New International Version
Daniel 5:7
7The king summoned the enchanters, astrologers and diviners. Then he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
Daniel 5:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom."
- New King James Version (NKJV)The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)The king shouted for the enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers to be brought before him. He said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever can read this writing and tell me what it means will be dressed in purple robes of royal honor and will have a gold chain placed around his neck. He will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom!”
Context of Daniel 5:7
5Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. 6His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking. The king summoned the enchanters, astrologers and diviners. Then he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.” 8Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant. 9So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled.
Read all of Daniel 5Daniel 5:7 word by word
קָרֵ֤א מַלְכָּא֙ בְּחַ֔יִל לְהֶֽעָלָה֙ לְאָ֣שְׁפַיָּ֔א כַּשְׂדָּאֵ֖י וְגָזְרַיָּ֑א עָנֵ֨ה מַלְכָּ֜א וְאָמַ֣ר׀ לְחַכִּימֵ֣י בָבֶ֗ל דִּ֣י כָל־אֱ֠נָשׁ דִּֽי־יִקְרֵ֞ה כְּתָבָ֣ה דְנָ֗ה וּפִשְׁרֵהּ֙ יְחַוִּנַּ֔נִי אַרְגְּוָנָ֣א יִלְבַּ֗שׁ וְהַֽמְנִיכָ֤א דִֽי־דַהֲבָא֙ עַֽל־צַוְּארֵ֔הּ וְתַלְתִּ֥י בְמַלְכוּתָ֖א יִשְׁלַֽט׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
- criedקְרָאqerâ' · to readH7123
- aloudחַ֫יִלchayil · strengthH2429
- to bringעֲלַל‛ălal · to comeH5954
- in the astrologersאָשַׁף'ashshâph · enchanterH826
- the Chaldeansכַּשְׂדַּיkaώday · ChaldeanH3779
- and the soothsayersגְּזַרgezar · to determineH1505
- spakeעֲנָה‛ănâh · to answerH6032
- and saidאֲמַר'ămar · to sayH560
- to the wiseחַכִּיםchakkîym · wiseH2445
- of Babylonבָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶלbâbel · BabylonH895
- Whosoeverכֹּלkôl · allH3606
- Whosoeverאֱנָשׁ'ĕnâsh 'ĕnash · manH606
- thisדְּנָהdên · thisH1836
- writingכְּתָבkethâb · inscriptionH3792
- and shewחֲוָהchăvâ' · to showH2324
- me the interpretationפְּשַׁרpeshar · interpretationH6591
- thereof, shall be clothedלְבֵשׁlebash · to clotheH3848
- with scarletאַרְגְּוָן'argevân · purpleH711
- a chainהַמְנִיכָאhamnîyk hămûnêk · chainH2002
- of goldדְּהַבdehab · goldH1722
- aboutעַל‛al · uponH5922
- his neckצַוַּארtsavva'r · neckH6676
- and shall be the thirdתַּלְתִּיtelîythay taltîy · thirdH8523
- rulerשְׁלֵטshelêţ · to ruleH7981
- in the kingdomמַלְכוּmalkû · kingdomH4437
Cross-references for Daniel 5:7
- Daniel 4:14He called in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
- Daniel 2:2So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king,
- Daniel 4:6So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me.
- Genesis 41:8In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.
- Isaiah 44:25who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense,
- Isaiah 47:13All the counsel you have received has only worn you out! Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you.
- Daniel 5:16Now 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.”
- Daniel 2:6But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.”
- Genesis 41:42Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.
- Numbers 22:7The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.
- Numbers 24:11Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”
- 1 Samuel 17:25Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel.”
- Proverbs 1:9They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.
- Ezekiel 16:11I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck,
- 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 6:2with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss.
Commentaries on Daniel 5:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Whosoever shall read this writing - He knew it must be some awful portent, and wished to know what.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7Purple robes and a gold chain symbolize royalty and power. third highest: This position came after Nabonidus and Belshazzar himself (see study note on Daniel 5:1).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. He calls for the magicians, who more than once had been detected in imposture. He neglects God, and Daniel, whose fame as an interpreter was then well-established. The world wishes to be deceived and shuts its eyes against the light [Calvin]. The Hebrews think the words were Chaldee, but in the old Hebrew character (like that now in the Samaritan Pentateuch). third ruler--The first place was given to the king; the second, to the son of the king, or of…Read the comment
Topics related to Daniel 5:7
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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Commentaries