EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Daniel 5:21
21They chased him away from his home. His mind became like an animal's mind. He lived with the wild donkeys. He ate grass like cows do. Dew from the sky made his body wet. He lived in that way until he understood that the powerful God above rules over human kingdoms. God gives authority to rule to anyone that he chooses.
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 God made him so great, the people in every nation, who spoke every language, were very afraid of him. If he wanted to kill someone, he could kill them. And if he wanted to save someone, he could let them live. If he wanted to make someone important, he did that. And if he wanted to make someone poor, he did that too. 20But he became very proud and he boasted about his power. So God took away his kingdom. People did not respect him any longer as king. They chased him away from his home. His mind became like an animal's mind. He lived with the wild donkeys. He ate grass like cows do. Dew from the sky made his body wet. He lived in that way until he understood that the powerful God above rules over human kingdoms. God gives authority to rule to anyone that he chooses. 22King Belshazzar, you are Nebuchadnezzar's son, and you knew all that. But you did not become humble. 23You thought that you were greater than the Lord of heaven. So you told your servants to bring the valuable cups that belong to God's temple. You yourself, your wives, your other women and your important friends drank wine from those cups. You praised your gods that were made from silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood and stone. Those are idols that cannot see or hear. They cannot understand anything. But you worshipped them instead of the true God. He is the God who gives life to you. He has power over everything that you do.
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he was drivenטְרַדţerad · to chase awayH2957
- fromמִן־min · fromH4481
- the sonsבֵּןbên · sonH1123
- of menאֱנָשׁ'ĕnâsh 'ĕnash · manH606
- and his heartלְבַבlebab · heartH3825
- was madeשְׁוָהshevâh · be likeH7739
- likeעִם‛im · withH5974
- the beastsחֵיוָאchêyvâ' · beastH2423
- and his dwellingמְדוֹרmedôr medôr medâr · dwellingH4070
- with the wild assesעֲרָד‛ărâd · wild donkeyH6167
- they fedטְעֵםţe‛am · to feedH2939
- him with grassעֲשַׂב‛âsh ‛ăsab · grassH6211
- like oxenתּוֹרtôr · bullockH8450
- and his bodyגְּשֵׁםgeshem · bodyH1655
- was wetצְבַעtseba‛ · to drenchH6647
- with the dewטַלţal · dewH2920
- of heavenשָׁמַ֫יִןshâmayin · heavenH8065
- tillעַד‛ad · tillH5705
- he knewיְדַעyeda‛ · to knowH3046
- that the most highעִלַּי‛illay · Most HighH5943
- Godאֱלָהּ'ĕlâhh · godH426
- ruledשַׁלִּיטshallîyţ · rulingH7990
- in the kingdomמַלְכוּmalkû · kingdomH4437
- he appointethקוּםqûm · to stand: establishH6966
- overעַל‛al · uponH5922
- it whomsoeverמָןmân · who?H4479
- he willצְבָאtsebâ' · to willH6634
Cross-references for Daniel 5:21
- Daniel 4:25People will chase you away from the city, so that you have to live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like cows do. Dew from the sky will make you wet. You will live in that way for seven years. Then you will understand that the powerful God above rules over human kingdoms. He gives authority to rule to anyone that he chooses.
- Job 30:3They were weak and thin because they were hungry. They had to look for food in the desert at night. They found roots to eat in dry places.
- Daniel 4:17The holy angels who take care of the earth have decided this. It is their command. Now everyone will be sure that the powerful God above rules over human kingdoms. He gives authority to rule to anyone that he chooses. He causes humble men to rule as kings.” ’
- Exodus 9:14This time, I will send all my troubles to punish you. I will send them against you, your officers and your people. I want you to know that there is nobody as great as me in the whole earth. That is why I am doing this.
- Psalms 83:17May they always be ashamed and frightened. Let them die with shame!
- Ezekiel 17:24Then all the trees of the forest will know that I am the Lord. I cause tall trees to fall down. I cause small trees to grow tall. I cause green trees to become dry. I cause dry trees to make fresh leaves. I, the Lord, have said this and I will surely do 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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