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Daniel 5:29

in Daniel 5

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.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

KJV

Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

This verse in Daniel 5

Commentary

9 notes on this verse

A commentator

Jerome

St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER FIVE · Written before 420.

Verse 29. "Then at the kings order Daniel was clothed with purple and a golden chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed to have authority as third ruler in the kingdom." Or else, it might be construed as having authority over a third part of the kingdom. At any rate he received the royal insignia of necklace and purple, with the result that he appeared more notable to Darius, who was to be the successor in the royal power, and all the more honorable because of his notability.

This site's exposition

third highest ruler in the kingdom

Belshazzar keeps his word under sentence, giving Daniel the purple, the gold chain and the rank of “the third highest ruler in the kingdom”. Nineteenth and twentieth century archaeology shows Belshazzar as co-regent under his father Nabonidus, who remained first ruler, so third was the most he could give.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

Ephrem the Syrian

COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 5:29 · Written before 373.

proposed

The vain king did not do that in order to give honor to Daniel for those sad omens, which he had announced to him by interpreting the writing, but he tried to catch his benevolence, as if he had understood that Daniel was extremely pleasing …

A commentator

Hippolytus of Rome

Commentary on Daniel 3.18.1 · Written before 235.

proposed

For the king, after he heard the writing and its interpretation, was grieved at what was spoken, but he commanded Daniel to be clothed in purple and to be the third position in the kingdom.

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. 31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. Reason enough he had to tremble, for he was just falling into the hands of the king of terrors,

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:25w-of-44

Then commanded Belshazzar,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

As the capture of the city by Cyrus was not till near daylight, there was no want of time in that eventful night for accomplishing all that is here recorded. The capture of the city so immediately after the prophecy of it (following Belshazzar's sacrilege), marked most emphatically to the whole world the connection between Babylon's sin and its punishment.
2 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Clothed Daniel with scarlet - ארגונא argevana, more probably with purple. The gold chain about the neck was an emblem of magisterial authority. It is often thus mentioned in Scripture.
Then commanded Belshazzar - In compliance with his promise, Dan 5:16. Though the interpretation had been so fearful in its import, and though Daniel had been so plain and faithful with him, yet he did not hesitate to fulfill his promise. It is a remarkable instance of the result of fidelity, that a proud monarch should have received such a reproof, and such a prediction in this manner, and it is an encouragement to us to do our duty, and to state the truth plainly to wicked men.

The words behind it

18 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.

  • בֵּאדַ֣יִן׀<in> then

    bedayinH116 →57 times

  • אֲמַ֣רhe said

    ʾamarH560 →71 times

  • בֵּלְשַׁאצַּ֗רBelshazzar

    beleshatzarH1113 →7 times

  • וְהַלְבִּ֤ישׁוּand they clothed

    vehalbishuH3848 →3 times

  • לְדָֽנִיֵּאל֙<obj.> Daniel

    ledaniyelH1841 →57 times

  • אַרְגְּוָנָ֔א<the> purple

    ʾargevana'H711 →3 times

  • וְהַֽמְנִיכָ֥אand necklace the

    vehamonkha'H2002 →3 times

  • דִֽי־of

    di-H1768 →345 times

  • דַהֲבָ֖א<the> gold

    dahava'H1722 →23 times

  • עַֽל־[was] on

    ʾal-H5922 →104 times

  • צַוְּארֵ֑הּneck his

    tzaverehH6676 →3 times

  • וְהַכְרִ֣זֽוּand they made proclamation

    vehakhrizuH3745 →

  • עֲל֔וֹהִיconcerning him

    alohiH5922 →104 times

  • דִּֽי־that

    di-H1768 →345 times

  • לֶהֱוֵ֥אhe will be

    leheve'H1934 →71 times

  • שַׁלִּ֛יטhaving mastery

    shalitH7990 →10 times

  • תַּלְתָּ֖אthird the

    talta'H8531 →

  • בְּמַלְכוּתָֽא׃in kingdom the

    bemalkhuta'H4437 →57 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

    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…

    it leads to

    • Daniel 5:16

      But 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…

    • 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 2:6

      But 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.”

    • Daniel 6:2–3

      and over them three administrators, including Daniel, to whom these satraps were accountable so that the king would not suffer loss.

  • Through

    Daniel 5:16

    But 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…

    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…

    • 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.”

    • Acts 8:18

      When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money.

Where this verse is studied

About Daniel

Daniel Interprets the Writing on the Wall — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Daniel Interprets the Writing on the Wall — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Daniel; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Daniel; Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 5:29; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 3.18.1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER FIVE; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.