Daniel 5:16

16 I have heard that you are able to explain what things mean and can find the answers to hard problems. Read this writing on the wall and explain it to me. If you can, I will give you purple clothes fit for a king and a gold chain to wear around your neck. And you will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom."

Daniel 5:16 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 5:16

And I have heard of thee
That is, by the queen, which he repeats for the sake of observing what she had said of him, and which gave him encouragement to send for him: that thou canst make interpretations;
of dreams, and of things hard to be understood: and dissolve doubts;
untie knots, solve difficulties, and answer hard and intricate questions: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the
interpretation thereof;
that which is upon the wall before thee, and which the wise men of Babylon could not: thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy
neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom;
the same reward he had proposed to the astrologers and soothsayers, ( Daniel 5:7 ) but what was no temptation or motive to Daniel, as appears by what follows:

Daniel 5:16 In-Context

14 I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you are very smart and have knowledge and extraordinary understanding.

15 The wise men and magicians were brought to me to read this writing and to explain what it means, but they could not explain it.

16 I have heard that you are able to explain what things mean and can find the answers to hard problems. Read this writing on the wall and explain it to me. If you can, I will give you purple clothes fit for a king and a gold chain to wear around your neck. And you will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom."

17 Then Daniel answered the king, "You may keep your gifts for yourself, or you may give those rewards to someone else. But I will read the writing on the wall for you and will explain to you what it means.

18 "O king, the Most High God made your father Nebuchadnezzar a great, important, and powerful king.