Keraia
Daniel 5

Daniel 5:21

Daniel Interprets the Handwriting · Daniel 5:13–31
Read Daniel 5

Translations

Modern
He was driven away from mankind, and his mind was like that of a beast. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, setting over it whom He wishes.
Traditional
And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
Literal
And he was driven away from the sons of men, and his heart was made like with the beast, and with the wild donkeys was his dwelling; they fed him grass like oxen, and with the dew of heaven his body became wet, until that he came to know that God Most High is ruling over the kingdom of men, and whomever that He chooses, He establishes over it.
Latin
…et a filiis hominum ejectus est, sed et cor ejus cum bestiis positum est, et cum onagris erat habitatio ejus: fœnum quoque ut bos comedebat, et rore cæli corpus ejus infectum est, donec cognosceret quod potestatem haberet Altissimus in regno hominum, et quemcumque voluerit, suscitabit super illud.

Original

Hebrew
English
He was driven away from mankind, and his mind was like that of a beast. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, setting over it whom He wishes.

Notes

Daniel 5:21

the Most High God rules … over it whom He wishes: God taught Nebuchadnezzar this lesson, and it was central to God's message to Belshazzar. God would appoint a new ruler that very night (Daniel 5:30–31).

Daniel 5:18–21

Daniel used Nebuchadnezzar as an example that should have guided the kings who came after him. But Belshazzar repeated the same mistake. He lifted himself up and dishonored the Most High God.

Daniel 5:1–30

All earthly kingdoms eventually end. Nebuchadnezzar's dream suggested that Babylon would fall and a new kingdom would rise (Daniel 2:39).

After Nebuchadnezzar died in 562 BC, violence and corruption grew in Babylon's palaces. During Belshazzar's feast in 539 BC, they even defiled God's holy vessels. God's judgment came quickly that night (Daniel 5:30), and the next kingdom took over (see 2:32, 39; 5:31).

Daniel 2:1–6:28

This section contains stories and dreams from the experiences of Daniel and his friends in Babylon. Daniel used his special gift to understand dreams and showed great skill in the study of literature and science (Daniel 1:17). Chapter 2 provides a broad overview of history until God's kingdom appears (Daniel 2:44–49). Daniel 3–6 describes the fall of Babylon and the rise of Persia. History is moving toward a clear goal. That goal is the everlasting kingdom of God (Daniel 2:44; 4:2–3, 34; 6:26).

Theme notes and profiles

Babylon Daniel

Events

People

LORD: Names or title used to refer to God

Glossary

Aramaic Book of Daniel Book of Jeremiah Chaldea, Chaldeans Inscriptions Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin Postexilic Period

Topics

Belshazzar: King of Babylon Daniel: A Jewish Captive, Also Called Belteshazzar: Courage and Fidelity of Government: Unclassified Scriptures Relating to God In Ingratitude of Man to God Ingratitude to God: Nebuchadnezzar Reproof: Faithfulness in Daniel, of Belshazzar Symbols and Similitudes: Handwriting on the Wall the Wild Donkey: Inhabits Wild and Solitary Places Wicked (People): Warned