Daniel 5:8

Daniel 5:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.
• New International Version (NIV)Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now all the king’s wise men came, but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation.

Context of Daniel 5:8

6When he saw it, his face became white. He was very afraid. His knees shook and his legs became weak. 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.’ Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the words. They could not tell the king what the words meant. 9So King Belshazzar became even more afraid. His face became even whiter. His officers did not know what to do. 10The king's mother heard the voices of the king and his officers. So she came into the room where they were having the party. She said to the king, ‘King, live for ever! Do not be afraid. Do not shake with fear!

Daniel 5:8 word by word

אֱדַ֙יִן֙ עָֽלִּ֔ין כֹּ֖ל חַכִּימֵ֣י מַלְכָּ֑א וְלָֽא־כָהֲלִ֤ין כְּתָבָא֙ לְמִקְרֵ֔א וּפִשְׁרֵ֖הּ לְהוֹדָעָ֥ה לְמַלְכָּֽא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thenאֱדַ֫יִן'ĕdayin · thenH116
• cameעֲלַל‛ălal · to comeH5954
• in allכֹּלkôl · allH3606
• the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
• wiseחַכִּיםchakkîym · wiseH2445
• but they couldכְּהַלkehal · be ableH3546
• notלָאlâ' lâh · notH3809
• readקְרָאqerâ' · to readH7123
• the writingכְּתָבkethâb · inscriptionH3792
• nor make knownיְדַעyeda‛ · to knowH3046
• the interpretationפְּשַׁרpeshar · interpretationH6591

Cross-references for Daniel 5:8

• Daniel 2:27Daniel answered the king, ‘Sir, your dream is a secret. No wise men, enchanters, magicians or diviners can tell you about it.
• 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.
• 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.
• Isaiah 47:9But both of those things will happen to you! They will happen suddenly, in only one day. You will lose your children and you will become a widow. All these troubles will come to hurt you. You can use all your powerful magic but you will not stop this trouble!

Commentaries on Daniel 5:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8They could not read the writing - Because it was in the pure Hebrew, not the Chaldean character. See below.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8As before, the Babylonian wise men could not interpret the omen (see Daniel 2:4–11; 4:7; 5:15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. The words were in such a character as to be illegible to the Chaldees, God reserving this honor to Daniel.Read the comment

Topics related to Daniel 5:8

• Belshazzar
• Wicked (People)
• Wise Men
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Wise men
• Gift
• Light
• Loose
• Aramaic; Aramaic Language
• Baruch, Book of
• Bible, the
• Daniel, Book of
• Languages of the Old Testament
• Text of the Old Testament

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