New King James Version
Daniel 1:20
20And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm.
Daniel 1:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
- New International Version (NIV)In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.
Context of Daniel 1:20
18Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm. 21Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus.
Read all of Daniel 1Daniel 1:20 word by word
וְכֹ֗ל דְּבַר֙ חָכְמַ֣ת בִּינָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־בִּקֵּ֥שׁ מֵהֶ֖ם הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַֽיִּמְצָאֵ֞ם עֶ֣שֶׂר יָד֗וֹת עַ֤ל כָּל־הַֽחַרְטֻמִּים֙ הָֽאַשָּׁפִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּכָל־מַלְכוּתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And in all mattersדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- of wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
- understandingבִּינָהbîynâh · understandingH998
- that the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- enquiredבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- of them, he foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- them ten timesעֶשֶׂר‛eώer ‛ăώârâh · tenH6235
- betterיָדyâd · hand: timesH3027
- than all the magiciansחַרְטֹםcharţôm · magicianH2748
- astrologersאַשָּׁף'ashshâph · enchanterH825
- in all his realmמַלְכוּתmalkûth malkûth malkûyâh · royaltyH4438
Cross-references for Daniel 1:20
- 1 Kings 4:29And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore.
- 1 Kings 10:1Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.
- Psalms 119:99I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation.
- Genesis 31:7Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me.
- Numbers 14:22because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice,
- Nehemiah 4:12So it was, when the Jews who dwelt near them came, that they told us ten times, “From whatever place you turn, they will be upon us.”
- Job 19:3These ten times you have reproached me; You are not ashamed that you have wronged me.
- Daniel 2:2Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
- Daniel 4:7Then the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told them the dream; but they did not make known to me its interpretation.
- Daniel 5:7The 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.”
- Genesis 41:8Now it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.
- Exodus 7:11But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
- Exodus 8:7And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.
- Isaiah 19:3The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst; I will destroy their counsel, And they will consult the idols and the charmers, The mediums and the sorcerers.
- Isaiah 47:12“Stand now with your enchantments And the multitude of your sorceries, In which you have labored from your youth— Perhaps you will be able to profit, Perhaps you will prevail.
- 2 Timothy 3:8Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;
Commentaries on Daniel 1:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Magicians and astrologers - Probably the same as philosophers and astronomers among us.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20And in all matters of wisdom and understanding - Margin, “of.” The Hebrew is, “Everything of wisdom of understanding.” The Greek, “In all things of wisdom “and” knowledge.” The meaning is, in everything which required peculiar wisdom to understand and explain it. The points submitted were such as would appropriately come before the minds of the sages and magicians who were employed as counselors at court. He found them ten times better - Better…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-21Verses 17-21 Daniel and his fellows kept to their religion; and God rewarded them with eminence in learning. Pious young persons should endeavour to do better than their fellows in useful things; not for the praise of man, but for the honour of the gospel, and that they may be qualified for usefulness. And it is well for a country, and for the honour of a prince, when he is able to judge who are best fitted to serve him, and prefers them on that account…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20The magicians were priests who could predict the future and interpret dreams (see Genesis 44:1–15). They could also perform wonders (see Exodus 7:11). The term enchanters, from the Hebrew word ’ashap, appears only in the book of Daniel. It comes from an Akkadian term for people who spoke spells.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. ten times--literally, "ten hands." magicians--properly, "sacred scribes, skilled in the sacred writings, a class of Egyptian priests" [Gesenius]; from a Hebrew root, "a pen." The word in our English Version, "magicians," comes from mag, that is, "a priest." The Magi formed one of the six divisions of the Medes. astrologers--Hebrew, "enchanters," from a root, "to conceal," pactisers of the occult arts.Read the comment
Topics related to Daniel 1:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Daniel 1
- 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries