Daniel 5:16

But 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.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Belshazzar addresses Daniel during the banquet crisis after the king's scribes failed to read the wall inscription. The king offers Daniel honor and political rank if he can decipher the writing.

The words — The Aramaic phrase שִׁמְעֵת עֲלָ/ךְ (shim.'Et ala.ya/kh) translates literally as "I have heard concerning you," while תִיכּוּל פִּשְׁרִין (tu.khal pish.Rin) means "you are able [to give] interpretations."

The thread — This promise of royal reward mirrors the king's earlier summons of diviners in Daniel 5:7, while the need for a divine interpreter recalls the Joseph narrative in Genesis 40:8.

Why it lands — The text records the king's conditional offer of status before Daniel's refusal of the reward. It requires the reader to observe that earthly authority recognizes spiritual insight only when human wisdom fails.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַאֲנָה֙va./'a.Nahand/ I שִׁמְעֵ֣תshim.'EtI have heard עֲלָ֔ךְa.la.yi/khconcerning/ you דִּֽי־di-that תִיכּ֥וּלtu.khalyou are able פִּשְׁרִ֛יןpish.Rininterpretations לְמִפְשַׁ֖רle./mif.Sharto/ interpret וְקִטְרִ֣יןve./kit.Rinand/ knots לְמִשְׁרֵ֑אle./mish.Re'to/ loosen כְּעַ֡ןke.'Annow הֵן֩henif תִּכ֨וּלtu.khalyou will be able כְּתָבָ֜אke.ta.Va/'writing/ the לְמִקְרֵ֗אle./mik.Re'to/ read aloud וּפִשְׁרֵהּ֙u./fish.Re/hand/ interpretation/ its לְהוֹדָ֣עֻתַ֔נִיle./ho.Da.'u.Ta./nito/ make known to/ me אַרְגְּוָנָ֣א'ar.ge.va.Na/'<the>/ purple תִלְבַּ֗שׁtil.Bashyou will be clothed וְהַֽמְנִיכָ֤אve./ha.mon.kha/'and/ necklace/ the דִֽי־di-of דַהֲבָא֙da.ha.Va/'<the>/ gold עַֽל־'al-[will be] on צַוְּארָ֔ךְtza.ve.Ra/khneck/ your וְתַלְתָּ֥אve./tal.Ta/'and/ third/ the בְמַלְכוּתָ֖אve./mal.khu.Ta/'in/ kingdom/ the תִּשְׁלַֽט׃ פtish.Latyou will rule

King James Version

And 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.

Cross-references

Daniel 5:7 The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation 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.”
Genesis 40:8 “We both had dreams,” they replied, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”
Daniel 5:29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
Acts 8:18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money.