Daniel 5 · Verse 17

Daniel 5:17

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.
Daniel 5:17, King James Version

Daniel 5:17 in other translations

BSBIn 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.
WEBThen 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.
ASVThen 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.
YLTThen 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;
DARBYThen Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet will I read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
BBEThen Daniel made answer and said to the king, Keep your offerings for yourself, and give your rewards to another; but I, after reading the writing to the king, will give him the sense of it.
WebsterThen 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.

What does Daniel 5:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
17. Not inconsistent with Da 5:29. For here he declares his interpretation of the words is not from the desire of reward. The honors in Da 5:29 were doubtless urged on him, without his wish, in such a way that he could not with propriety refuse them. Had he refused them after announcing the doom of the kingdom, he might have been suspected of cowardice or treason.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 Let thy gifts be to thyself - They could be of little use to any, as the city was in a few hours to be taken and pillaged.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Daniel 5:10-17

Daniel was forgotten at court; he lived privately, and was then ninety years of age. Many consult servants of God on curious questions, or to explain difficult subjects, but without asking the way of salvation, or the path of duty. Daniel slighted the offer of reward. He spoke to Belshazzar as to a condemned criminal. We should despise all the gifts and rewards this world can give, did we see, as we may by faith…

Read the full comment on Daniel 5:10-17 →

Daniel 5:17 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

בֵּאדַ֜יִןbe.Da.yin<in> thenH116
עָנֵ֣ה'a.Neh[was] replyingH6032
דָנִיֵּ֗אלda.ni.YelDanielH1841
וְאָמַר֙ve.'a.Marand [say] sayingH560
קֳדָ֣םko.DambeforeH6925
מַלְכָּ֔אmal.Ka'king theH4430
מַתְּנָתָךְ֙ma.te.na.toKhgifts yourH4978
לָ֣ךְlakhfor yourself
לֶֽהֶוְיָ֔ןle.hev.Yanlet them beH1934
וּנְבָ֥זְבְּיָתָ֖ךְu.ne.Va.ze.be.ya.Takhand rewards yourH5023
לְאָחֳרָ֣ןle.'o.cho.Ranto anotherH321
הַ֑בHavgive!H3052
בְּרַ֗םbe.RamneverthelessH1297
כְּתָבָא֙ke.ta.Va'writing theH3792
אֶקְרֵ֣א'ek.Re'I will read aloudH7123
לְמַלְכָּ֔אle.mal.Ka'to king theH4430
וּפִשְׁרָ֖אu.fish.Ra'and interpretation theH6591
אֲהוֹדְעִנֵּֽהּ\׃'a.hod.'i.NehI will make known to himH3046

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Daniel 5:17

  • 2 Kings 5:16

    But he said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.

  • 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:

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Acts 8:20

    But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

  • 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.

  • 2 Kings 5:26

    And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?

  • Psalms 119:46

    I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Let.Daniel, on this occasion, behaved in a very different manner to Belshazzar, than he had formerly done to Nebuchadnezzar. Belshazzar had that very night insulted the God of heaven in the most daring manner; and the venerable prophet, as His delegate, denounced sentence against him.
29; Ge 14:23; 2Ki 3:13; 5:16,26; Ac 8:20
rewards. or, fee.
2:6
I will read.
Ps 119:46

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Daniel 5:16

    And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.

  • Daniel 5:17

    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.

  • Daniel 5:18

    O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:

Read all of Daniel 5

Daniel 5:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces Daniel respondió, y dijo delante del rey: Tus dones sean para ti, y tus presentes dalos á otro. La escritura yo la leeré al rey, y le mostraré la declaración.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Alors Daniel répondit et dit devant le roi: Que tes présents te demeurent, et donne tes récompenses à un autre. Toutefois je lirai l’écriture au roi, et je lui en ferai connaître l’interprétation.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da antwortete Daniel und sprach vor dem König: Deine Gaben mögen dir verbleiben, und deine Geschenke gib einem anderen; jedoch werde ich die Schrift dem König lesen und die Deutung ihm kundtun.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ad quæ respondens Daniel, ait coram rege: Munera tua sint tibi, et dona domus tuæ alteri da: scripturam autem legam tibi, rex, et interpretationem ejus ostendam tibi.