Daniel 1:20

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

18King Nebuchadnezzar had said that the young men must study for three years. After that time finished, the king's officer took them to the king. 19The king spoke with all the young men. He discovered that there was nobody else like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. So they became the king's servants. Whenever the king needed help to understand something important, these men showed how wise they were. They knew ten times more than any of the king's other wise men. Those men used magic or they studied the stars to know what would happen in the future. They came from all the different countries that Nebuchadnezzar ruled. 21And Daniel lived in Babylon until the year when Cyrus became king.

Daniel 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 so that he understood things well. He knew about everything, more things than there is sand on the shore of the sea!
• 1 Kings 10:1The Queen of Sheba heard news that Solomon was a great king who served the Lord. So she came to ask Solomon some difficult questions to see how wise he was.
• Psalms 119:99I understand more than all my teachers, because I think about your rules.
• Genesis 31:7But your father has cheated me many times. He has changed what I receive for my work at least ten times. But God has protected me from him.
• Numbers 14:22All these people have seen my glory. They have seen the miracles that I did in Egypt and in the desert. But they have tested me many times now to see if I would punish them. They still do not obey me.
• Nehemiah 4:12The Jews who lived near our enemies warned us many times. They told us that our enemies would attack us wherever we went.
• Job 19:3You have insulted me many, many times. You should be ashamed to attack me like that.
• Daniel 2:2He told his servants that they must bring the magicians, enchanters, diviners and wise men to him. He wanted them to explain his dream. So they came in and they stood in front of the king.
• Daniel 4:7When the magicians, enchanters, wise men and diviners came to me, I told them the dream. But none of them could tell me what the dream meant.
• Daniel 5:7The king called for his enchanters, his wise men and his diviners to come. When they arrived, the king said to them, ‘Who can read these words? Who can tell me what they mean? Whoever can do that, I will make him great. I will put valuable purple clothes on him and he will have a gold chain around his neck. I will make him the third ruler in the kingdom.’
• Genesis 41:8In the morning, Pharaoh had trouble in his mind. So he told all the magicians and the wise men in Egypt to come to him. Pharaoh told them about his dreams. But no one could tell Pharaoh what his dreams meant.
• Exodus 7:11Then Pharaoh called for his wise men and his magicians to come to him. The Egyptian magicians did the same thing as Aaron. They used their secret magic to do it.
• Exodus 8:7But the magicians used their magic to do the same thing. They also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.
• Isaiah 19:3The Egyptians will become afraid, so that they do not know what to do. They will ask for help from their idols. They will ask the spirits of dead people to tell them what to do. They will ask magicians to talk to those spirits on their behalf.
• Isaiah 47:12So continue with your magic, if you want to. Say your magic words. You have always used that magic, since you were young. Perhaps your magic will help you. Perhaps you will frighten your enemies!
• 2 Timothy 3:8These are people who speak against God's true message, in the same way that Jannes and Jambres spoke against Moses. Their minds have become confused. The way that they serve God is false.

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

• Abed-Nego
• Astrology
• Civil Service
• Government
• Instruction
• Integrity
• Magician
• Mishael
• School

In the dictionaries

• Astrologer
• Hananiah
• Liking
• Magicians
• Genealogy
• Number
• Shadrach
• Witch; Witchcraft
• Daniel, the Book of
• Meshach

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