New Living Translation
Daniel 5:11
11There 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.
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;
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- 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.
Context of Daniel 5:11
9So the king grew even more alarmed, and his face turned pale. His nobles, too, were shaken. 10But when the queen mother heard what was happening, she hurried to the banquet hall. She said to Belshazzar, “Long live the king! Don’t be so pale and frightened. 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. 12This man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has exceptional ability and is filled with divine knowledge and understanding. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.” 13So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles brought from Judah by my predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar?
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, “Truly, your God is the greatest of gods, the Lord over kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this secret.”
- Daniel 4:8At last Daniel came in before me, and I told him the dream. (He was named Belteshazzar after my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)
- Genesis 41:11One night the chief baker and I each had a dream, and each dream had its own meaning.
- Daniel 5:2While Belshazzar was drinking the wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver cups that his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem. He wanted to drink from them with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.
- Daniel 2:11The king’s demand is impossible. No one except the gods can tell you your dream, and they do not live here among people.”
- 2 Samuel 14:17Yes, my lord the king will give us peace of mind again.’ I know that you are like an angel of God in discerning good from evil. May the Lord your God be with you.”
- Acts 12:22The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, “It’s the voice of a god, not of a man!”
- Acts 14:11When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect, “These men are gods in human form!”
- Revelation 3:9Look, I will force those who belong to Satan’s synagogue—those liars who say they are Jews but are not—to come and bow down at your feet. They will acknowledge that you are the ones I love.
- Daniel 2:48Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men.
- Daniel 4:9“I said to him, ‘Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too great for you to solve. Now tell me what my dream means.
- Acts 16:16One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes.
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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