Daniel 5:17 Meaning: Why Did Daniel Refuse the King's Gifts?
Then Daniel answered before the king, “Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; nevertheless I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
Then hath Daniel answered and said before the king, `Thy gifts be to thyself, and thy fee to another give; nevertheless, the writing I do read to the king, and the interpretation I cause him to know;
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet will I read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
Meaning in one sentence
Daniel 5:17: Daniel refuses the king's rewards but still reads the writing. Learn why he said no and what it means for speaking truth freely.
Context
The banquet hall is loud with wine and praise of Babylonian gods. Belshazzar, grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, has used the sacred vessels from the Jerusalem temple as drinking cups. Then a human hand appears and writes on the palace wall. The king's terror empties the room of bravado. His wise men cannot read the words. The queen mother recalls an old man named Daniel, known in Nebuchadnezzar's day for wisdom and divine insight. Daniel is brought in, now in his nineties. The king offers purple robes, a gold chain, and the rank of third ruler. Daniel's reply begins the verse we are looking at. He refuses the honors but will still read and interpret. He will speak the truth as a servant of God, not as a man hired by a king.
Key Words
The Aramaic word for gifts (mattna) and rewards (nevizbah) both suggest presents given to honor or obligate someone. Daniel will not let Belshazzar's gold create a debt between them. Then comes the small but powerful word nevertheless (beram), "only, but." It signals a shift: he refuses the gifts, yet he will still act. He will read aloud (eqre) the writing and make known (ahod'inneh) the interpretation. The verbs are deliberate. He is not a passive channel. He chooses to speak. The message belongs to God, so it cannot be sold or withheld. Daniel's refusal clears the air: what he says is not for sale. That frees both him and the king to hear the truth as it really is.
How Christians Read This Verse
Commentators across traditions respect Daniel's integrity here. Calvin saw Daniel treating Belshazzar more sharply than he had Nebuchadnezzar, because Belshazzar's heart was harder. Barnes emphasized that Daniel refused to act from hope of reward, and his dignity was evident. Gill added practical reasons: the city would fall that night, so the rewards would be worthless anyway. Some readers wonder why Daniel accepted the honors later in verse 29. JFB explained that after he spoke the interpretation, declining the king's command might have looked like cowardice or disloyalty. So his initial refusal was about motive, not about the rewards themselves. Christians from different traditions agree: Daniel served God, not the king's purse.
A common misunderstanding
Some think Daniel was being rude or ungrateful to the king. In fact, his tone is measured and respectful. He simply will not let a reward sit between the truth and the hearer. Another common mistake is to see his later acceptance of honors as a contradiction. But Daniel's refusal came before the interpretation, to establish that he spoke freely. Once the message was delivered, he could accept the king's command without compromising that freedom.
Living This Out
Think of a conversation coming up this week where you need to say something hard. Maybe at work, with a friend, or in your family. You might be tempted to soften the truth because you want something from the other person: approval, peace, a favor. Daniel shows another way. You can refuse the unspoken bribe, the reward you hope to get, and still speak the message clearly. You do not have to be harsh. Daniel was not. You just have to be free. Free enough to say what is true, even if there is nothing in it for you.
Main takeaway: Daniel refused the king's rewards so he could speak God's message freely, without being indebted to any human power.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Daniel said no to the king's gifts because he wanted to tell the truth, not because he wanted a reward. He was brave and kind at the same time.
For ages 9, 12
Daniel was very old when King Belshazzar called him. The king promised him a gold chain and a high position if he would read the writing on the wall. But Daniel said no to the gifts. He wanted the king to know that he was not reading the writing for money or honor. He was speaking for God. Later, when the king commanded him to be honored, Daniel accepted because it was the king's order. But his heart was never about the reward. It was about telling the truth.
Questions People Ask
Why did Daniel refuse the king's gifts in Daniel 5:17?
Daniel refused the gifts to show that he was not motivated by reward. He wanted Belshazzar to know that he spoke the truth freely, as a servant of God, not as a man hired by the king. Commentators like Barnes and Gill agree that this was an act of dignity and integrity.
Did Daniel accept the rewards later in Daniel 5:29? If so, why?
Yes, after Daniel gave the interpretation, the king commanded him to be clothed in purple and proclaimed third ruler. Daniel likely did not feel free to refuse a direct command of the king, and accepting did not contradict his earlier refusal because he had already established that his words were not for sale.
What does 'Let your gifts be to yourself' mean?
It is a polite but firm refusal. Daniel tells the king to keep his gifts and rewards. He wants nothing in exchange for the interpretation. The phrase shows that Daniel is not interested in personal gain.
How is Daniel's response here different from his response to Nebuchadnezzar?
When Nebuchadnezzar offered rewards for interpreting his dream in Daniel 2, Daniel did not refuse them. Calvin suggests that Daniel treated Belshazzar more harshly because Belshazzar knew the history of Nebuchadnezzar's humbling but refused to humble himself. Gill adds that Daniel was younger when serving Nebuchadnezzar and may have needed the gifts for his people's benefit.
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