Daniel 5:19 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Daniel 5:19 kjv
And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.
Daniel 5:19 nkjv
And because of the majesty that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down.
Daniel 5:19 niv
Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled.
Daniel 5:19 esv
And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled.
Daniel 5:19 nlt
He made him so great that people of all races and nations and languages trembled before him in fear. He killed those he wanted to kill and spared those he wanted to spare. He honored those he wanted to honor and disgraced those he wanted to disgrace.
Daniel 5 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 32:39 | "See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal..." | God's ultimate power over life and death |
| 1 Sam 2:6-7 | "The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up... He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap..." | God's sovereign control over life and status |
| Job 12:10 | "In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind." | God holds all life in His hand |
| Psa 75:6-7 | "For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes exaltation, but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another." | God exalts and abases |
| Psa 103:19 | "The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all." | God's universal sovereignty |
| Psa 113:7-8 | "He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes..." | God's power to elevate |
| Prov 21:1 | "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will." | God's control over rulers |
| Dan 2:20-21 | "Blessed be the name of God forever... He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings..." | God's appointment of rulers |
| Dan 4:17 | "...that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the humblest of men." | God rules over kingdoms |
| Dan 4:25 | "...until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom he will." | Reinforcement of God's rule over kingdoms |
| Jer 27:5-8 | "It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth... I give it to whomever it seems right to me. Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar..." | God appointing Nebuchadnezzar's power |
| Matt 23:12 | "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." | Principle of divine humbling and exalting |
| John 19:11 | Jesus answered Pilate, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above." | All authority comes from God |
| Rom 13:1 | "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God." | Governmental authority divinely ordained |
| Phil 2:9-11 | "Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow... and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord..." | Ultimate exalted sovereignty of Christ |
| Jas 4:10 | "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you." | Humility leading to exaltation |
| 1 Pet 5:6 | "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you..." | Submission to God's hand leads to exaltation |
| Gen 41:40 | Pharaoh said to Joseph, "You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command..." | Example of God exalting an individual |
| Esther 6:11 | Haman dressed Mordecai in royal robes and paraded him through the city. | Example of exaltation by sovereign will |
| Esther 7:10 | Haman was hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. | Example of abasement and judgment |
| Isa 14:12-15 | "How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground... you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high..." | Pride leading to downfall (cf. Satan/King) |
| Hab 1:6 | "For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own." | God uses powerful nations for His purposes |
Daniel 5 verses
Daniel 5 19 meaning
Daniel 5:19 explains that due to the immense majesty, glory, and power that God bestowed upon King Nebuchadnezzar, all people groups, nations, and languages within his vast empire lived in a state of reverence and awe before him. This divine gift of authority gave Nebuchadnezzar absolute control over their lives and destinies: he had the power to decree life or death, to promote or to debase anyone according to his will. This passage underscores that this terrifying sovereignty was not inherent in Nebuchadnezzar but was divinely granted.
Daniel 5 19 Context
Daniel 5:19 is part of Daniel's interpretation of the writing on the wall for King Belshazzar during his feast. The chapter describes Belshazzar's sacrilege in drinking from the holy vessels taken from the temple in Jerusalem, praising pagan gods while blaspheming the God of heaven. Daniel directly confronts Belshazzar, reminding him of his father (or more likely, his predecessor) Nebuchadnezzar's great pride and subsequent humbling by God in chapter 4. Verse 19 specifically recounts the awesome, terrifying power Nebuchadnezzar wielded, a power divinely granted, to set the stage for Belshazzar's greater sin: witnessing this historical event (Daniel 4 was known to the court), knowing the Most High God was the source of Nebuchadnezzar's majesty, and yet failing to humble himself before Him. The verse contrasts the granted, albeit absolute, human authority with the ultimate divine source of that power.
Daniel 5 19 Word analysis
- And because of the majesty (וְעֹב אֹזִיבַבָא wᵉʿôb ʾôzīwābāʾ):
- וְעֹב (wᵉʿôb): "and because of" or "for the greatness of." This conjunction connects directly to the preceding statement, "the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar royalty, greatness, glory, and majesty." The Aramaic here (transliterated waʿaḇeḍî yeqāraʾ, though more directly "on account of the greatness") emphasizes a consequence. The entire phrase implies the power came from the "greatness" God bestowed.
- אָזִדּוֹנָא (yediyrū) for majesty/greatness. The Aramaic for "majesty" is יַקִּירָא (yaqqîrâ), which denotes honor, dignity, glory, or eminence. It is a gift, not an inherent quality of the king. This word emphasizes a conferred dignity rather than intrinsic power, highlighting its divine source.
- that he gave him, (דִּיהַב לֵהּ dî yahav lēh):
- דִּיהַב (dî yahav): "that he gave." Explicitly states the divine origin of Nebuchadnezzar's power. "He" refers to the Most High God. This negates any claim of the king's self-generated power or power from pagan deities, serving as a direct polemic against prevailing polytheistic beliefs that kings gained power from their pantheon.
- all peoples, nations, and languages (כָּל־עַמְמַיָּא אֻמַּיָּא וְלִשָּׁנַיָּא kāl-ʿammayyāʾ ʾummayyāʾ wᵉliššānayyāʾ):
- This is a standard triumvirate expression in Aramaic portions of Daniel (e.g., Dan 3:4, 7; 6:25) to describe the vast and diverse extent of a world empire, emphasizing universal dominion. It signifies an imperial reach that transcended local boundaries, capturing the entire known world of that era.
- trembled and feared before him. (הֲוֹ נָגְדִין וְזָאֲעִין מִן־קֳדָמָיו hawô nāgdin wᵉzāʾîn min-qoḏāmāyw):
- הֲוֹ (hawô): "they were." Indicates a continuous state or condition.
- נָגְדִין וְזָאֲעִין (nagdin wᵉzāʾeîn): "trembling and fearing." The terms denote awe, dread, and a deeply felt respect stemming from fear of absolute power. This fear compelled obedience and subjection. It speaks to the terrifying and unchallenged nature of the king's divinely bestowed authority.
- Whom he would, he killed; and whom he would, he kept alive; and whom he would, he raised up; and whom he would, he put down. (לִדִּי חֲבָא לִקְטִיל וְלִדִי חֲבָא לְהַחַיָּה וְלִדִי חֲבָא לְמָרוֹמֵם וְלִדִי חֲבָא לְהַשְׁפֵּל lî dî ḥevā liqtîl wᵉlî dî ḥevā lᵉhaḥayâ wᵉlî dî ḥevā lᵉmārômêm wᵉlî dî ḥevā lᵉhašpēl):
- This is a tetrapolar expression, meaning a four-part parallel structure, highlighting the absolute and arbitrary nature of Nebuchadnezzar's authority over life, death, status, and destiny.
- לִדִּי חֲבָא (lî dî ḥevā): "Whomever he desired." The repeated phrase underscores the king's personal prerogative, operating without challenge or appeal. This is the pinnacle of human (though God-given) power.
- לִקְטִיל (liqtîl): "to kill."
- לְהַחַיָּה (lᵉhaḥayâ): "to keep alive," or "give life to."
- לְמָרוֹמֵם (lᵉmārômêm): "to raise up," or "promote."
- לְהַשְׁפֵּל (lᵉhašpēl): "to put down," "humble," or "debase."
- This quadriptych strikingly mirrors divine prerogatives over creation and destiny, as seen in biblical passages about God's power (e.g., 1 Sam 2:6-7, Deut 32:39). It accentuates that such power belongs uniquely to God, and when exercised by a human king, it is by divine delegation.
Daniel 5 19 Bonus section
The profound authority granted to Nebuchadnezzar by God is later fully and inherently actualized in Jesus Christ, the King of kings. While Nebuchadnezzar's power was delegated and temporary, Christ's is ultimate, eternal, and His by right. His domain truly encompasses "all peoples, nations, and languages" (e.g., Rev 7:9, Phil 2:9-11). Furthermore, the passage foreshadows the consistent biblical theme that those whom God elevates, He can also cast down, and vice versa, irrespective of their worldly status. It is a testament to God's ultimate sovereignty over the affairs of mankind and an implicit warning against any form of prideful self-exaltation.
Daniel 5 19 Commentary
Daniel 5:19 powerfully summarizes the terrifying and absolute authority that God had bestowed upon King Nebuchadnezzar, which Belshazzar had firsthand knowledge of. The verse is crucial because it serves as Daniel's indictment of Belshazzar's unparalleled hubris. Nebuchadnezzar's power—over life and death, and over the rise and fall of individuals and kingdoms—was so immense that it commanded fear across a vast, multi-ethnic empire. However, Daniel carefully establishes that this power was not Nebuchadnezzar's by right or by his pagan gods' endowment, but was explicitly a gift from the Most High God. This divine source made Nebuchadnezzar an agent of God's will, wielding power that mirrors divine attributes. Belshazzar, having seen Nebuchadnezzar's subsequent humbling (Daniel 4) after he failed to acknowledge God, should have recognized and reverenced the true source of all authority. His failure to do so, instead choosing to blaspheme by celebrating pagan gods with sacred vessels, magnified his sin, demonstrating a fatal contempt for the very God who grants and removes all power. The verse thus sets the stage for God's swift judgment upon Belshazzar.