Daniel 5:17 In response, Daniel said to the king, "You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him.

◄ Daniel 5:17 ►

New International Version
Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.

New Living Translation
Daniel answered the king, “Keep your gifts or give them to someone else, but I will tell you what the writing means.

English Standard Version
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation.

Berean Standard Bible
In response, Daniel said to the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

New American Standard Bible
Then Daniel replied and said before the king, “Keep your gifts for yourself or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the interpretation known to him.

NASB 1995
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Keep your gifts for yourself or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the interpretation known to him.

NASB 1977
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Keep your gifts for yourself, or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the interpretation known to him.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts remain with you or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the writing to the king and make the interpretation known to him.

Amplified Bible
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the writing to the king and reveal the interpretation to him.

Christian Standard Bible
Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts and give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription for the king and make the interpretation known to him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription for the king and make the interpretation known to him.

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
Daniel answered: Your Majesty, I will read the writing and tell you what it means. But you may keep your gifts or give them to someone else.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Daniel told the king, "Keep your gifts. Give your gifts and awards to someone else. I'll still read the writing for you and tell you its meaning.

Good News Translation
Daniel replied, "Keep your gifts for yourself or give them to someone else. I will read for Your Majesty what has been written and tell you what it means.

International Standard Version
At this, Daniel answered, speaking directly to the king, "Let your gifts and rewards be given to someone else. However, I'll read the writing for the king and tell him its meaning.

Majority Standard Bible
In response, Daniel said to the king, ?You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him.

NET Bible
But Daniel replied to the king, "Keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else! However, I will read the writing for the king and make known its interpretation.

New Heart English Bible
Then Daniel answered before the king, "Keep your gifts for yourself, and give your rewards to another;. Nevertheless I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

Webster's Bible Translation
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 to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

World English Bible
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.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
Then Daniel has answered and said before the king, “Your gifts be to yourself, and give your fee to another; nevertheless, the writing I read to the king, and the interpretation I cause him to know;

Young's Literal Translation
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;

Smith's Literal Translation
At that time Daniel answered and said before the king, Thy gifts to be to thyself, and give thy presents to another; but I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
To which Daniel made answer, and said before the king: Thy rewards be to thyself, and the gifts of thy house give to another: but the writing I will read to thee, O king, and shew thee the interpretation thereof.

Catholic Public Domain Version
To this Daniel responded by saying directly to the king, “Your rewards should be for yourself, and the gifts of your house you may give to another, but I will read to you the writing, O king, and I will reveal to you its interpretation.

New American Bible
Daniel answered the king: “You may keep your gifts, or give your presents to someone else; but the writing I will read for the king, and tell what it means.

New Revised Standard Version
Then Daniel answered in the presence of the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, or give your rewards to someone else! Nevertheless I will read the writing to the king and let him know the interpretation.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Then Daniel answered and said to the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give the honor of your house to others; but the writing I will read to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Then Daniel answered and said to the King: “Your gifts shall be for you and give the honor of your house to others, however, I shall read the writing to the King and I shall show him its translation

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Daniel said, before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give the present of thine house to another; but I will read the writing, and will make known to thee the interpretation of it.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Daniel Interprets the Handwriting
…16But 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.” 17In response, Daniel said to the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him. 18As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Daniel 2:30
And to me this mystery has been revealed, not because I have more wisdom than any man alive, but in order that the interpretation might be made known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.

Daniel 4:27
Therefore, may my advice be pleasing to you, O king. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed. Perhaps there will be an extension of your prosperity.”

Daniel 2:48
Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many generous gifts. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel 6:3
Soon, by his extraordinary spirit, Daniel distinguished himself among the administrators and satraps. So the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

Daniel 1:17
To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. And Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.

Daniel 2:20-23
and declared: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. / He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. / He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him. ...

Daniel 1:20
In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.

Daniel 2:28
But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days. Your dream and the visions that came into your mind as you lay on your bed were these:

Daniel 4:18
This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you are able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Daniel 2:47
The king said to Daniel, “Your God is truly the God of gods and Lord of kings, the Revealer of Mysteries, since you were able to reveal this mystery.”

Acts 8:20
But Peter replied, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!

Acts 10:34
Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism,

Acts 24:25
As Paul expounded on righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “You may go for now. When I find the time, I will call for you.”

Acts 26:29
“Short time or long,” Paul replied, “I wish to God that not only you but all who hear me this day may become what I am, except for these chains.”

1 Corinthians 2:14
The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Treasury of Scripture

Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

Let.

Daniel 5:29
Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Genesis 14:23
That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:

2 Kings 3:13
And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

rewards.

Daniel 2:6
But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.

I will read.

Psalm 119:46
I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.

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Daniel 5

1. Belshazzar's impious feast.
5. A hand-writing unknown to the magicians, troubles the king.
10. At the commendation of the queen Daniel is brought.
17. He, reproving the king of pride and idolatry,
25. reads and interprets the writing.
30. The monarchy is translated to the Medes

Berean Study Bible

Then Daniel answered the king
This phrase introduces Daniel's response to King Belshazzar. The name "Daniel" means "God is my judge" in Hebrew, reflecting his role as a prophet and servant of God. Daniel's response is significant because it demonstrates his courage and faithfulness in the face of royal authority. Historically, Daniel was a Jewish exile in Babylon, yet he maintained his integrity and devotion to God, serving as a model of steadfastness for believers.

You may keep your gifts
Daniel's refusal of the king's gifts underscores his integrity and the purity of his motives. In the ancient Near Eastern context, gifts from a king were often seen as a means to secure loyalty or favor. By rejecting these gifts, Daniel demonstrates that his service and message are not for sale, emphasizing that his allegiance is to God alone. This act of refusal highlights the biblical principle that true servants of God do not seek earthly rewards but are motivated by a higher calling.

and give your rewards to someone else
This phrase further emphasizes Daniel's disinterest in material wealth or earthly recognition. The Hebrew culture often viewed rewards as a sign of honor or status, yet Daniel's focus remains on delivering God's message. His statement reflects a deep understanding that true reward comes from God, not from human accolades. This serves as an inspiration for believers to prioritize spiritual over material wealth.

Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king
Despite rejecting the king's gifts, Daniel commits to fulfilling his prophetic duty. The phrase "I will read the writing" indicates Daniel's confidence in his God-given ability to interpret the mysterious message. This reflects the biblical theme of God's sovereignty and the empowerment of His servants to accomplish His purposes. Daniel's willingness to serve without expectation of reward exemplifies the selfless nature of true ministry.

and tell him what it means
Daniel's role as an interpreter of divine messages is central to his prophetic ministry. The phrase "tell him what it means" signifies the importance of understanding and communicating God's revelations. In the broader scriptural context, this highlights the role of prophets as God's mouthpieces, tasked with conveying His truth to humanity. Daniel's faithfulness in delivering God's message, regardless of personal gain, serves as a powerful example of obedience and dedication to God's will.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17) Let thy gifts be to thyself.--Daniel refused the king's offer of reward at first, but afterwards accepted it. In this way he showed his determination to speak the truth without any respect to fee, gift, or reward. (Comp. the conduct of Elisha, 2Kings 5:16; 2Kings 8:9.)

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 17-23. - 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. O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: and for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: 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. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humblet thine heart, though thou knewest all this; but hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, hays drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified. We have gathered these verses together, as they all relate to one matter and come under one con-detonation. Long ago yon Lengerke, and more recently Hitzig, have shown that such an insulting speech as Daniel addressed to Belshazzar would certainly be visited with punishment. The king had no guarantee that the promised interpretation of the writing on the wall would be true, especially when the interpreter had such an animus against him. Then the fact in the twenty-ninth verse, that Daniel received the gifts he had rejected, makes his conduct here all the more extraordinary. A writer of fiction, of even moderate skill, would not make the blunder here made. It could easily be made by a falsarius interpolating a speech he thought suitable to a Jewish prophet in the presence of a heathen king, who had dishonoured the sacred vessels by drinking wine in them himself, and his wives, and his concubines. It is to be noted that the princes are omitted from the enumeration here. In proof that our contention is correct, we find the mass of this entirely omitted from the Septuagint. There are signs of confusion, and coalescence of different readings in the text of the Septuagint, yet we have no hesitation in claiming that it represents a much earlier state of the text than we find in our Hebrew Bibles, "Then Daniel stood before the writing, and read, and thus answered the king: This is the writing: It hath been numbered; it was reckoned; it has been removed." The marginal reading which we find in the beginning of this chapter has, Mane, Phares, Thekel. The interpretation here follows a different succession, "And the hand which wrote stood" - a phrase that seems to be a mistaken rendering of the latter clause of the twenty-fourth verse as we find it in the Massoretic text. It seems difficult to imagine what Aramaic word has been translated ἔστη. Paulus Tel-lensis has (קמת, q'math), which may have been mistaken for sheliach, though it is not easy to see how. The clause is, at all events, misplaced. The following clause also is misplaced, and is a doublet of the first clause of the twenty-sixth verse. The twenty-third verse seems to be the nucleus of the speech ascribed to Daniel, "O king, thou madest a feast to thy friends, and thou drankest wine, and the vessels of the house of the living God were brought, and ye drank in them, thou and thy nobles, and praised all the idols made with the bands of men, and the living God ye did not bless, and thy breath is in his hand, and he gave thee thy kingdom, and thou didst not bless him, neither praise him." The wives and concubines are not mentioned here. There is no word of the madness of Nebuchadnezzar. Although from the disturbed state of the text in the immediate neighbourhood one is inclined to suspect the authenticity of this twenty-third verse, given in the LXX., yet there is nothing that contradicts the position created by the two early decrees of Nebuchadnezzar, which placed Jehovah the God of the Jews on a par with the great gods of Babylon to whom, though no worship was decreed, at all events no dishonour was to be done. Belshazzar is not so much blamed for praising the gods of wood and stone as for omitting to praise Jehovah. Belshazzar had dishonoured Jehovah, and therefore this ominous message had come forth. The first clause here seems the primitive text. What was more natural than that Daniel, coming into the presence of the king, should go and stand before the mysterious writing, and then, having read it himself, turn to the king and address him? The words of the Massoretic and of the text behind the Septuagint differ very considerably, but not so much but that the former may have grown out of the latter by expansion, and the insertion of paraphrastic additions. A peculiarity to be observed in the Massoretic text (ver. 17) is לְהֵוְיָן (lehayvyan), the third plural imperfect of היא, "to be." It is difficult to understand this form of the third person, save on the supposition that Daniel was written in a region where ל was the preformative. This preformative along with נ was used in Babylon so late as the period of the Babylonian Talmud. Theodotion and the Peshitta practically agree with the Massoretic text. Even when we omit all the insulting elements, we have Daniel's speech to Belshazzar as we find it in the Massoretic text; no reader can fail to notice the difference of Daniel's demeanour towards Belshazzar as narrated here, from that towards Nebuchadnezzar as narrated in the preceding chapter. When he learns the disaster that impends on the destroyer of his city and the conqueror of his nation, Daniel is astonied and silent, and bursts out from his silence, "The dream be upon thine enemies, and the interpretation thereof upon them that hate thee." He shows no sign of sorrow when he learns the fate impending on Belshazzar. We can understand this, if we regard Daniel's love for the splendid conqueror making him feel the blood of his murdered descendants, Evil-Merodach and Labasi-Marduk called for vengeance. So far as we can make out from external history, Belshazzar was a gallant young prince, who seemed to be able to maintain himself against Cyrus, while his father lived in retirement in Tema; but the judgment of God often falls on those who are not worse than their predecessors, only guilt has accumulated and ripened. Louis XVI. was not worse than, but really greatly superior to, his two immediate predecessors, yet on him, not on them, broke the vengeance of the French Revolution. There probably was, as said above under ver. 2, a special defiance of Jehovah, which therefore merited special punishment.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

In response,
בֵּאדַ֜יִן (bê·ḏa·yin)
Preposition-b | Adverb
Strong's 116: Then, thereupon

Daniel
דָנִיֵּ֗אל (ḏā·nî·yêl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1841: Daniel -- 'God is my judge', an Israelite leader in Babylon

said
וְאָמַר֙ (wə·’ā·mar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 560: To say, tell, command

to the king,
מַלְכָּ֔א (mal·kā)
Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 4430: A king

“You may keep
לֶֽהֶוְיָ֔ן (le·hew·yān)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 1934: To become, come to pass, be

your gifts
מַתְּנָתָךְ֙ (mat·tə·nā·ṯāḵ)
Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 4978: A present, a sacrificial offering, a bribe

for yourself
לָ֣ךְ (lāḵ)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

and give
הַ֑ב (haḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 3052: To give, to put, imperatively, come

your rewards
וּנְבָ֥זְבְּיָתָ֖ךְ (ū·nə·ḇā·zə·bə·yā·ṯāḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5023: A largess

to someone else.
לְאָחֳרָ֣ן (lə·’ā·ḥo·rān)
Preposition-l | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 321: Another

Nevertheless,
בְּרַ֗ם (bə·ram)
Conjunction
Strong's 1297: Highly, surely, however

I will read
אֶקְרֵ֣א (’eq·rê)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7123: To call, read out or aloud

the inscription
כְּתָבָא֙ (kə·ṯā·ḇā)
Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 3792: Something written, a writing, record, book

for the king
לְמַלְכָּ֔א (lə·mal·kā)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 4430: A king

and interpret it
וּפִשְׁרָ֖א (ū·p̄iš·rā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 6591: An interpretation

for him.
אֲהוֹדְעִנֵּֽהּ׃ (’ă·hō·wḏ·‘in·nêh)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3046: To know

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OT Prophets: Daniel 5:17 Then Daniel answered before the king Let (Dan. Da Dn)