DAN 5:18 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) “As for you, your majesty, the highest god gave the kingship, power, honour, and majesty, to your father Nevukadnetstsar.

5:18 OSHB variant note: אנתה: (x-qere) ’אַ֖נְתְּ’: lemma_607 n_1.0 morph_APp2ms id_27WGp אַ֖נְתְּ

5:18 OSHB variant note: עלי/א: (x-qere) ’עִלָּאָ֔/ה’: lemma_5943 n_0.2 morph_AAamsd/Td id_27TtK עִלָּאָ֔/ה

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT As for you, O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship, greatness, honor, and majesty.

UST Your Majesty, the Supreme God caused the man who was king before you, Nebuchadnezzar, to become a great ruler, who was greatly praised and honored.

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

OEB No OEB DAN book available

WEBBE “To you, king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty.

WMBB (Same as above)

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

LSV you, O king, God Most High, a kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and honor, gave to your father Nebuchadnezzar:

FBV Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar this kingdom, and power, glory, and majesty.

T4T ◄Your Majesty/O king►, the Supreme God caused the man who was king before you, Nebuchadnezzar, to become a great ruler, who was greatly praised and honored.

LEB _⌊O king_⌋,[fn] the Most High God gave the kingdom and the greatness and the glory and the majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your _⌊predecessor_⌋.[fn]

5:18 Literally “You, O king”

5:18 Literally “father”

BBE As for you, O King, the Most High God gave to Nebuchadnezzar, your father, the kingdom and great power and glory and honour:

Moff O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the realm with its greatness and glory and majesty,

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

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

DRA O king, the most high God gave to Nabuchodonosor thy father a kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and honour.

YLT thou, O king, God Most High, a kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and honour, gave to Nebuchadnezzar thy father:

Drby O thou king, the Most High [fn]God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty;

5.18 Elohim

RV O thou king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty:
(Oh thou/you king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy/your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty: )

SLT Thou, O king, God most high gave a kingdom and greatness and honor and splendor to Nebuchadnezzar thy father:

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

KJB-1769 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:
(Oh thou/you king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy/your father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: )

KJB-1611 O thou king, the most high God gaue Nebuchad-nezzar thy father a kingdome, and maiestie, and glory, and honour.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps O thou king, the most high god gaue vnto Nabuchodonozor thy father a kingdome, and maiestie, and honour, & glorie.
(Oh thou/you king, the most high god gave unto Nabuchodonozor thy/your father a kingdom, and majesty, and honour, and glory.)

Gnva O King, heare thou, The most high God gaue vnto Nebuchad-nezzar thy father a kingdome, and maiestie, and honour and glory.
(Oh King, hear thou/you, The most high God gave unto Nebuchad-nezzar thy/your father a kingdom, and majesty, and honour and glory. )

Cvdl therof O kinge, God the hyest gaue vnto Nabuchodonosor thy father, ye dignite of a kynge, wt worshipe & honor:
(thereof Oh king, God the highest gave unto Nebuchadnezzar thy/your father, ye/you_all dignite of a king, with worship and honour:)

Wycl O! thou kyng, hiyeste God yaf rewme, and greet worschipe, and glorie, and onour, to Nabugodonosor, thi fadir.
(O! thou/you king, highest God gave realm, and great worshipe, and glory, and honour, to Nebuchadnezzar, thy/your father.)

Luth Herr König, GOtt der Höchste hat deinem Vater, Nebukadnezar, Königreich, Macht, Ehre und Herrlichkeit gegeben.
(Lord king, God the/of_the highest_(one) has your father, Nebukadnezar, kingdom, power(n), honour(n) and glory/splendour given.)

ClVg O rex, Deus altissimus regnum et magnificentiam, gloriam et honorem dedit Nabuchodonosor patri tuo.
(O king, God highsimus kingdom and magnificencem, glory and honour he_gave Nabuchodonosor to_his_father your. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 5:1–31: God judged King Belshazzar

The author continued to write in the Aramaic language. He wrote about how King Belshazzar gave a big banquet and made use of the sacred treasures from the Jerusalem temple. Belshazzar saw a hand writing a mysterious message on the wall. Only Daniel was able to explain the message, that God was about to punish Belshazzar. That same night an army of Medes and Persians conquered the city and killed Belshazzar.

English versions give different headings to Daniel 5. These include:

The Handwriting on the Wall (GW)

The Writing on the Wall (NIV)

King Belshazzar’s Banquet (CEV)

In some languages it may be more natural to write the heading in the form of a clause. For example, you could say:

King Belshazzar saw a hand write on the wall.

King Belshazzar had/gave a banquet/feast.

Some versions give headings to the subsections of Daniel 5. For example, the NLT has two headings:

The Writing on the Wall (5:1)

Daniel explains the writing (5:13)

The NRSV has three headings:

Belshazzar’s Feast (5:1)

The Writing on the Wall (5:5)

The Writing on the Wall Interpreted (5:13)

You should decide the number of headings that is best in your translation. The purpose of headings is to help readers to follow the events of the story. Headings also help the reader understand the relationships between the different parts of the story. You should try not to have more headings than necessary.

Historical Background:

Nabonidus was the king of Babylon from 556 to 539 B.C. Historical records indicate that he married Nitocris, the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar, and that Belshazzar was their oldest son.See the ancient Greek historian Herodotus and the Nabonidus Chronicles. While Nabonidus was absent from Babylon during the last ten years of his reign, Belshazzar acted as king in his place.

Daniel 5 describes the last night of the Babylonian empire. From other historic sources we know that Cyrus, the king of Persia, attacked the Babylonian army during the 7th month of the year 539 B.C. On the 15th day of that month, they attacked the town of Sippar and King Nabonidus fled. The next day Cyrus’ army entered the city of Babylon without any battle and killed its ruler, Belshazzar. Daniel 5 describes what Belshazzar was doing on the last day of the Babylonian empire.

Paragraph 5:18–19

Daniel summarized the lessons that King Nebuchadnezzar had learned from God in Daniel 4.

5:18a

As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty

¶ “Your Majesty, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father/grandfather the authority to rule as king.
¶ “My king, the one Supreme God caused your father Nebuchadnezzar to become a great king.

As for you, O king: Daniel addressed the king with an Aramaic expression that is literally “you the king.” Languages often have special ways for people to address a king or an important person. Here are some possible models:

Sir

Your majesty (NIV)

My lord, king (REB)

my king

Use a form that is natural in your language in this context.

the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty: The Aramaic clause indicates that God had caused Nebuchadnezzar to become king of Babylonia. He gave him the right and power to rule. In some languages it may not be natural to say that a person can give an abstract idea like sovereignty to someone. Other ways to say this may include:

the Most High God gave a kingdom…to your father, Nebuchadnezzar (REB)

The Supreme God made your father Nebuchadnezzar a great king (GNT)

the Most High God caused your father Nebuchadnezzar to become king of Babylon

the Most High God: See the Notes at 3:26b. This expression is a title. It describes God as the one who has authority over everyone. Avoid translating in a way that suggests there are lesser gods and that this God is higher than the others. Here is another way to translate this:

The Supreme God (GNT)

your father: See the Notes at 5:11b. Translate here as you did there. See also 5:11d and 5:13c.

sovereignty: See the Notes at 2:37b. The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as sovereignty has a wide range of meanings. Here it is an abstract noun and refers to kingship, the right and power to rule as king.

5:18b

and greatness, glory and honor.

He gave him power, glory, and majesty.
God caused him to become great, glorious, and honored.
God made him so powerful that people honored him and were in awe of him.

and greatness, glory and honor: The three abstract nouns that the BSB translates as greatness, glory, and honor are close in meaning. Together they emphasize the idea that Nebuchadnezzar was important and powerful. Others honored him and looked up to him in awe. They are all positive words used to praise someone.

greatness: See the Notes at 4:22c, 4:36f. The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as greatness includes the ideas of power and of importance. Try to include both ideas in your translation. In some languages it may be necessary to emphasize one or the other. For example:

might (GW)

power (REB

great/much authority

glory: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as glory here means “dignity, honor.” See the Notes and Display at 2:37b; 4:30b. Here are some other ways to translate this:

majesty (NJB)

honor (GW)

In some languages it may be more natural to translate this idea with a verb. For example:

God has honored him

God has caused him to have a great reputation among people

honor: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as honor is a synonym to “glory.”The word hedar also occurs at 4:30b, and 4:36c. Both words occur together at 4:30b. Here are some other ways to translate this:

magnificence

splendor (NIV)

royal dignity

In some languages it may be natural to express this idea with a clause. For example:

He/God caused people to respect/honor Nebuchadnezzar very highly.

General Comment on 5:18a–b

In some languages it may be natural to introduce the idea of “greatness” in 5:18a. For example:

^18a-bThe Supreme God made your father Nebuchadnezzar a great king and gave him dignity and majesty. (GNT)

Parallel DAN 5:18

Section 5:1–31: God judged King Belshazzar

Paragraph 5:18–19

5:18a

5:18b

General Comment on 5:18a–b