The Meaning of Daniel 5:18 Explained

Daniel 5:18

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

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

Darby: O thou king, the Most High God 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:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Daniel 5:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Daniel 5:17-31 - Weighed And Found Wanting
Daniel was unperturbed and undismayed. Calm and collected, he recognized his Father's handwriting, and read it, as the instructed may decipher a scroll which is illegible to the ordinary gaze. What to him were the gewgaws of the palace? With the wings of the angel of death overshadowing that awe-struck throng, it was of small importance that Belshazzar promised him the purple robe and chain of gold. It seems sometimes as though those fingers were busy still writing their awful sentence on the walls of national revelry. While a nation is drinking deep at its cups and countenancing uncleanness, the divine assay may be in progress and the verdict going forth: weighed and found wanting. There may be gold and glitter, revelry and mirth, the splendor of state, and the profusion of rich viands; but what of these if the people are ignorant, irreligious, and impure? Then, indeed, dry-rot has set in! The root sin of all is pride. May the Spirit of God, who ever brings with Him light and understanding and excellent wisdom be found in us, as in Daniel. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Daniel 5:18 mean?

You You king God - Most High the a kingdom and majesty glory and honor gave Nebuchadnezzar your father
[אנתה] (אַ֖נְתְּ) מַלְכָּ֑א אֱלָהָא֙ [עליא] (עִלָּאָ֔ה) מַלְכוּתָ֤א וּרְבוּתָא֙ וִיקָרָ֣א וְהַדְרָ֔ה יְהַ֖ב לִנְבֻכַדְנֶצַּ֥ר אֲבֽוּךְ

מַלְכָּ֑א  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: מֶלֶךְ  
Sense: king.
אֱלָהָא֙  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: אֱלָהּ  
Sense: god, God.
[עליא]  - 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular determinate
(עִלָּאָ֔ה)  Most  High  the 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular determinate
Root: עִלָּי  
Sense: highest, the Most High.
מַלְכוּתָ֤א  a  kingdom 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular determinate
Root: מַלְכוּ  
Sense: royalty, reign, kingdom.
וּרְבוּתָא֙  and  majesty 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular determinate
Root: רְבוּ  
Sense: greatness.
וִיקָרָ֣א  glory 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: יְקָר  
Sense: honour, esteem.
וְהַדְרָ֔ה  and  honor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: הֲדַר  
Sense: honour, majesty.
יְהַ֖ב  gave 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יְהַב  
Sense: to give, provide.
לִנְבֻכַדְנֶצַּ֥ר  Nebuchadnezzar 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר  
Sense: the great king of Babylon who captured Jerusalem and carried Judah captive.
אֲבֽוּךְ  your  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אַב  
Sense: father.