New International Version
Daniel 5:11
11There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners.
Daniel 5:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
- English Standard Version (ESV)There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers,
- New King James Version (NKJV)There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.
- New Living Translation (NLT)There is a man in your kingdom who has within him the spirit of the holy gods. During Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, this man was found to have insight, understanding, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your predecessor, the king—your predecessor King Nebuchadnezzar—made him chief over all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers of Babylon.
Context of Daniel 5:11
9So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled. 10The queen, hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “May the king live forever!” she said. “Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale! There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. 12He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.” 13So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah?
Read all of Daniel 5Daniel 5:11 word by word
אִיתַ֨י גְּבַ֜ר בְּמַלְכוּתָ֗ךְ דִּ֠י ר֣וּחַ אֱלָהִ֣ין קַדִּישִׁין֮ בֵּהּ֒ וּבְיוֹמֵ֣י אֲב֗וּךְ נַהִיר֧וּ וְשָׂכְלְתָנ֛וּ וְחָכְמָ֥ה כְּחָכְמַת־אֱלָהִ֖ין הִשְׁתְּכַ֣חַת בֵּ֑הּ וּמַלְכָּ֤א נְבֻֽכַדְנֶצַּר֙ אֲב֔וּךְ רַ֧ב חַרְטֻמִּ֣ין אָֽשְׁפִ֗ין כַּשְׂדָּאִין֙ גָּזְרִ֔ין הֲקִימֵ֖הּ אֲב֥וּךְ מַלְכָּֽא׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- There isאִיתַי'îythay · there isH383
- a manגְּבַרgebar · manH1400
- in thy kingdomמַלְכוּmalkû · kingdomH4437
- the spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7308
- of the holyקַדִּישׁqaddîysh · holyH6922
- godsאֱלָהּ'ĕlâhh · godH426
- and in the daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3118
- of thy fatherאַב'ab · fatherH2
- lightנְהִירוּnehîyr nehîyrû · illuminationH5094
- and understandingשׇׂכְלְתָנוּώoklethânû · insightH7924
- and wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2452
- was foundשְׁכַחshekach · to findH7912
- in him; whom the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
- Nebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר, נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּרnebûkkadnetstsar · NebuchadnezzarH5020
- madeקוּםqûm · to stand: establishH6966
- masterרַבrab · greatH7229
- of the magiciansחַרְטֹםcharţôm · magicianH2749
- astrologersאָשַׁף'ashshâph · enchanterH826
- Chaldeansכַּשְׂדַּיkaώday · ChaldeanH3779
- soothsayersגְּזַרgezar · to determineH1505
Cross-references for Daniel 5:11
- Daniel 2:47The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.”
- Daniel 4:8Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)
- Genesis 41:11Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.
- Daniel 5:2While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them.
- Daniel 2:11What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among humans.”
- 2 Samuel 14:17“And now your servant says, ‘May the word of my lord the king secure my inheritance, for my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good and evil. May the Lord your God be with you.’ ”
- Acts 12:22They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.”
- Acts 14:11When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!”
- Revelation 3:9I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.
- Daniel 2:48Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men.
- Daniel 4:9I said, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me.
- Acts 16:16Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.
Commentaries on Daniel 5:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Nebuchadnezzar thy father - See the note on Daniel 5:1; (note).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. 11-12The queen mother thought that someone with the spirit of the holy gods, who could interpret dreams (see Daniel 1:17), should also interpret the writing.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. spirit of the holy gods--She remembers and repeats Nebuchadnezzar's language (Da 4:8, 9, 18). As Daniel was probably, according to Oriental custom, deprived of the office to which Nebuchadnezzar had promoted him, as "master of the magicians" (Da 4:9), at the king's death, Belshazzar might easily be ignorant of his services. the king ... thy father the king ... thy father--The repetition marks with emphatic gravity both the excellencies of Daniel, and…Read the comment
Topics related to Daniel 5:11
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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