Daniel 5:12

12 Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation."

Daniel 5:12 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 5:12

Forasmuch as an excellent spirit
A superior spirit to all the wise men in Babylon for natural knowledge and political wisdom; and he had yet a more excellent spirit which she knew nothing of, and was no judge of; a spirit of real grace, and true piety and devotion: and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams;
of which interpreting two of Nebuchadnezzar's was a proof: and showing hard sentences:
or explaining enigmas and riddles, or proverbial, parabolical, and figurative phrases and expressions: and dissolving of doubts:
or untying knots, solving problems, and answering knotty, intricate, and difficult questions: were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar;
the prince of his eunuchs gave him that name, perhaps by the king's order; however, it was confirmed by him; he called him by it, and says it was according to the name of his god; see ( Daniel 1:7 ) ( 4:8 ) : now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation;
this she was confident of, from the knowledge she had of the above facts.

Daniel 5:12 In-Context

10 The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came to the banquet hall. The queen spoke, saying, "O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change.
11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father--your father the king--made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.
12 Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation."
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke, and said to Daniel, "Are you that Daniel who is one of the captives from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah?
14 I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Literally untying knots, and so in Daniel 5:16
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.