Daniel 5:13

13 Therefore Daniel was brought in before the king. To whom the foresaid king said, Art thou Daniel, of the sons of the captivity of Judah, whom my father, the king (whom my predecessor, the king), brought from Judah?

Daniel 5:13 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 5:13

Then was Daniel brought in before the king
Proper officers being sent to seek and find him; and having fetched him from his house or apartment where he lived, which seems to have been in the city of Babylon, though not very probably at court as formerly, he was introduced in form into the king's presence; and the king spake and said unto Daniel, art thou that Daniel, which
art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father
brought out of Jewry?
by which it appears he did not know him, at least had forgot him; not having admitted him to any familiarity with him, as his grandfather had done; and though the queen had given such great commendations of him, yet the king does not treat him with that respect as might have been expected, and as Nebuchadnezzar did, ( Daniel 4:9 ) , but seems to reproach him with his servile condition, being a captive whom his grandfather had brought out of Judea, as it were triumphing over him and his people; which shows the haughtiness of his heart, and that it was not brought down by this consternation and fright he was thrown into.

Daniel 5:13 In-Context

11 A man is in thy realm, that hath the spirit of holy gods in himself, and in the days of thy father knowing and wisdom were found in him; for why and Nebuchadnezzar, thy father, made him prince of astronomers, of enchanters, of Chaldees, and of diviners by looking on altars; soothly thy father, thou king, did this; (There is a man in thy kingdom, who hath the spirit of the holy gods in himself, and in the days of thy predecessor, knowledge and wisdom were found in him; because of this, Nebuchadnezzar, thy predecessor, made him the chief of the astrologers, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners by looking on altars; truly thy predecessor, O king, did this;)
12 for [the] more spirit, and more prudent, and understanding, and interpreting of dreams, and showing of privates, and solving of bound things were found in him, that is, in Daniel, to whom the king putted the name Belteshazzar. Now therefore Daniel be called, and he shall tell the interpreting. (for great ability, and much prudence, or wisdom, and understanding, and the interpreting of dreams, and the revealing of mysteries, or of secrets, and the solving of bound things were found in him, that is, in Daniel, to whom the king gave the name Belteshazzar. And so now let Daniel be called, and he shall tell thee the interpretation.)
13 Therefore Daniel was brought in before the king. To whom the foresaid king said, Art thou Daniel, of the sons of the captivity of Judah, whom my father, the king (whom my predecessor, the king), brought from Judah?
14 I have heard of thee, that thou hast in thee the spirit of (the) gods, and (that) more knowing, and understanding, and wisdom be found in thee.
15 And now wise men, astronomers, entered in my sight, to read this scripture, and to show to me the interpreting thereof; and they might not say to me the understanding of this word. (And now wise men, yea, the astrologers, have come before me, to read this writing, and to tell me its interpretation; but they could not say to me the understanding, or the meaning, of these words.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.