָ֔ןlet them be
lehevyanH1934 →71 times
וּנְבָ֥זְבְּיָתָ֖ךְand rewards your
unevazebeyatakhH5023 →
לְאָחֳרָ֣ןto another
leochoranH321 →5 times
הַ֑בgive!
havH3052 →28 times
בְּרַ֗םnevertheless
beramH1297 →5 times
כְּתָבָא֙writing the
ketava'H3792 →12 times
אֶקְרֵ֣אI will read aloud
ʾekre'H7123 →11 times
לְמַלְכָּ֔אto king the
lemalka'H4430 →180 times
וּפִשְׁרָ֖אand interpretation the
ufishra'H6591 →31 times
אֲהוֹדְעִנֵּֽהּ׃I will make known to him
ʾahodinehH3046 →47 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
Psalms 119:46I will speak of Your testimonies before kings, and I will not be ashamed.
it leads to
- Romans 1:16
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.
- Matthew 10:18–19
On My account, you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.
- Acts 26:1–2
Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:
- Romans 1:16
Through
2 Kings 5:16But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it.” And although Naaman urged him to accept it, he refused.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 13:8
But the man of God replied, “If you were to give me half your possessions, I still would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water in this place.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Kings 3:14
Then Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not for my regard for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at…
- 1 Kings 13:8
Through
Daniel 2:6But if you tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and its interpretation.”
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
Through
Genesis 14:23that I will not accept even a thread, or a strap of a sandal, or anything that belongs to you, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’
it leads to
- 2 Kings 5:16
But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it.” And although Naaman urged him to accept it, he refused.
- 2 Kings 5:16
Through
2 Kings 3:13Elisha, however, said to the king of Israel, “What have we to do with each other? Go to the prophets of your father and of your mother!” “No,” replied the king of Israel, “for…
it leads to
- 1 Kings 22:6
So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and the Lord will…
- 1 Kings 22:6
Where this verse is studied
About Daniel

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 3.17.2; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER FIVE; John Chrysostom, ON THE EPISTLES TO THE HEBREWS, HOMILY 26:8-9; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
