Daniel 5:8

Daniel 5:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.
• New International Version (NIV)Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now all the king’s wise men came, but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation.

Context of Daniel 5:8

6and his face turned pale with fright. His knees knocked together in fear and his legs gave way beneath him. 7The 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!” But when all the king’s wise men had come in, none of them could read the writing or tell him what it meant. 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.

Daniel 5:8 word by word

אֱדַ֙יִן֙ עָֽלִּ֔ין כֹּ֖ל חַכִּימֵ֣י מַלְכָּ֑א וְלָֽא־כָהֲלִ֤ין כְּתָבָא֙ לְמִקְרֵ֔א וּפִשְׁרֵ֖הּ לְהוֹדָעָ֥ה לְמַלְכָּֽא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thenאֱדַ֫יִן'ĕdayin · thenH116
• cameעֲלַל‛ălal · to comeH5954
• in allכֹּלkôl · allH3606
• the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
• wiseחַכִּיםchakkîym · wiseH2445
• but they couldכְּהַלkehal · be ableH3546
• notלָאlâ' lâh · notH3809
• readקְרָאqerâ' · to readH7123
• the writingכְּתָבkethâb · inscriptionH3792
• nor make knownיְדַעyeda‛ · to knowH3046
• the interpretationפְּשַׁרpeshar · interpretationH6591

Cross-references for Daniel 5:8

• Daniel 2:27Daniel replied, “There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune-tellers who can reveal the king’s secret.
• Daniel 4:7When all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers came in, I told them the dream, but they could not tell me what it meant.
• Genesis 41:8The next morning Pharaoh was very disturbed by the dreams. So he called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. When Pharaoh told them his dreams, not one of them could tell him what they meant.
• Isaiah 47:9Well, both these things will come upon you in a moment: widowhood and the loss of your children. Yes, these calamities will come upon you, despite all your witchcraft and magic.

Commentaries on Daniel 5:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8They could not read the writing - Because it was in the pure Hebrew, not the Chaldean character. See below.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8As before, the Babylonian wise men could not interpret the omen (see Daniel 2:4–11; 4:7; 5:15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. The words were in such a character as to be illegible to the Chaldees, God reserving this honor to Daniel.Read the comment

Topics related to Daniel 5:8

• Belshazzar
• Wicked (People)
• Wise Men
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Wise men
• Gift
• Light
• Loose
• Aramaic; Aramaic Language
• Baruch, Book of
• Bible, the
• Daniel, Book of
• Languages of the Old Testament
• Text of the Old Testament

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