Daniel 5 29

Daniel 5:29 kjv

Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Daniel 5:29 nkjv

Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Daniel 5:29 niv

Then at Belshazzar's command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.

Daniel 5:29 esv

Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Daniel 5:29 nlt

Then at Belshazzar's command, Daniel was dressed in purple robes, a gold chain was hung around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.

Daniel 5 verses

Daniel 5 29 meaning

Daniel 5:29 describes the immediate fulfillment of Belshazzar’s promise to Daniel after Daniel interpreted the mysterious writing on the wall. Daniel was given symbols of the highest royal favor and appointed as the third most powerful individual in the Babylonian kingdom, despite delivering a message of impending doom. This act of immediate honor highlights Belshazzar's adherence to his word, even in the face of dreadful prophecy.

Daniel 5 29 Context

Daniel 5:29 takes place immediately after Daniel has interpreted the divinely written message on Belshazzar’s palace wall. Chapter 5 recounts Belshazzar's opulent feast where he audaciously profanes vessels taken from the temple in Jerusalem, worshipping Babylonian gods. The sudden appearance of a hand writing on the wall terrifies the king and his court. When his wise men fail, Daniel is brought in. Despite Belshazzar's offers, Daniel initially states he does not need the rewards, then boldly pronounces judgment, declaring God's decision to end Belshazzar's reign and deliver his kingdom to the Medes and Persians. In a stunning display of honoring his promise, Belshazzar immediately bestows the promised honors upon Daniel. This occurs hours before Babylon falls to Darius the Mede, rendering Daniel's elevated status fleeting and ultimately highlighting the transient nature of human authority against God's immutable decrees.

Daniel 5 29 Word analysis

• Then Belshazzar gave the command: The Aramaic bəḏay Bēlšáṣar ʾămar signifies a direct, immediate response. Belshazzar, despite receiving a horrifying prophecy, acts on his royal word, upholding the custom of honoring interpreters, a mark of kingship.
• Daniel was clothed in purple:
  • Clothed: The Aramaic verb is lābaš, indicating active dressing or being dressed.
  • Purple (ʾargwān): This term refers to royal purple, an exceedingly rare and expensive dye. Its significance was immense, denoting supreme royalty, wealth, and power. It mirrored the vestments of kings and the wealthy, indicating Daniel's ascension to a station of immense honor and proximity to the throne. This was not merely fine clothing, but a specific color associated exclusively with royalty.
• a chain of gold was put around his neck:
  • Chain of gold (hamnîkāʾ dī dahab): This was a prestigious honorific. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, a gold necklace was bestowed by monarchs upon highly favored officials as a visible emblem of authority, trust, and proximity to the king. It was a mark of delegated power, similar to Joseph's chain from Pharaoh (Gen 41:42).
• he was proclaimed third ruler in the kingdom:
  • Proclaimed (ḥakrazū): Denotes a public announcement, making Daniel's elevation known throughout the royal court. This was not a private promotion but a public declaration of his new rank.
  • Third ruler (talttāʾ): Given that Belshazzar was likely the co-regent with his father Nabonidus (the primary king often absent from Babylon), the "third ruler" implies Daniel's rank directly beneath Belshazzar. This was the highest possible position available in the current administrative structure, fulfilling Belshazzar's earlier promise (Dan 5:7, 16). It denoted chief minister or grand vizier.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "gave the command... was clothed... was put around his neck... was proclaimed": This sequence of verbs emphasizes the immediate, authoritative, and public nature of the rewards. Belshazzar's word became reality swiftly. It demonstrates the temporary but very real power held by the Babylonian king, even on his last night.
• "clothed in purple, a chain of gold... proclaimed third ruler": These three honors encapsulate the zenith of worldly prestige and power. Each item and title carries distinct cultural weight, cumulatively indicating the highest possible royal favor and authority available within the kingdom's hierarchy. This array of symbols also represents the swift transfer of power and status in the ancient Near East, contrasting with the equally swift removal of that power by divine decree.

Daniel 5 29 Bonus section

The Hebrew-Aramaic phrase for "third ruler" (Hebrew: shlishi, Aramaic: talttaʾ) often carries an idiomatic meaning of a chief minister or the third most important person in a realm, a very common position in Near Eastern hierarchical structures. The king would be first, and the effective prime minister or co-regent (like Belshazzar himself relative to Nabonidus) would be second. Placing Daniel as talttaʾ thus signifies maximum possible elevation. The immediate execution of these rewards by Belshazzar shows a king who, though ungodly, felt bound by his oath and tradition, especially given the supernatural event and the dire nature of the interpretation. This also sets up Daniel’s continued influence, even if temporary under Babylon, and his later service under Darius the Mede, illustrating that God's plan for His servant transcended individual reigns.

Daniel 5 29 Commentary

Daniel 5:29 serves as a poignant and ironic climax to Belshazzar's feast. Despite Daniel’s courageous, blunt, and damning interpretation that foretold the kingdom's end that very night, Belshazzar makes good on his word, demonstrating an adherence to the royal protocol even in the face of imminent doom. The purple robe, gold chain, and proclamation as third ruler were not mere tokens; they were the highest expressions of royal honor and delegated authority in the Babylonian empire. This scene underscores two profound biblical truths: firstly, the divine ability to humble the proud and elevate the faithful (Ps 75:6-7, Jas 4:10). Daniel, who refused Belshazzar's gifts (Dan 5:17), nonetheless received these honors, signifying God's vindication of his prophet. Secondly, it highlights the transient nature of all human power and glory (1 Pet 1:24). The very night Daniel receives these unparalleled earthly honors, the kingdom falls, and Belshazzar perishes, rendering Daniel's elevated position incredibly brief and serving as a stark reminder of God's ultimate sovereignty over nations and kings (Dan 2:21, 4:17). The swift conferment of these symbols of power, only to have them rendered meaningless hours later, dramatically portrays the ephemerality of worldly accolades when God's judgment is at hand.