Daniel 5:13-16 · Bible study
Daniel 5:13-16 Commentary: Belshazzar's Question to Daniel
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why the king questioned Daniel as a captive from Judah. Commentary from Calvin, Barnes, and Gill on Daniel's low status and the king's disdain.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Belshazzar summons Daniel as a last resort, revealing both Daniel's obscurity and the king's contemptuous attitude toward the exiled prophet.
- Key words: 'children of the captivity' (bənê gālūṯā) marks Daniel as an exile; 'dissolve doubts' (knots) shows Daniel's ability to untangle mysteries.
- Main debate: Whether Belshazzar's question was condescending (Calvin) or merely an identity check (Keil & Delitzsch).
- Theological theme: God raises up the lowly to speak truth to power; earthly rewards cannot silence divine judgment.
- Best use: Preaching on God's hidden servants, the folly of worldly pride, and the faithfulness of those who wait on God's timing.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
13So Daniel was brought before the king, who asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah?
14I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom.
15Now the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this inscription and interpret it for me, but they could not give its interpretation.
16But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
13Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?
14I have heard of you, that the spirit of the gods is in you and that light, understanding, and excellent wisdom are found in you.
15Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known to me its interpretation; but they could not show the interpretation of the thing.
16But I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and dissolve doubts. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
KJV King James Version 1769
13Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?
14I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.
15And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:
16And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
13Then was Daniel brought in before the king. The king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, who art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?
14I have heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in thee.
15And now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof; but they could not show the interpretation of the thing.
16But I have heard of thee, that thou canst give interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
13Then Daniel hath been caused to come up before the king; answered hath the king, and said to Daniel, `Thou art that Daniel who art of the sons of the Removed of Judah, whom the king my father brought in out of Judah?
14And I have heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and light, and understanding, and excellent wisdom have been found in thee.
15`And now, caused to come up before me have been the wise men, the enchanters, that this writing they may read, and its interpretation to cause me to know: and they are not able to shew the interpretation of the thing:
16and I--I have heard of thee, that thou art able to give interpretations, and to loose knots: now, lo--thou art able to read the writing, and its interpretation to cause me to know--purple thou dost put on, and a bracelet of gold is on thy neck, and third in the kingdom thou dost rule.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
13Then was Daniel brought in before the king. The king spoke and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?
14And I have heard of thee, that the spirit of thegods is in thee, and [that] light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.
15And now the wise men, the magicians, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof; but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing.
16But I have heard of thee, that thou canst give interpretations, and solve problems. Now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
13Then Daniel was brought in before the king. And the king spoke, and said to him: Art thou Daniel, of the children of the captivity of Juda, whom my father, the king, brought out of Judea?
14I have heard of thee, that thou hast the spirit of the gods, and excellent knowledge, and understanding, and wisdom are found in thee.
15And now the wise men, the magicians, have come in before me, to read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof; and they could not declare to me the meaning of this writing.
16But I have heard of thee, that thou canst interpret obscure things, and resolve difficult things: now if thou art able to read the writing, and to shew me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and shalt have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third prince in my kingdom.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Daniel 5:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Belshazzar did not personally know Daniel. Barnes calls this 'a clear proof that Belshazzar was not acquainted personally with him.' Calvin places the phrase 'Art thou that Daniel' in a tone of contempt, as if the king was keeping a captive in his place. Gill notes that Belshazzar either never knew Daniel or had forgotten him, and the queen had to tell him about the prophet. The label 'of the children of the captivity of Judah' (Aramaic bənê gālūṯā) marks Daniel as an exile, a reminder of his lowly status. The king's question reveals two things at once: Daniel had faded into obscurity in the palace, and Belshazzar approached him with a haughty air, even though he needed Daniel's gift. Only when every other wise man had failed did the king send for this aging prophet.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Condescension view: Calvin argues the king 'interrogates contemptuously' to keep Daniel in his place, using the phrase 'Are you that Daniel of the captives...' as a put-down.
- Identity confirmation view: Keil & Delitzsch read the question as simply confirming Daniel's identity (the answer is assumed), not as a sign of contempt. The king had heard of him but never met him.
- Obscurity view: Barnes focuses on Daniel's 'comparative obscurity'; the question reveals that Daniel had been forgotten by the court despite his earlier prominence under Nebuchadnezzar.
What is clear: Daniel was personally unknown to Belshazzar, lived apart from the court, and was summoned only after all other royal advisors failed. The king offered substantial rewards for a correct interpretation.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel's obscurity | All commentators note that Daniel was not personally known to Belshazzar and lived outside the court circle. | Some suggest Daniel had been retired due to age (Barnes), others think he was deliberately sidelined by Belshazzar (Calvin). A few point to his long service under Nebuchadnezzar and then a fall from favor. |
| Belshazzar's attitude | Belshazzar speaks to Daniel as a subject, offering rewards as a transactional exchange. | Calvin calls it 'contemptuous'; Keil & Delitzsch read it as a neutral inquiry. The main difference is whether the king's tone shows genuine respect or masked disdain. |
| Meaning of 'spirit of the gods' | The phrase attributes Daniel's gifts to a supernatural source beyond human ability. | Some see it as Belshazzar's polytheistic language (the king believed in many gods), while others note he might be unconsciously acknowledging the one true God. The omission of 'holy' (compare v. 11) suggests he was unwilling to credit the God of Israel. |
| Daniel's refusal of rewards (v. 17) | Daniel rejects the gifts before interpreting, showing his motivation is not personal gain. | One view says this was a protective measure (he knew the message would anger the king). Another says it was to avoid any appearance of corruption. A third says he simply had no use for the rewards of a dying kingdom. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This exchange happens at the climax of Belshazzar's feast, with the terrifying handwriting still flickering on the plaster. The king's face had turned pale, his nobles were baffled. The queen, likely the queen mother, as commentators suggest, enters and tells Belshazzar about Daniel. She recalls that Daniel had served Nebuchadnezzar as master of the magicians, but that was decades earlier. By now Daniel was known mainly by reputation: he 'lived in comparative obscurity' (Barnes), probably no longer at court.
The phrase 'children of the captivity of Judah' (Aramaic bənê gālūṯā) echoes throughout Ezra and Daniel; it refers to those exiled from Jerusalem. Belshazzar's wording distances himself from Daniel: 'Are you that Daniel ... whom my father brought out of Judah?' The demonstrative 'that' (Aramaic hū) can carry a dismissive tone (Calvin). The king then repeats the queen's praise, 'spirit of the gods, light, understanding, excellent wisdom', but omits the word 'holy' (Keil & Delitzsch). He wants Daniel's power but will not honor the source.
The promised reward repeats the earlier offer: purple robe, gold chain, and the rank of third ruler. Belshazzar was ruling as co-regent with his father Nabonidus (third in the kingdom likely meant third after Nabonidus and Belshazzar). Yet Babylon was under siege, and the kingdom was about to fall. The king's offer of earthly glory while his empire crumbles becomes a bitter irony.
Textual Notes
The Aramaic text of Daniel 5:13-16 is well preserved across manuscripts. The interlinear shows two variant spellings of the verb 'to be able' in v. 16: the Kethiv reads tūkal (Hebrew-influenced Hophal) and the Keri reads tikkūl (standard Aramaic). This is a minor orthographic difference and does not affect meaning. No other significant variants appear in the consulted sources.
Reception History
In the Reformation era, John Calvin used this passage to contrast the arrogance of earthly rulers with the quiet faithfulness of God's prophets. Matthew Henry later drew out Daniel's willingness to serve even when treated as a captive, a theme often preached during times of persecution. In modern pulpits, the story of Daniel being called from obscurity has encouraged believers who feel overlooked or undervalued. The passage also appears in discussions of God's sovereignty over history: the king who scoffs at the exile will soon lose his crown. Across traditions, this scene is read as a reminder that human power is fragile and that God raises up witnesses from the lowliest places.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The king's desperation, the prophet's obscurity. Belshazzar summons every wise man, then remembers Daniel only as a last resort. Daniel had been set aside, but God had not forgotten him.
- A haughty ruler meets a humble servant. The king speaks condescendingly, but Daniel stands secure in his calling. He does not scramble for prominence; he waits to be called.
- Worldly rewards cannot change God's message. Belshazzar offers purple and gold, yet Daniel later refuses them (v. 17). The truth of the writing stands independent of any reward.
Five-point outline
- God's faithful witness often stays hidden until the moment He chooses.
- The world may dismiss God's people as captives or exiles, but God uses them to speak to power.
- Human wisdom fails when confronted with divine judgment (the wise men could not read the writing).
- Earthly rulers may flatter or threaten, but the messenger of God answers only to God.
- Rewards cannot soften a hard heart; only humility before God can.
Illustration hooks
- A seasoned employee passed over for promotions, suddenly needed when a crisis hits.
- The contrast between a CEO's lavish bonus package and the company's impending bankruptcy.
- An expert called in at the last minute when everyone else has failed, and the expert speaks a hard truth no one wants to hear.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did God let Daniel stay in obscurity for so many years?
- Can we trust God to use us even when we feel overlooked or forgotten?
- How do we respond when those in authority treat us with contempt but still need our help?
Leading a Discussion
In Daniel 5:13-16, a king who ignored God for years finds himself desperate. He turns to a man he barely knows, a man he treats as a captive. Daniel's obscurity and the king's haughty attitude raise questions about how God works through those the world overlooks.
Discussion questions
- What does Belshazzar's question 'Are you that Daniel...' tell you about his view of Daniel and of the Jewish exiles?
- Why do you think the king repeats the queen's praise but drops the word 'holy' (compare v. 14 with v. 11)?
- What does Daniel's obscurity, his absence from the court, teach us about God's timing and preparation of his servants?
- Belshazzar offers the same rewards that the wise men could not earn. Why do you think he clings to these material promises even as his kingdom collapses?
- How does Daniel's later refusal of the gifts (v. 17) change the meaning of this encounter? What does it show about his priorities?
- In your own life, have you ever felt 'hidden' or overlooked while God prepared you for a task? Share a short example.
- What does this passage say about the difference between human applause and divine approval?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Ezra 4:1 | Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to Yahweh, the God of Israel, |
| Ezra 6:16 | The children of Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy. |
| Ezra 6:19 | The children of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. |
| Ezra 6:20 | Because the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together, all of them were pure. They killed the Passover for all the children of the captivity, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves. |
| Ezra 10:7 | They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together to Jerusalem; |
| Ezra 10:16 | The children of the captivity did so. Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers’ households, after their fathers’ houses, and all of them by their names, were set apart; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter. |
| Daniel 1:21 | Daniel continued even to the first year of King Cyrus. |
| Daniel 2:25 | Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said this to him: “I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Judah who will make known to the king the interpretation.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the expressions about dissolving doubts, untying knots, and unbinding what is bound are Eastern idioms. In that culture, such language described a judge of eminent wisdom and skill.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights how Belshazzar had no personal acquaintance with Daniel, proving that Daniel lived in obscurity despite his past service under Nebuchadnezzar. The queen-mother likely kept up this connection. The king's father was actually his grandfather, and the reward offered repeated the earlier promise made to all the wise men.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin highlights Belshazzar's contemptuous questioning of Daniel, calling him a captive and showing no modesty. The king's phrase "spirit of the gods" reveals pagan confusion between God and angels. Yet despite his terror, Belshazzar quickly returns to arrogance, promising rewards as if his kingdom will last, showing hardened obstinacy even at judgment's door.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible commentary clarifies several translation details in Belshazzar's words to Daniel. It notes that the phrase "Art thou that Daniel" wrongly suggests a special identity; the emphasis is simply on "thou." It also corrects the old English word "Jewry" to Judah and updates terms like "astrologers" to "enchanters" and "dissolve doubts" to "loose knots."
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that Belshazzar treats Daniel with disrespect, almost reproachfully, reminding him he is a captive brought from Judah. The king's haughty pride remains unbroken even in his terror, showing he still looks down on Daniel rather than honoring him as Nebuchadnezzar once did.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
the captivity of Judah —the captive Jews residing in Babylon.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange identifies Belshazzar with Evil-merodach and argues he was slain that night by a court conspiracy, not by the Medo-Persian army. The prophecy of the kingdom being divided to the Medes and Persians was fulfilled years later, not that same night. The handwriting was a genuine miracle, visible to all.