Tree of Life Version
Daniel 5:21
21He was driven away from among men and his mind became like an animal, and his dwelling was with the wild asses; he fed on grass like an ox, and his body was damp with the dew of heaven until he recognized that God Most High is sovereign over the realm of mankind and that He sets up over it whomever He wills.
Daniel 5:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
- New International Version (NIV)He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.
- English Standard Version (ESV)He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.
Context of Daniel 5:21
19Because of the grandeur that He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations and languages dreaded and feared him. He killed whomever he wanted and spared anyone he wanted; he raised up whomever he wished and humbled anyone he wished. 20But when his heart became haughty and his spirit hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. He was driven away from among men and his mind became like an animal, and his dwelling was with the wild asses; he fed on grass like an ox, and his body was damp with the dew of heaven until he recognized that God Most High is sovereign over the realm of mankind and that He sets up over it whomever He wills. 22“But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this. 23Instead you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. You had the vessels of His House brought before you, and you and your nobles, your consorts and your concubines have been drinking wine in them. You have praised the gods made of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. Yet you did not honor the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.
Read all of Daniel 5Daniel 5:21 word by word
וּמִן־בְּנֵי֩ אֲנָשָׁ֨א טְרִ֜יד וְלִבְבֵ֣הּ׀ עִם־חֵיוְתָ֣א שַׁוִּ֗יְו וְעִם־עֲרָֽדַיָּא֙ מְדוֹרֵ֔הּ עִשְׂבָּ֤א כְתוֹרִין֙ יְטַ֣עֲמוּנֵּ֔הּ וּמִטַּ֥ל שְׁמַיָּ֖א גִּשְׁמֵ֣הּ יִצְטַבַּ֑ע עַ֣ד דִּֽי־יְדַ֗ע דִּֽי־שַׁלִּ֞יט אֱלָהָ֤א עִלָּאָה֙ בְּמַלְכ֣וּת אֲנָשָׁ֔א וּלְמַן־דִּ֥י יִצְבֵּ֖ה יְהָקֵ֥ים עֲלַֽהּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he was drivenטְרַדţerad · to chase awayH2957
- fromמִן־min · fromH4481
- the sonsבֵּןbên · sonH1123
- of menאֱנָשׁ'ĕnâsh 'ĕnash · manH606
- and his heartלְבַבlebab · heartH3825
- was madeשְׁוָהshevâh · be likeH7739
- likeעִם‛im · withH5974
- the beastsחֵיוָאchêyvâ' · beastH2423
- and his dwellingמְדוֹרmedôr medôr medâr · dwellingH4070
- with the wild assesעֲרָד‛ărâd · wild donkeyH6167
- they fedטְעֵםţe‛am · to feedH2939
- him with grassעֲשַׂב‛âsh ‛ăsab · grassH6211
- like oxenתּוֹרtôr · bullockH8450
- and his bodyגְּשֵׁםgeshem · bodyH1655
- was wetצְבַעtseba‛ · to drenchH6647
- with the dewטַלţal · dewH2920
- of heavenשָׁמַ֫יִןshâmayin · heavenH8065
- tillעַד‛ad · tillH5705
- he knewיְדַעyeda‛ · to knowH3046
- that the most highעִלַּי‛illay · Most HighH5943
- Godאֱלָהּ'ĕlâhh · godH426
- ruledשַׁלִּיטshallîyţ · rulingH7990
- in the kingdomמַלְכוּmalkû · kingdomH4437
- he appointethקוּםqûm · to stand: establishH6966
- overעַל‛al · uponH5922
- it whomsoeverמָןmân · who?H4479
- he willצְבָאtsebâ' · to willH6634
Cross-references for Daniel 5:21
- Daniel 4:25All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.
- Job 30:3Haggard from want and hunger, they gnaw the parched land, in former time desolate and waste.
- Daniel 4:17The tree that you saw grow large and strong, whose top reached to heaven and that was visible to all the earth,
- Exodus 9:14For this time I will send all My plagues to your heart, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth.
- Psalms 83:17Cover their faces with shame, so they may seek Your Name—Adonai.
- Ezekiel 17:24Then all the trees of the field will know that I, Adonai, have brought down the high tree, exalted the lowly tree, dried up the green tree, and made the dry tree flourish. I, Adonai, have spoken and I will do it.”
Commentaries on Daniel 5:21
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-31Verses 18-31 Daniel reads Belshazzar's doom. He had not taken warning by the judgments upon Nebuchadnezzar. And he had insulted God. Sinners are pleased with gods that neither see, nor hear, nor know; but they will be judged by One to whom all things are open. Daniel reads the sentence written on the wall. All this may well be applied to the doom of every sinner. At death, the sinner's days are numbered and finished; after death is the judgment, when he…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21the Most High God rules … over it whom He wishes: God taught Nebuchadnezzar this lesson, and it was central to God's message to Belshazzar. God would appoint a new ruler that very night (Daniel 5:30–31).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. heart was made like ... beasts--literally, "he made his heart like the beasts," that is, he desired to dwell with them.Read the comment
Topics related to Daniel 5:21
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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