Daniel 5:16

Daniel 5:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
• New International Version (NIV)Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and explain enigmas. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

Context of Daniel 5:16

14Now I have heard about you that a spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight, and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. 15Just now the wise men and the sorcerers were brought in before me to read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not declare the interpretation of the message. But I personally have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read the inscription and make its interpretation known to me, you will be clothed with purple and wear a necklace of gold around your neck, and you will have authority as the third ruler in the kingdom.” 17Then Daniel replied and said before the king, “Keep your gifts for yourself or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the interpretation known to him. 18O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty, greatness, honor, and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father.

Daniel 5:16 word by word

וַאֲנָה֙ שִׁמְעֵ֣ת עֲלָ֔ךְ דִּֽי־תִיכּ֥וּל פִּשְׁרִ֛ין לְמִפְשַׁ֖ר וְקִטְרִ֣ין לְמִשְׁרֵ֑א כְּעַ֡ן הֵן֩ תִּכ֨וּל כְּתָבָ֜א לְמִקְרֵ֗א וּפִשְׁרֵהּ֙ לְהוֹדָ֣עֻתַ֔נִי אַרְגְּוָנָ֣א תִלְבַּ֗שׁ וְהַֽמְנִיכָ֤א דִֽי־דַהֲבָא֙ עַֽל־צַוְּארָ֔ךְ וְתַלְתָּ֥א בְמַלְכוּתָ֖א תִּשְׁלַֽט׃ פRead the interlinear

• But I personallyאֲנָה'ănâ' 'ănâh · IH576
• have heardשְׁמַעshema‛ · to hearH8086
• aboutעַל‛al · uponH5922
• you, that you are ableיְכִלyekêl yekîyl · be ableH3202
• to giveפְּשַׁרpeshar · to interpretH6590
• and solveשְׁרָאsherê' · to looseH8271
• difficultקְטַרqeţar · jointH7001
• Nowכְּעַןke‛an · nowH3705
• ifהֵןhên · ifH2006
• to readקְרָאqerâ' · to readH7123
• the inscriptionכְּתָבkethâb · inscriptionH3792
• and makeיְדַעyeda‛ · to knowH3046
• interpretationפְּשַׁרpeshar · interpretationH6591
• clothedלְבֵשׁlebash · to clotheH3848
• with purpleאַרְגְּוָן'argevân · purpleH711
• a necklaceהַמְנִיכָאhamnîyk hămûnêk · chainH2002
• of goldדְּהַבdehab · goldH1722
• your neckצַוַּארtsavva'r · neckH6676
• and you will haveשְׁלֵטshelêţ · to ruleH7981
• as the thirdתְּלַתtelath · thirdH8531
• in the kingdomמַלְכוּmalkû · kingdomH4437

Cross-references for Daniel 5:16

• Genesis 40:8And they said to him, “We have had a dream, and there is no one to interpret it.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do interpretations not belong to God? Tell it to me, please.”
• Daniel 5:7The king called aloud to bring in the sorcerers, the Chaldeans, and the diviners. The king began speaking and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Anyone who can read this inscription and explain its interpretation to me shall be clothed with purple and have a necklace of gold around his neck, and have authority as third ruler in the kingdom.”
• Acts 8:18Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,

Commentaries on Daniel 5:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Dissolve doubts - Untie knots - unbind what is bound. An expression used in the east to signify a judge of eminent wisdom and skill.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-17Verses 10-17 Daniel was forgotten at court; he lived privately, and was then ninety years of age. Many consult servants of God on curious questions, or to explain difficult subjects, but without asking the way of salvation, or the path of duty. Daniel slighted the offer of reward. He spoke to Belshazzar as to a condemned criminal. We should despise all the gifts and rewards this world can give, did we see, as we may by faith, its end hastening on; but let…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-30All earthly kingdoms eventually end. Nebuchadnezzar's dream suggested that Babylon would fall and a new kingdom would rise (Daniel 2:39). After Nebuchadnezzar died in 562 BC, violence and corruption grew in Babylon's palaces. During Belshazzar's feast in 539 BC, they even defiled God's holy vessels. God's judgment came quickly that night (Daniel 5:30), and the next kingdom took over (see 2:32, 39; 5:31).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-311. Belshazzar--Rawlinson, from the Assyrian inscriptions, has explained the seeming discrepancy between Daniel and the heathen historians of Babylon, Berosus and Abydenus, who say the last king (Nabonidus) surrendered in Borsippa, after Babylon was taken, and had an honorable abode in Caramania assigned to him. Belshazzar was joint king with his father (called Minus in the inscriptions), but subordinate to him; hence the Babylonian account suppresses the…Read the comment

Topics related to Daniel 5:16

• Belshazzar
• Colors
• Self-Denial
• Symbols and Similitudes
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Colour
• Gift
• Light
• Loose
• Aramaic; Aramaic Language
• Baruch, Book of
• Bible, the
• Color; Colors
• Daniel, Book of
• Doubt

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