King James Version

What Does Daniel 5:15 Mean?

Daniel 5:15 in the King James Version says “And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make know...” — study this verse from Daniel chapter 5 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And 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:”

Daniel 5:15 · KJV

Context

13

Then 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? father: or, grandfather

14

I 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.

15

And 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:

16

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. make interpretations: Cald. interpret, etc

17

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. rewards: or, fee

Read Daniel 5 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
The king explains his predicament: the wise men and astrologers were brought to interpret the writing but couldn't. This admission of failure prepares for Daniel's success, establishing that the solution requires divine enablement, not merely human expertise or effort. The king's explanation is straightforward—acknowledging both the problem (mysterious writing) and previous failed attempts (wise men couldn't interpret). This creates expectation: if Daniel succeeds where others failed, it validates the supernatural source of his ability. The verse demonstrates a pattern Scripture frequently shows: human inadequacy precedes divine intervention, ensuring God receives glory rather than human wisdom being credited. Belshazzar's admission that his experts failed removes any possibility of crediting Babylonian wisdom for the eventual interpretation.

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Historical & Cultural Context

The assembled wise men represented Babylon's finest intellectual tradition—astronomy, mathematics, divination, dream interpretation, and occult practices developed over centuries. Their collective failure wasn't due to incompetence but to encountering genuine divine revelation that transcended their methodologies. Ancient Near Eastern divination relied on established systems: celestial observations, dream lexicons, extispicy (reading animal organs), and ritual incantations. When confronted with unmediated divine communication—God's direct message written supernaturally—these systems proved useless. This vindicated biblical revelation's uniqueness: not human discovery but divine disclosure requiring Spirit-empowered interpretation.

Reflection Questions

  1. Why does God allow sophisticated human experts to fail before providing His answer?
  2. What does the collective failure of Babylon's wise men teach about natural wisdom's limits?
  3. How does public failure of human solutions ensure God receives glory when His solution succeeds?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 16 words
וּכְעַ֞ן1 of 16

“And now”

H3705

now

הֻעַ֣לּוּ2 of 16

“have been brought”

H5954

to enter; causatively, to introduce

קָֽדָמַ֗י3 of 16

“in before”

H6925

before

חַכִּֽימַיָּא֙4 of 16

“the wise”

H2445

wise, i.e., a magian

אָֽשְׁפַיָּ֔א5 of 16

“men the astrologers”

H826

a conjurer

דִּֽי6 of 16
H1768

that, used as relative conjunction, and especially (with a preposition) in adverbial phrases; also as preposition of

כְתָבָ֤ה7 of 16

“writing”

H3792

something written, i.e., a writing, record or book

דְנָה֙8 of 16

“this”

H1836

this

יִקְר֔וֹן9 of 16

“me that they should read”

H7123

to call out to (i.e., properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)

פְּשַֽׁר10 of 16

“the interpretation”

H6591

an interpretation

לְהוֹדָעֻתַ֑נִי11 of 16

“and make known”

H3046

to inform

וְלָֽא12 of 16

“not”

H3809

no, not

כָהֲלִ֥ין13 of 16

“thereof but they could”

H3546

to be able

פְּשַֽׁר14 of 16

“the interpretation”

H6591

an interpretation

מִלְּתָ֖א15 of 16

“of the thing”

H4406

a word, command, discourse, or subject

לְהַחֲוָיָֽה׃16 of 16

“shew”

H2324

to show

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Daniel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Daniel 5:15 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Daniel 5:15 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Daniel 5:7-8Isaiah 47:12Daniel 2:3-11Isaiah 29:10-12

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