What does Daniel 5:18-20 mean?
"O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. And because of the greatness that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he acted proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him." - Daniel 5:18-20
The Bible verse Daniel 5:18-20 in the King James Version (KJV) states:
"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:"
This passage is part of the story of Belshazzar's feast from the Book of Daniel. In this particular passage, Daniel is addressing King Belshazzar and reminding him of the downfall of his father, King Nebuchadnezzar.
The context of this verse is important for understanding its meaning. King Belshazzar was holding a great feast, drinking wine with his nobles, wives, and concubines, using the golden vessels that had been taken from the temple in Jerusalem. During the feast, a human hand appeared and wrote on the wall, which greatly troubled the king. When none of his wise men could interpret the writing, the queen told him about Daniel, a man in whom is the spirit of the holy gods, and he was called to interpret the writing.
In verses 18-20, Daniel is recalling the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar's father. He acknowledges that God had given Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, majesty, glory, and honor. In other words, Nebuchadnezzar's power and influence were granted to him by God. All the people, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him because of the power he wielded. Nebuchadnezzar had the authority to choose who lived and who died, to set up rulers and remove them from power.
However, as the passage reveals, Nebuchadnezzar's pride led to his downfall. His heart was lifted up, and his mind was hardened in pride. This pride likely led to arrogance and a sense of self-sufficiency. Rather than acknowledging that his authority and power came from God, Nebuchadnezzar took credit for his accomplishments. As a result, he was deposed from his throne, and his glory was taken from him.
This passage contains several important themes. One of the central themes is the sovereignty of God. God is portrayed as the one who grants power and authority to earthly kings. Nebuchadnezzar's rise to power and his subsequent fall are attributed to the will of God. This serves as a reminder that even the most powerful rulers are ultimately subject to the authority of God.
The passage also addresses the theme of pride and its consequences. Nebuchadnezzar's downfall was a direct result of his pride and arrogance. This serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of pride and the importance of humility before God.
As for symbolism, the golden vessels used by Belshazzar at the feast can be seen as representations of the sacredness and holiness of the temple in Jerusalem. By using these vessels for common use and to exalt himself and his gods, Belshazzar was defiling that which was meant for God. The appearance of the hand writing on the wall serves as a symbolic message from God, reminding Belshazzar of his father's pride and downfall.
In conclusion, the Bible verse Daniel 5:18-20 from the King James Version addresses important themes such as the sovereignty of God, the consequences of pride, and the symbolism of sacred objects. It serves as a reminder to acknowledge God's authority and to guard against the dangers of pride and arrogance.
Have questions about Daniel 5:18-20?
Dive deeper into this scripture with Bible Chat — an AI-powered tool for exploring God's Word through conversation. Ask questions, get context, and grow in your understanding of the Bible.
Get Our Apps
Daniel 5:18-20 Artwork
Daniel 5:18-20 - "O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he acted proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him."
"O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he acted proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him." - Daniel 5:18-20
Daniel 5:18 - "O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:"
Daniel 5:20 - "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:"
daniel 5:5
Daniel 5:5
"O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:" - Daniel 5:18
Daniel 2:20 - "Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:"
Daniel 6:20 - "And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?"
Daniel 5:13 - "Then was Daniel brought in before the king. 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?"
Daniel 2:18 - "That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon."
Daniel 10:5
Daniel 7:5
Daniel 7:5
Daniel 5:4
Daniel 5:3
Daniel 7:5
Daniel 10:5
Daniel 12:5 - "¶ Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river."
Daniel 5:12 - "Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation."
Daniel 6:5 - "Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God."
Daniel 5:30 - "¶ In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain."
"Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:" - Daniel 2:20
Daniel 8:20 - "The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia."
Daniel 5:25 - "¶ And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN."
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."
Daniel 5:24 - "Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written."
Daniel 5:28 - "PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians."
Daniel 10:18 - "Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me,"
Daniel 5:27 - "TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting."