Berean Standard Bible
Daniel 1:20
20In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.
Daniel 1:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
- New International Version (NIV)In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm.
Context of Daniel 1:20
18Now at the end of the time specified by the king, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19And the king spoke with them, and among all the young men he found no one equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the king’s service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. 21And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
Read all of Daniel 1Daniel 1:20 word by word
וְכֹ֗ל דְּבַר֙ חָכְמַ֣ת בִּינָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־בִּקֵּ֥שׁ מֵהֶ֖ם הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַֽיִּמְצָאֵ֞ם עֶ֣שֶׂר יָד֗וֹת עַ֤ל כָּל־הַֽחַרְטֻמִּים֙ הָֽאַשָּׁפִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּכָל־מַלְכוּתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
- In everyכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- matterדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- of wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
- and understandingבִּינָהbîynâh · understandingH998
- about whichאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- consultedבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- he found themמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- tenעֶשֶׂר‛eώer ‛ăώârâh · tenH6235
- timesיָדyâd · hand: timesH3027
- better thanעַל‛al · uponH5921
- the magiciansאַשָּׁף'ashshâph · enchanterH825
- and enchantersחַרְטֹםcharţôm · magicianH2748
- kingdomמַלְכוּתmalkûth malkûth malkûyâh · royaltyH4438
Cross-references for Daniel 1:20
- 1 Kings 4:29And God gave Solomon wisdom, exceedingly deep insight, and understanding beyond measure, like the sand on the seashore.
- 1 Kings 10:1Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions.
- Psalms 119:99I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.
- Genesis 31:7And although he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, God has not allowed him to harm me.
- Numbers 14:22not one of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness—yet have tested Me and disobeyed Me these ten times—
- Nehemiah 4:12At that time the Jews who lived nearby came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”
- Job 19:3Ten times now you have reproached me; you shamelessly mistreat me.
- Daniel 2:2So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers to explain his dreams. When they came and stood before the king,
- Daniel 4:7When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me.
- 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 clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
- Genesis 41:8In the morning his spirit was troubled, so he summoned all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.
- Exodus 7:11But Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers and magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same things by their magic arts.
- Exodus 8:7But the magicians did the same thing by their magic arts, and they also brought frogs up onto the land of Egypt.
- Isaiah 19:3Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be emptied out from among them, and I will frustrate their plans, so that they will resort to idols and spirits of the dead, to mediums and spiritists.
- Isaiah 47:12So take your stand with your spells and with your many sorceries, with which you have wearied yourself from your youth. Perhaps you will succeed; perhaps you will inspire terror!
- 2 Timothy 3:8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and disqualified from the faith.
Commentaries on Daniel 1:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Magicians and astrologers - Probably the same as philosophers and astronomers among us.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20And in all matters of wisdom and understanding - Margin, “of.” The Hebrew is, “Everything of wisdom of understanding.” The Greek, “In all things of wisdom “and” knowledge.” The meaning is, in everything which required peculiar wisdom to understand and explain it. The points submitted were such as would appropriately come before the minds of the sages and magicians who were employed as counselors at court. He found them ten times better - Better…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-21Verses 17-21 Daniel and his fellows kept to their religion; and God rewarded them with eminence in learning. Pious young persons should endeavour to do better than their fellows in useful things; not for the praise of man, but for the honour of the gospel, and that they may be qualified for usefulness. And it is well for a country, and for the honour of a prince, when he is able to judge who are best fitted to serve him, and prefers them on that account…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20The magicians were priests who could predict the future and interpret dreams (see Genesis 44:1–15). They could also perform wonders (see Exodus 7:11). The term enchanters, from the Hebrew word ’ashap, appears only in the book of Daniel. It comes from an Akkadian term for people who spoke spells.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. ten times--literally, "ten hands." magicians--properly, "sacred scribes, skilled in the sacred writings, a class of Egyptian priests" [Gesenius]; from a Hebrew root, "a pen." The word in our English Version, "magicians," comes from mag, that is, "a priest." The Magi formed one of the six divisions of the Medes. astrologers--Hebrew, "enchanters," from a root, "to conceal," pactisers of the occult arts.Read the comment
Topics related to Daniel 1:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Daniel 1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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