King James Version

What Does Daniel 5:16 Mean?

Daniel 5:16 in the King James Version says “And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing,...” — study this verse from Daniel chapter 5 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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”

Daniel 5:16 · KJV

Context

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

18

O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:

Read Daniel 5 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Belshazzar makes his offer to Daniel: interpret the writing and receive scarlet clothing, gold chain, and position as third ruler. The king assumes Daniel, like others, will be motivated by rewards—honor, wealth, and power. This reveals Belshazzar's worldview: everyone has a price; wisdom is a commodity that can be purchased. Daniel's forthcoming response (v.17)—'Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king'—will directly challenge this assumption. True prophetic ministry isn't motivated by reward but by commitment to God's truth. The contrast between Belshazzar's offer and Daniel's refusal emphasizes different value systems: the world offers temporal rewards for service; God's servants seek His approval regardless of earthly compensation. This challenges both ancient and modern assumptions about motivation and reward.

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Historical & Cultural Context

The offer of 'third ruler' position reflected political reality: Nabonidus was supreme king (though absent in Arabia), Belshazzar was co-regent (second), leaving third as the highest available position. Scarlet/purple clothing and gold chains symbolized high office throughout the ancient world. Belshazzar's assumption that these rewards would motivate Daniel shows how rulers typically operated: patronage, bribery, and reward systems maintaining loyalty. Daniel's refusal of these rewards (v.17) was culturally shocking—rejecting royal favor and high position contradicted expected behavior. His willingness to interpret despite refusing rewards demonstrated pure prophetic motivation: proclaiming God's truth regardless of personal consequence or benefit. This established prophetic authenticity.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does Belshazzar's assumption that Daniel will be motivated by rewards reveal about worldly values?
  2. How does refusing earthly rewards demonstrate that prophetic ministry is motivated by commitment to truth rather than personal gain?
  3. In what ways do contemporary Christians face similar temptations to compromise truth for reward, position, or approval?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 26 words
וַאֲנָה֙1 of 26

“And I”

H576

i

שִׁמְעֵ֣ת2 of 26

“have heard”

H8086

to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)

עֲלָ֔יךְ3 of 26
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

דִּֽי4 of 26
H1768

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

תִּוכֻּ֨ל5 of 26

“that thou canst”

H3202

to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)

וּפִשְׁרֵהּ֙6 of 26

“interpretations”

H6591

an interpretation

לְמִפְשַׁ֖ר7 of 26

“make”

H6590

to interpret

וְקִטְרִ֣ין8 of 26

“doubts”

H7001

a knot (as tied up), i.e., (figuratively) a riddle; also a vertebra (as if a knot)

לְמִשְׁרֵ֑א9 of 26

“and dissolve”

H8271

to free, separate; figuratively, to unravel, commence; by implication (of unloading beasts) to reside

כְּעַ֡ן10 of 26

“now”

H3705

now

הֵן֩11 of 26

“if”

H2006

lo! also there(-fore), (un-)less, whether, but, if

תִּוכֻּ֨ל12 of 26

“that thou canst”

H3202

to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)

כְּתָבָ֜א13 of 26

“the writing”

H3792

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

לְמִקְרֵ֗א14 of 26

“read”

H7123

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

וּפִשְׁרֵהּ֙15 of 26

“interpretations”

H6591

an interpretation

לְהוֹדָ֣עוּתַ֔נִי16 of 26

“and make known”

H3046

to inform

אַרְגְּוָנָ֣א17 of 26

“with scarlet”

H711

purple

תִלְבַּ֗שׁ18 of 26

“thereof thou shalt be clothed”

H3848

properly, wrap around, i.e., (by implication) to put on a garment or clothe (oneself, or another), literally or figuratively

וְהַֽמְוִנכָ֤א19 of 26

“and have a chain”

H2002

a necklace

דִֽי20 of 26
H1768

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

דַהֲבָא֙21 of 26

“of gold”

H1722

gold

עַֽל22 of 26

“about”

H5922

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

צַוְּארָ֔ךְ23 of 26

“thy neck”

H6676

the back of the neck (as that on which burdens are bound)

וְתַלְתָּ֥א24 of 26

“and shalt be the third”

H8531

a tertiary rank

בְמַלְכוּתָ֖א25 of 26

“in the kingdom”

H4437

dominion (abstractly or concretely)

תִּשְׁלַֽט׃26 of 26

“ruler”

H7981

to rule over

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 5:16 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 5:16 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Daniel 5:7Genesis 40:8Daniel 5:29Acts 8:18

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