Daniel 5:18
in Daniel 5As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
O thou king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty:
KJV
O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:
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This verse in Daniel 5
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom ... - This reference to Nebuchadnezzar is evidently designed to show to Belshazzar the wickedness of his own course, and the reason which he had to apprehend the Divine vengeance, because he had not learned to avoid the sins which brought so great calamities upon his predecessor.
This site's exposition
the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar
on Daniel 5:18-21
Before touching the writing Daniel retells the whole of chapter 4 to Belshazzar in miniature: the majesty God gave Nebuchadnezzar, the pride that lifted his heart, and the seven years among the beasts till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men. Barnes reads this as Daniel forcing Belshazzar to hear the lesson his own family's history already taught, so that when judgment falls in this chapter it cannot be called unwarned or unprecedented. The phrase that most high God ruleth in the kingdom of men recurs from chapter 4 nearly word for word, binding the two chapters into one demonstration of the same truth to two different kings.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
And in this way, having begun, he described to the king all the things which happened to his father in their order, and at the same time he thoroughly explained to him the things which happened, in order to cause him to understand not to brag, nor to be arrogant, but that one must be under the authority of God. And so he said to him, "God Most High gave to Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom and the majesty and the honor and the glory.
Do not think it was by relying on his own strength that your father subjected the whole world and brought under one kingdom the countless races of the nations speaking various tongues. It was, in fact, the Lord of all, maker of everything, wise governor …
A commentator
John ChrysostomHOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 24:2 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
And in the Old Testament also this may be found, in that grace hath oftentimes wrought upon unworthy persons, that it might do good to others.… And why marvel if He hath bestowed gifts on men that have believed on Him, though without life suitable to their faith, when even on those who have fallen from both these, He is unquestionably found working? For so Salaam was an alien both from faith and from a truly good life; nevertheless grace wrought on him for the service of other men. And Pharaoh too was of the same sort: yet for all that even to him He signified the things to come. And Nebuchadnezzar was very full of iniquity; yet to him again He revealed what was to follow after many generations. And again to the son of this last, though surpassing his father in iniquity, He signified the things to come, ordering a marvellous and great dispensation. Accordingly because then also the beginnings of the gospel were taking place, and it was requisite that the manifestation of its power should be abundant, many even of the unworthy used to receive gifts. Howbeit, from those miracles no gain accrued to them; rather they are the more punished.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
O thou king,....
This is not intended for a flourish or an amusement, but is a necessary preliminary to the interpretation of the writing. Note, That we may understand aright what God is doing with us, it is of use to us to review what he has done with others.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
It is that by which the brutal part of the world, even of the world of mankind, both governs and is governed. [2.] His authority was so absolute that it was uncontrollable.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
God gave--It was not his own birth or talents which gave him the vast empire, as he thought. To make him unlearn his proud thought was the object of God's visitation on him. majesty--in the eyes of his subjects. glory--from his victories. honour--from the enlargement and decoration of the city.
Nebuchadnezzar thy father - Or grandfather, as the margin reads, Dan 5:2. See the notes on Dan 5:1 (note).
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
11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אַ֖נְתְּ | ʾantah | you | H607 → | 15 times |
| מַלְכָּ֑א | malka' | king O | H4430 → | 180 times |
| אֱלָהָא֙ | ʾelaha' | <the> God | H426 → | 95 times |
| עִלָּאָ֔ה | ilaya' | Most High the | H5943 → | 10 times |
| מַלְכוּתָ֤א | malkhuta' | kingdom the | H4437 → | 57 times |
| וּרְבוּתָא֙ | urevuta' | and greatness the | H7238 → | 5 times |
| וִיקָרָ֣א | vikara' | and honor the | H3367 → | 7 times |
| וְהַדְרָ֔ה | vehadrah' | and majesty the | H1923 → | 3 times |
| יְהַ֖ב | yehav | he gave | H3052 → | 28 times |
| לִנְבֻכַדְנֶצַּ֥ר | linvukhadnetzar | to Nebuchadnezzar | H5020 → | 31 times |
| אֲבֽוּךְ׃ | ʾavukh | father your | H2 → | 9 times |
אַ֖נְתְּyou
ʾantahH607 →15 times
מַלְכָּ֑אking O
malka'H4430 →180 times
אֱלָהָא֙<the> God
ʾelaha'H426 →95 times
עִלָּאָ֔הMost High the
ilaya'H5943 →10 times
מַלְכוּתָ֤אkingdom the
malkhuta'H4437 →57 times
וּרְבוּתָא֙and greatness the
urevuta'H7238 →5 times
וִיקָרָ֣אand honor the
vikara'H3367 →7 times
וְהַדְרָ֔הand majesty the
vehadrah'H1923 →3 times
יְהַ֖בhe gave
yehavH3052 →28 times
לִנְבֻכַדְנֶצַּ֥רto Nebuchadnezzar
linvukhadnetzarH5020 →31 times
אֲבֽוּךְ׃father your
ʾavukhH2 →9 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 6:22My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O…
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 4:17
But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles would hear it. So I was delivered from the mouth of…
- Hebrews 11:33
who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,
- Acts 12:11
Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.”
- Psalms 91:11–13
For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
- 2 Timothy 4:17
Through
Daniel 4:17This decision is the decree of the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones, so that the living will know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it…
it leads to
- Daniel 4:25
You will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. You will feed on grass like an ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven,…
- Daniel 2:21
He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
- Psalms 75:6–7
For exaltation comes neither from east nor west, nor out of the desert,
- 1 Samuel 2:8
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth…
- Daniel 4:25
Where this verse is studied
About Daniel
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); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Daniel; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 3.17.3-4; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 24:2; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 5:18-19.