God’s Word Translation
Daniel 5:19
19People from every province, nation, and language trembled and were terrified by him, because God gave him power. Nebuchadnezzar killed whomever he wanted to kill, and he kept alive whomever he wanted to keep alive. He promoted whomever he wanted to promote, and he demoted whomever he wanted to demote.
Daniel 5:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.
- New International Version (NIV)Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And because of the majesty that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down.
Context of Daniel 5:19
17Daniel told the king, “Keep your gifts. Give your gifts and awards to someone else. I’ll still read the writing for you and tell you its meaning. 18“Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your grandfather Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, might, honor, and glory. People from every province, nation, and language trembled and were terrified by him, because God gave him power. Nebuchadnezzar killed whomever he wanted to kill, and he kept alive whomever he wanted to keep alive. He promoted whomever he wanted to promote, and he demoted whomever he wanted to demote. 20But when he became so arrogant and conceited that he became overconfident, he was removed from the royal throne. His honor was taken away from him. 21He was chased away from people, and his mind was changed into an animal’s mind. He lived with wild donkeys, ate grass like cattle, and his body became wet with dew from the sky. This happened until he realized that the Most High God has power over human kingdoms. God puts whomever he wishes in charge of them.
Read all of Daniel 5Daniel 5:19 word by word
וּמִן־רְבוּתָא֙ דִּ֣י יְהַב־לֵ֔הּ כֹּ֣ל עַֽמְמַיָּ֗א אֻמַיָּא֙ וְלִשָּׁ֣נַיָּ֔א הֲו֛וֹ זָיְעִ֥ין וְדָחֲלִ֖ין מִן־קֳדָמ֑וֹהִי דִּֽי־הֲוָ֨ה צָבֵ֜א הֲוָ֣א קָטֵ֗ל וְדִֽי־הֲוָ֤ה צָבֵא֙ הֲוָ֣ה מַחֵ֔א וְדִֽי־הֲוָ֤ה צָבֵא֙ הֲוָ֣ה מָרִ֔ים וְדִֽי־הֲוָ֥ה צָבֵ֖א הֲוָ֥ה מַשְׁפִּֽיל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And forמִן־min · fromH4481
- the majestyרְבוּrebû · greatnessH7238
- that he gaveיְהַבyehab · to giveH3052
- him, allכֹּלkôl · allH3606
- peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5972
- nationsאֻמָּה'ûmmâh · peopleH524
- and languagesלִשָּׁןlishshân · tongueH3961
- trembledזוּעַzûa‛ · to trembleH2112
- trembledהֲוָאhâvâ' hâvâh · to beH1934
- and fearedדְּחַלdechal · to fearH1763
- himקֳדָםqŏdâm qedâm · beforeH6925
- whom he wouldצְבָאtsebâ' · to willH6634
- he slewקְטַלqeţal · to slayH6992
- he kept aliveחֲיָאchăyâ' chăyâh · to liveH2418
- he set upרוּםrûm · to riseH7313
- he put downשְׁפֵלshephal · be lowH8214
Cross-references for Daniel 5:19
- Daniel 3:4The herald called out loudly, “People of every province, nation, and language!
- Daniel 4:22You are that tree, Your Majesty. You grew and became strong and mighty until you reached the sky. Your power reaches the most distant part of the world.
- Jeremiah 25:9so I’m going to send for all the families from the north. I will also send for my servant King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, declares the Lord. I will bring the families from the north to attack this land, its people, and all these surrounding nations. I’m going to destroy them and turn them into something terrible, something ridiculed, and something permanently ruined.
- Jeremiah 27:5‘I used my great strength and my powerful arm to make the earth along with the people and the animals on it. I give it to anyone I please.
- Habakkuk 2:5Also because wine is treacherous he is arrogant and never rests. He has a large appetite like the grave. He is like death—never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself. He collects all the people to himself.
- Romans 13:1Every person should obey the government in power. No government would exist if it hadn’t been established by God. The governments which exist have been put in place by God.
- Daniel 2:12This made the king so angry and furious that he gave an order to destroy all the wise advisers in Babylon.
- Daniel 3:6Whoever doesn’t bow down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
- Proverbs 16:14A king’s anger announces death, but a wise man makes peace with him.
- John 19:11Jesus answered Pilate, “You wouldn’t have any authority over me if it hadn’t been given to you from above. That’s why the man who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
Commentaries on Daniel 5:19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Whom he would he slew - The genuine character of a despot, whose will is the only rule of his conduct.Read the comment
- 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. 18-21Daniel used Nebuchadnezzar as an example that should have guided the kings who came after him. But Belshazzar repeated the same mistake. He lifted himself up and dishonored the Most High God.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. A purely absolute monarchy (Jr 27:7).Read the comment
Topics related to Daniel 5:19
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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