Daniel 5 7

Daniel 5:7 kjv

The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Daniel 5:7 nkjv

The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom."

Daniel 5:7 niv

The king summoned the enchanters, astrologers and diviners. Then he said to these wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom."

Daniel 5:7 esv

The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom."

Daniel 5:7 nlt

The 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!"

Daniel 5 verses

Daniel 5 7 meaning

Daniel 5:7 records King Belshazzar's frantic proclamation during his infamous feast. After a mysterious hand writes an undecipherable message on the palace wall, the king, consumed by terror, desperately calls upon Babylon's foremost enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers. He promises extravagant rewards—royal purple clothing, a gold chain, and the exalted position of third ruler in the kingdom—to anyone who can read the writing and provide its interpretation. This act reveals his spiritual desperation, his reliance on pagan wisdom, and the immediate crisis facing the Babylonian empire, showcasing the utter impotence of human 'wisdom' against divine revelation.

Daniel 5 7 Context

Daniel 5 takes place during a lavish feast hosted by King Belshazzar, grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, in Babylon. In a brazen act of sacrilege, Belshazzar commands that the sacred vessels taken from the temple in Jerusalem by his grandfather be brought out for his nobles, wives, and concubines to drink from, while praising their Babylonian gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. It is in this atmosphere of pride, revelry, and idolatry that the fingers of a human hand appear, writing a mysterious message on the plaster of the palace wall. Utterly terrified and baffled by this divine intrusion, Belshazzar issues this desperate decree to his trusted 'wise men' to interpret the ominous script. This event signifies the culmination of Babylonian arrogance and a direct affront to the God of Israel, immediately preceding the kingdom's downfall. Historically, Belshazzar was likely a co-regent with his father Nabonidus, the actual king, which makes his offer of "third ruler" the highest honor he could bestow, acknowledging his own "second" position.

Daniel 5 7 Word analysis

• The king (מַלְכָּא - malkā): Refers to Belshazzar, highlighting his royal authority which he is attempting to assert amidst chaos. In Aramaic, it signifies a king or ruler, but here he is acting from a place of profound fear, undermining his typical kingly demeanor.
• cried aloud (קָרָא בְּחֵילָא - qārā v'ḥeilā): A vivid Aramaic phrase literally meaning "called with power/force/urgency." It conveys his panicked state, extreme distress, and desperate command, indicative of immense fear rather than measured authority. It underscores the severity of the situation.
• to bring in (לְהַנְעֲלָה - ləhan'ālā): A causative infinitive, implying an urgent command for these specific individuals to be immediately ushered into the king's presence.
• the enchanters (אָשְׁפִין - ’āshfîn): Refers to professional magicians or sorcerers, associated with spells, incantations, and esoteric knowledge, often used in conjuring or divination. Their role was to advise and influence royal decisions through their perceived access to supernatural realms, though of pagan origin.
• the Chaldeans (כַּשְׂדָּאִין - kaśdā’în): Here, not merely referring to the ethnic group, but specifically a prominent caste of priests, scribes, and scholars known for their expertise in astrology, divination, and interpretation of omens. They represented the intellectual and religious elite of Babylon.
• and the astrologers (גָזְרִין - gāzərîn): Literally "cutters," implying those who "cut" or determine fate, diviners, soothsayers who specialized in predicting the future based on the stars and various occult signs. These three groups constituted the epitome of Babylonian pagan wisdom and spiritual authority.
• The king declared and said (עָנֵה מַלְכָּא וְאָמַר - ‘anēh malkā v'’āmar): A formal introductory phrase, emphasizing the solemn and official nature of the subsequent proclamation, even though spoken from panic.
• to the wise men of Babylon (לְחַכִּימֵי בָּבֶל - ləḥakkîmê Bāvel): A general term encompassing the specialized categories already mentioned, signifying the entire class of educated and skilled interpreters in the capital.
• Whoever reads this writing (מַן־דִּי יִקְרֵה כְּתָבָא דְּנָה - man-dî yiqrēh kəṯāvā dənā): Indicates that the physical script itself was beyond the understanding of common literacy, implying it was in an unfamiliar language, script, or presented in an extraordinary, cryptic manner. The task was not just literacy, but unlocking an enigma.
• and shows me its interpretation (וּפִשְׁרֵהּ יְהוֹדְעִנַּנִי - ūp̄išrēh yəhōḏʿinnanî): Pishreh (interpretation) is the key term. The physical act of reading was insufficient; the profound meaning behind the characters was required, which was believed to be accessible only through special revelation or esoteric knowledge.
• shall be clothed with purple (אַרְגְּוָנָא יִלְבַּשׁ - ’argəwānā yilbaš): Purple dye was extraordinarily expensive, derived from mollusks, and reserved for royalty, nobility, and high-ranking officials. It was a potent symbol of power, wealth, and status throughout the ancient Near East.
• and have a chain of gold around his neck (וְהַמְנִיכָא דִֽי־דַהֲבָא עַל־צַוְּארֵהּ - wəhamnîḵā dî-ḏahaḇā ‘al-ṣawrēh): A visible insignia of royal favor, authority, and high honor, bestowed upon trusted individuals who achieved great things for the king (cf. Joseph in Gen 41:42).
• and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom (וְתַלְתִּי בְּמַלְכוּתָא יִשְׁלַט - wəṯaltî bəmalḵūṯā yišlaṭ): Given that Nabonidus was still king and Belshazzar was effectively co-regent (holding the second position), "third ruler" represented the highest possible administrative and political authority he could offer. It signified unprecedented elevation and participation in governance.

Daniel 5 7 Bonus section

• The terms enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers represent the pinnacle of ancient Babylonian intellectual and spiritual power, yet they were utterly helpless before the true God. This sequence of consulting the wise men is reminiscent of similar scenarios in Nebuchadnezzar's reign (Dan 2).
• The phrase "handwriting on the wall" (though not fully established until later in the chapter) becomes an enduring idiom for a clear sign of impending doom or inescapable fate. This verse describes the moment the fear of this ominous sign took hold of Belshazzar.
• Daniel chapters 2 through 7 are written in Aramaic, a Semitic language distinct from Hebrew but closely related, which was the lingua franca of the Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian empires. This makes the language of the 'handwriting' an integral part of the narrative's tension, even if the written characters were in an obscure script or presented in a challenging way (e.g., upside down, without vowels, or mixed scripts).
• The fact that Belshazzar was aware of his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar's experiences (implied by Daniel 5:2 and directly mentioned in 5:18-22), yet chose to mock the God of Israel and rely on false diviners, underscores the spiritual rebellion and hardened heart of the Babylonian king, setting the stage for his immediate downfall.
• This immediate failure of the entire Babylonian intellectual and spiritual establishment sets up the triumphant re-emergence of Daniel, a foreign exile, to interpret God's message, showcasing God's ability to raise up His servants regardless of human politics or prestige.

Daniel 5 7 Commentary

Belshazzar's offer in Daniel 5:7 is a stark illustration of human desperation and the bankruptcy of pagan wisdom when confronted with divine truth. Despite the immense resources of the Babylonian empire and the reputed occult prowess of its "wise men," none could decipher God's simple yet profoundly cryptic message. The extravagant rewards—royal purple, a golden chain, and the second-highest position of power (beneath Belshazzar himself)—reveal the king's overwhelming fear and the extreme gravity he assigned to the unknown writing. This entire scene stands as a powerful polemic against the idolatrous and superstitious practices of Babylon, highlighting their utter powerlessness before the living God. It demonstrates that only through divine revelation, granted by God to His chosen servant Daniel, can true understanding of heavenly mysteries be achieved. Belshazzar, in his spiritual blindness, turns to the very forces God condemns, completely ignoring the precedent of his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar's encounters with Daniel's God. The promise of such vast honor for a single act of interpretation underlines the value placed on prophecy and understanding of fate, yet here, only God's messenger will deliver.