Berean Standard Bible
Daniel 5:21
21He was driven away from mankind, and his mind was like that of a beast. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, setting over it whom He wishes.
Daniel 5:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
- New International Version (NIV)He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.
- English Standard Version (ESV)He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.
Context of Daniel 5:21
19Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted whom he wished and humbled whom he wished. 20But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him. He was driven away from mankind, and his mind was like that of a beast. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, setting over it whom He wishes. 22But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this. 23Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.
Read all of Daniel 5Daniel 5:21 word by word
וּמִן־בְּנֵי֩ אֲנָשָׁ֨א טְרִ֜יד וְלִבְבֵ֣הּ׀ עִם־חֵיוְתָ֣א שַׁוִּ֗יְו וְעִם־עֲרָֽדַיָּא֙ מְדוֹרֵ֔הּ עִשְׂבָּ֤א כְתוֹרִין֙ יְטַ֣עֲמוּנֵּ֔הּ וּמִטַּ֥ל שְׁמַיָּ֖א גִּשְׁמֵ֣הּ יִצְטַבַּ֑ע עַ֣ד דִּֽי־יְדַ֗ע דִּֽי־שַׁלִּ֞יט אֱלָהָ֤א עִלָּאָה֙ בְּמַלְכ֣וּת אֲנָשָׁ֔א וּלְמַן־דִּ֥י יִצְבֵּ֖ה יְהָקֵ֥ים עֲלַֽהּ׃Read the interlinear
- He was driven awayטְרַדţerad · to chase awayH2957
- fromמִן־min · fromH4481
- mankindבֵּןbên · sonH1123
- mankindאֱנָשׁ'ĕnâsh 'ĕnash · manH606
- and his mindלְבַבlebab · heartH3825
- was likeעִם‛im · withH5974
- a beastחֵיוָאchêyvâ' · beastH2423
- a beastשְׁוָהshevâh · be likeH7739
- He livedמְדוֹרmedôr medôr medâr · dwellingH4070
- the wild donkeysעֲרָד‛ărâd · wild donkeyH6167
- and ateטְעֵםţe‛am · to feedH2939
- grassעֲשַׂב‛âsh ‛ăsab · grassH6211
- like an oxתּוֹרtôr · bullockH8450
- and his bodyגְּשֵׁםgeshem · bodyH1655
- was drenchedצְבַעtseba‛ · to drenchH6647
- with the dewטַלţal · dewH2920
- of heavenשָׁמַ֫יִןshâmayin · heavenH8065
- untilעַד‛ad · tillH5705
- untilדִּיdîy · thatH1768
- he acknowledgedיְדַעyeda‛ · to knowH3046
- the Most Highעִלַּי‛illay · Most HighH5943
- Godאֱלָהּ'ĕlâhh · godH426
- rulesשַׁלִּיטshallîyţ · rulingH7990
- over the kingdomמַלְכוּmalkû · kingdomH4437
- settingקוּםqûm · to stand: establishH6966
- over itעַל‛al · uponH5922
- whomמָןmân · who?H4479
- He wishesצְבָאtsebâ' · to willH6634
Cross-references for Daniel 5:21
- Daniel 4:25You 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, and seven times shall pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.
- Job 30:3Gaunt from poverty and hunger, they gnawed the dry land, and the desolate wasteland by night.
- 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 to whom He wishes, setting over it the lowliest of men.’
- Exodus 9:14Otherwise, I will send all My plagues against you and your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth.
- Psalms 83:17May they be ever ashamed and terrified; may they perish in disgrace.
- Ezekiel 17:24Then all the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD. I bring the tall tree down and make the low tree tall. I dry up the green tree and make the withered tree flourish. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done it.’”
Commentaries on Daniel 5:21
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-31Verses 18-31 Daniel reads Belshazzar's doom. He had not taken warning by the judgments upon Nebuchadnezzar. And he had insulted God. Sinners are pleased with gods that neither see, nor hear, nor know; but they will be judged by One to whom all things are open. Daniel reads the sentence written on the wall. All this may well be applied to the doom of every sinner. At death, the sinner's days are numbered and finished; after death is the judgment, when he…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21the Most High God rules … over it whom He wishes: God taught Nebuchadnezzar this lesson, and it was central to God's message to Belshazzar. God would appoint a new ruler that very night (Daniel 5:30–31).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. heart was made like ... beasts--literally, "he made his heart like the beasts," that is, he desired to dwell with them.Read the comment
Topics related to Daniel 5:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Daniel 5
- 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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