Daniel 5:18

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

O thou {H607} king {H4430}, the most high {H5943} God {H426} gave {H3052} Nebuchadnezzar {H5020} thy father {H2} a kingdom {H4437}, and majesty {H7238}, and glory {H3367}, and honour {H1923}:

Your majesty, the Most High God gave N'vukhadnetzar your father the kingdom, as well as greatness, glory and majesty.

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

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

Commentary

Context

Daniel 5:18 is part of Daniel's powerful rebuke of King Belshazzar during the infamous feast where mysterious handwriting appeared on the wall. Belshazzar, the reigning king of Babylon, had blasphemously used sacred vessels from the Jerusalem temple for his drunken revelry. Daniel, brought in to interpret the ominous writing, begins by reminding Belshazzar of his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar. This verse specifically highlights that it was "the most high God" who bestowed power and grandeur upon Nebuchadnezzar. This serves as a crucial setup for Daniel to contrast Nebuchadnezzar's eventual humility and acknowledgment of God's sovereignty (as detailed in Daniel 4:34-37) with Belshazzar's current pride, arrogance, and flagrant disregard for God's divine authority. The entire chapter serves as a stark warning about divine judgment for those who defy God, culminating in Belshazzar's downfall that very night.

Key Themes

  • Divine Sovereignty over Nations: The verse powerfully asserts that God is the ultimate source of all authority and power, even for pagan rulers and vast empires like Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar's vast kingdom was not a result of his own might alone but a direct gift from God. This theme is central to the entire book of Daniel, demonstrating God's absolute control over human history and the rise and fall of kingdoms.
  • Accountability of Rulers: While God grants power, rulers are held accountable for how they wield it and their attitude towards the divine Giver. Daniel's reminder to Belshazzar emphasizes that even powerful kings are subject to God's ultimate judgment. Belshazzar's failure to learn from Nebuchadnezzar's experience and subsequent humility sealed his fate.
  • Warning Against Pride: By recounting Nebuchadnezzar's initial exaltation and subsequent humbling, Daniel implicitly warns Belshazzar against the sin of pride. Belshazzar's arrogance in defying God, despite knowing of Nebuchadnezzar's experiences, is a central reason for his judgment.

Linguistic Insight

The phrase "the most high God" translates from the Aramaic Elah Illaya (ืึฑืœึธื”ึผ ืขึดืœึธึผื™ึธื). Elah is the general term for God, and Illaya means "Most High" or "Supreme." This title emphasizes God's supreme elevation, His transcendence, and His ultimate authority above all earthly powers, human rulers, and pagan deities. It is a consistent descriptor for God throughout the book of Daniel, highlighting His unparalleled dominion over kingdoms and kings, a crucial concept in a book dealing with the rise and fall of empires and the ultimate victory of God's eternal kingdom.

Practical Application

Daniel 5:18 offers timeless lessons for contemporary life. It reminds us that all authority and blessings, whether in government, business, personal talents, or influence, ultimately derive from God. This perspective encourages humility in leadership and warns against the dangers of pride, self-reliance, and the misuse of power. It also provides comfort and assurance, knowing that God is sovereign over all circumstances, even in times of political turmoil or personal challenges. For believers, it reinforces the call to acknowledge God's ultimate control and to live in a manner that honors His supreme majesty, trusting that He is in control of all things, as affirmed in passages like Romans 13:1 regarding the origin of authority.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Daniel 2:37

    Thou, O king, [art] a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

  • Daniel 2:38

    And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou [art] this head of gold.

  • Daniel 4:17

    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.

  • Acts 26:19

    Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

  • Lamentations 3:38

    Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?

  • Psalms 7:17

    I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.

  • 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.