Daniel 5:18
New International Version
“Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor.

New Living Translation
Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor to your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar.

English Standard Version
O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty.

Berean Standard Bible
As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.

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

New King James Version
O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor.

New American Standard Bible
O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty, greatness, honor, and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father.

NASB 1995
“O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty, grandeur, glory and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father.

NASB 1977
“O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty, grandeur, glory, and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father.

Legacy Standard Bible
O king, the Most High God granted the kingdom, grandeur, glory, and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father.

Amplified Bible
O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and greatness and glory and majesty;

Christian Standard Bible
Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, greatness, glory, and majesty to your predecessor Nebuchadnezzar.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, greatness, glory, and majesty to your predecessor Nebuchadnezzar.

American Standard Version
O thou king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty:

Contemporary English Version
Sir, the Most High God made your father a great and powerful man and brought him much honor and glory.

English Revised Version
O thou king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your grandfather Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, might, honor, and glory.

Good News Translation
"The Supreme God made your father Nebuchadnezzar a great king and gave him dignity and majesty.

International Standard Version
Your majesty, the Most High God gave your grandfather Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty, as well as greatness, glory, and splendor.

Majority Standard Bible
As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.

NET Bible
As for you, O king, the most high God bestowed on your father Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, greatness, honor, and majesty.

New Heart English Bible
You king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty.

Webster's Bible Translation
O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor:

World English Bible
“To you, king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
you, O king, God Most High, a kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and honor, gave to your father Nebuchadnezzar:

Young's Literal Translation
thou, O king, God Most High, a kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and honour, gave to Nebuchadnezzar thy father:

Smith's Literal Translation
Thou, O king, God most high gave a kingdom and greatness and honor and splendor to Nebuchadnezzar thy father:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
O king, the most high God gave to Nabuchodonosor thy father a kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and honour.

Catholic Public Domain Version
O king, the Most High God gave to Nebuchadnezzar, your father, a kingdom and greatness, glory and honor.

New American Bible
The Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar kingship, greatness, splendor, and majesty.

New Revised Standard Version
O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar kingship, greatness, glory, and majesty.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty and honor and glory.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
You, oh, King, God Most High gave the Kingdom, and greatness and honor and glory to Nebukadnetsar, your father
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
O thou king, God Most High gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
O king, the most high God gave to thy father Nabuchodonosor a kingdom, and majesty, and honour, and glory:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Daniel Interprets the Handwriting
17In 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. 18As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor. 19Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted whom he wished and humbled whom he wished.…

Cross References
Daniel 4:17
This decision is the decree of the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones, so that the living will know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes, setting over it the lowliest of men.’

Daniel 2:37-38
You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given sovereignty, power, strength, and glory. / Wherever the sons of men or beasts of the field or birds of the air dwell, He has given them into your hand and has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.

Jeremiah 27:5-7
By My great power and outstretched arm, I made the earth and the men and beasts on the face of it, and I give it to whom I please. / So now I have placed all these lands under the authority of My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. I have even made the beasts of the field subject to him. / All nations will serve him and his son and grandson, until the time of his own land comes; then many nations and great kings will enslave him.

Jeremiah 25:9
behold, I will summon all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, whom I will bring against this land, against its residents, and against all the surrounding nations. So I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and contempt, an everlasting desolation.

Ezekiel 29:19-20
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will carry off its wealth, seize its spoil, and remove its plunder. This will be the wages for his army. / I have given him the land of Egypt as the reward for his labor, because it was done for Me, declares the Lord GOD.

Isaiah 45:1-3
This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates will not be shut: / “I will go before you and level the mountains; I will break down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron. / I will give you the treasures of darkness and the riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name.

Isaiah 14:4-5
you will sing this song of contempt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has ceased, and how his fury has ended! / The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers.

1 Samuel 2:7-8
The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts. / He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s, and upon them He has set the world.

Psalm 75:6-7
For exaltation comes neither from east nor west, nor out of the desert, / but it is God who judges; He brings down one and exalts another.

Job 12:18-21
He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists. / He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established. / He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders. ...

Acts 17:26
From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.

Romans 13:1
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.

Revelation 1:5
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood,

Revelation 17:12-14
The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings along with the beast. / These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast. / They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.”

Luke 1:52
He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.


Treasury of Scripture

O you king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor:

O thou.

Daniel 3:17,18
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king…

Daniel 4:22
It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.

Daniel 6:22
My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

the most.

Daniel 2:37,38
Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory…

Daniel 4:17,22-25,32
This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men…

Deuteronomy 32:8
When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.

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Glory Grandeur Granted Great Greatness High Honor Honour Kingdom Kingship Majesty Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnez'zar Power Sovereignty Splendor
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Daniel 5
1. Belshazzar's impious feast.
5. A hand-writing unknown to the magicians, troubles the king.
10. At the commendation of the queen Daniel is brought.
17. He, reproving the king of pride and idolatry,
25. reads and interprets the writing.
30. The monarchy is translated to the Medes














As for you, O king
This phrase addresses Belshazzar, the king of Babylon at the time. It sets the stage for a direct and personal message. The use of "O king" is a formal address, showing respect for his position despite the impending judgment. This reflects the biblical principle of respecting authority, as seen in Romans 13:1-7.

the Most High God
This title emphasizes God's supreme authority over all earthly rulers. It is a recurring theme in the Book of Daniel, highlighting God's sovereignty over human kingdoms. The term "Most High" is used throughout the Old Testament to denote God's ultimate power and authority, as seen in Genesis 14:18-20 and Psalm 47:2.

gave your father Nebuchadnezzar
The reference to Nebuchadnezzar as Belshazzar's "father" is a common ancient Near Eastern practice of referring to predecessors or ancestors, not necessarily a direct paternal relationship. Historically, Nebuchadnezzar was a powerful Babylonian king known for his conquests and the construction of the Hanging Gardens. This phrase underscores the divine origin of Nebuchadnezzar's authority, aligning with Daniel 2:21, which states that God sets up and deposes kings.

sovereignty and greatness
These terms describe the extent of Nebuchadnezzar's rule and influence. Sovereignty indicates his absolute power over the Babylonian Empire, while greatness refers to his widespread fame and accomplishments. This echoes the biblical theme that all authority is granted by God, as seen in John 19:11, where Jesus tells Pilate that his power is given from above.

glory and honor
These attributes highlight the respect and admiration Nebuchadnezzar commanded. In biblical terms, glory often refers to the visible manifestation of God's presence, while honor denotes the esteem given by others. The glory and honor given to Nebuchadnezzar serve as a reminder of the temporary nature of human accolades compared to God's eternal glory, as reflected in 1 Peter 1:24-25.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Daniel
A prophet and wise man in the Babylonian court, known for his faithfulness to God and his ability to interpret dreams and signs.

2. Belshazzar
The king of Babylon during the events of Daniel 5, known for his pride and sacrilege against God by using sacred temple vessels for a feast.

3. Nebuchadnezzar
The former king of Babylon, referred to as Belshazzar's "father" in a royal or ancestral sense, known for his powerful reign and eventual humbling by God.

4. Babylon
The empire and city where these events take place, known for its grandeur and as a center of power and idolatry.

5. The Most High God
The sovereign God of Israel, who is acknowledged as the one who grants authority and power to earthly rulers.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty Over Earthly Powers
Recognize that all authority and power come from God, and He is in control of the rise and fall of leaders and nations.

The Danger of Pride
Learn from Nebuchadnezzar's account that pride can lead to downfall, and humility before God is essential.

The Importance of Acknowledging God
Understand the importance of giving God the glory for any position or power we hold, as failing to do so can lead to judgment.

The Role of Remembrance in Faith
Remember past lessons and experiences of God's sovereignty and faithfulness to guide current actions and decisions.

The Consequences of Disobedience
Be aware that ignoring God's authority and commands can lead to severe consequences, as seen in Belshazzar's fate.(18) The most high God.--Comp. this and the three following verses with Daniel 4:16-17; Daniel 4:22-25.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
As for you,
אַ֖נְתְּ (’ant)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 607: You

O king,
מַלְכָּ֑א (mal·kā)
Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 4430: A king

the Most High
עִלָּאָ֔ה (‘il·lā·’āh)
Adjective - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 5943: highest', a name of God

God
אֱלָהָא֙ (’ĕ·lā·hā)
Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 426: God

gave
יְהַ֖ב (yə·haḇ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3052: To give, to put, imperatively, come

your father
אֲבֽוּךְ׃ (’ă·ḇūḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2: Father

Nebuchadnezzar
לִנְבֻכַדְנֶצַּ֥ר (lin·ḇu·ḵaḏ·neṣ·ṣar)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5020: Nebuchadnezzar -- a Babylonian king

sovereignty
מַלְכוּתָ֤א (mal·ḵū·ṯā)
Noun - feminine singular determinate
Strong's 4437: Royalty, reign, kingdom

and greatness,
וּרְבוּתָא֙ (ū·rə·ḇū·ṯā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular determinate
Strong's 7238: Greatness

glory
וִיקָרָ֣א (wî·qā·rā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 3367: Value, wealth, costliness, dignity

and honor.
וְהַדְרָ֔ה (wə·haḏ·rāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 1923: An honor, majesty


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OT Prophets: Daniel 5:18 You king the Most High God gave (Dan. Da Dn)
Daniel 5:17
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