Christian Standard Bible
Daniel 1:20
20In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and mediums 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
18At the end of the time that the king had said to present them, the chief eunuch presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19The king interviewed them, and among all of them, no one was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they began to attend the king. In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and mediums in his entire kingdom. 21Daniel 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And in all mattersדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- of wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
- understandingבִּינָהbîynâh · understandingH998
- that the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- enquiredבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- of them, he foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- them ten timesעֶשֶׂר‛eώer ‛ăώârâh · tenH6235
- betterיָדyâd · hand: timesH3027
- than all the magiciansחַרְטֹםcharţôm · magicianH2748
- astrologersאַשָּׁף'ashshâph · enchanterH825
- in all his realmמַלְכוּתmalkûth malkûth malkûyâh · royaltyH4438
Cross-references for Daniel 1:20
- 1 Kings 4:29God gave Solomon wisdom, very great insight, and understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore.
- 1 Kings 10:1The queen of Sheba heard about Solomon’s fame connected with the name of the Lord and came to test him with difficult questions.
- Psalms 119:99I have more insight than all my teachers because your decrees are my meditation.
- Genesis 31:7and that he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God has not let him harm me.
- Numbers 14:22none of the men who have seen my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tested me these ten times and did not obey me,
- Nehemiah 4:12When the Jews who lived nearby arrived, they said to us time and again, “Everywhere you turn, they attack us.”
- Job 19:3You have humiliated me ten times now, and you mistreat me without shame.
- Daniel 2:2So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, mediums, sorcerers, and Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. When they came and stood before the king,
- Daniel 4:7When the magicians, mediums, Chaldeans, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, but they could not make its interpretation known to me.
- Daniel 5:7The king shouted to bring in the mediums, Chaldeans, and diviners. He said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and gives me its interpretation will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around his neck, and have the third highest position in the kingdom.”
- Genesis 41:8When morning came, he was troubled, so he summoned all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.
- Exodus 7:11But then Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers — the magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same thing by their occult practices.
- Exodus 8:7But the magicians did the same thing by their occult practices and brought frogs up onto the land of Egypt.
- Isaiah 19:3Egypt’s spirit will be disturbed within it, and I will frustrate its plans. Then they will inquire of worthless idols, ghosts, mediums, and spiritists.
- Isaiah 47:12So take your stand with your spells and your many sorceries, which you have wearied yourself with from your youth. Perhaps you will be able to succeed; perhaps you will inspire terror!
- 2 Timothy 3:8Just as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so these also resist the truth. They are men who are corrupt in mind and worthless in regard to 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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