Daniel 5:24 kjv
Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.
Daniel 5:24 nkjv
Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.
Daniel 5:24 niv
Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription.
Daniel 5:24 esv
"Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed.
Daniel 5:24 nlt
So God has sent this hand to write this message.
Daniel 5 24 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel 2:21 | He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding. | God's sovereign power over human governments. |
| Psalm 75:6-7 | For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another. | God is the ultimate source of authority. |
| 1 Samuel 2:7 | The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth down, and lifteth up. | God's ability to exalt and humble. |
| Proverbs 8:15 | By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. | Divine source of kingly authority. |
| Isaiah 14:24 | The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: | God's unchangeable purposes. |
| Romans 13:1 | Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. | God's establishment of governing authorities. |
| Jeremiah 27:5 | I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me. | God's authority over all creation. |
| Job 12:18 | He loosed the governing staff, and girded their loins with their staff. | God's control over rulers' authority. |
| Acts 17:26 | And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation. | God's sovereignty in history and geography. |
| Daniel 4:17 | This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and by the sentence of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. | Divine decree behind earthly kingdoms. |
| John 19:11 | Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. | Jesus affirming God's ordaining of authority. |
| Daniel 4:32 | And thou shalt be driven from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou shalt know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. | God humbling Nebuchadnezzar. |
| Exodus 7:3 | And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. | God's action to harden hearts and display power. |
| Psalm 103:19 | The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. | God's universal reign. |
| Isaiah 40:23 | That putteth down the princes; and maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. | God's reduction of earthly leaders. |
| Ezekiel 21:27 | I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him. | God's temporary and conditional rule. |
| Romans 9:18 | Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. | God's sovereign will in mercy and hardening. |
| Genesis 1:1 | In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. | God as the ultimate Creator and source of all authority. |
| 1 Corinthians 4:7 | For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? | All gifts and positions come from God. |
| Proverbs 21:1 | The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. | God's direct influence on rulers' decisions. |
| Daniel 2:20 | Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: | Attributing wisdom and might to God. |
Daniel 5 verses
Daniel 5 24 Meaning
The verse declares that God, the Most High, is the true sovereign who establishes kingdoms and places those He wills in authority over them. It underscores His ultimate control over earthly power, contrasting it with the king's actions.
Daniel 5 24 Context
This verse occurs in the dramatic scene of Belshazzar's feast in Babylon, recorded in the book of Daniel. Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar's grandson, is celebrating by using sacred vessels looted from the Jerusalem Temple to toast Babylon's gods. During this sacrilegious act, a disembodied hand appears and writes a judgment on the wall. Daniel is summoned to interpret the mysterious writing. The writing itself—"Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin"—foretells the downfall of Babylon and Belshazzar. This verse, spoken by Daniel, explains the meaning of the hand's inscription, particularly the initial "Mene," linking it to God's ultimate authority over kingdoms and kings. The historical context is the final night of the Neo-Babylonian Empire before its conquest by the Medes and Persians, marking a shift in global powers.
Daniel 5 24 Word Analysis
- Mene (מְנָא - mənā’): Aramaic word, meaning "counted" or "numbered." In this context, it signifies that Belshazzar's kingdom and reign have been numbered and brought to their end by God. This implies a definitive termination.
- Mene (מְנָא - mənā’): Repetition emphasizes the certainty and finality of the judgment. It suggests a thorough and complete accounting leading to the end.
- Tekel (תְּקֵל - təqēl): Aramaic word, meaning "weighed." It implies that Belshazzar and his actions have been assessed on God's scales of justice and found wanting, or lacking the required measure.
- Upharsin (וּפַרְסִין - ūp̄arsīn): Aramaic word, meaning "and Persia" or "and they are divided." This word carries a double meaning:
- Literal Meaning: Referring to the division of the kingdom. The kingdom is parceled out and given to the Medes and Persians.
- Symbolic/Pun Meaning: It hints at the future division and eventual collapse of Belshazzar's empire, and also links to the Median and Persian empires which would conquer it. The plural form Parsin relates to the singular Peres, which also means "a half-shekel" or a division. Daniel explains it as "divided" in the subsequent verses (Daniel 5:25, 28), referring to the division of the kingdom amongst the conquerors.
Daniel 5 24 Bonus Section
The specific Aramaic words used (Mene, Tekel, Upharsin) are likely a wordplay designed to be understood by those familiar with Hebrew and Aramaic, given their financial and weighing connotations. This theological point is reinforced by the fact that the Medes and Persians, who would inherit the kingdom, have names that align with these pronouncements of division and separation from the previous reign. Daniel, by receiving this interpretation, confirms his role as a true prophet of the Most High, demonstrating God's continued favor and power even in exile. The contrast between Belshazzar's impious feast and Daniel's solemn interpretation underscores the eternal struggle between human pride and divine authority.
Daniel 5 24 Commentary
Daniel's explanation highlights the divine principle that ultimate sovereignty rests with the Most High God. Belshazzar, in his arrogance and defiance, was unaware that his reign, like all human power, was ultimately subject to God's decree. The cryptic message on the wall served as a direct indictment, signifying that God had calculated the duration of his kingdom and found it insufficient, thus decreed its end. The interpretation serves as a powerful reminder for all rulers and people: authority is not inherent but granted by God, and accountable to Him. Belshazzar's ignorance and defiance sealed his fate. The immediate historical outcome—the fall of Babylon to Cyrus the Great, leader of the Medes and Persians—proved the accuracy of Daniel's prophetic interpretation and underscored the unchangeable nature of God's judgment against pride and blasphemy.