The Meaning of Daniel 5:19 Explained

Daniel 5:19

KJV: And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.

YLT: and because of the greatness that He gave to him, all peoples, nations, and languages were trembling and fearing before him: whom he willed he was slaying, and whom he willed he was keeping alive, and whom he willed he was raising up, and whom he willed he was making low;

Darby: and for the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he exalted, and whom he would he humbled.

ASV: and because of the greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he raised up, and whom he would he put down.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And for  the majesty  that he gave  him, all  people,  nations,  and languages,  trembled  and feared  before  him:  whom he would  he slew;  and whom he would  he kept alive;  and whom he would  he set up;  and whom he would  he put down. 

What does Daniel 5:19 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 5:19 mean?

And because of majesty the that He gave him all peoples nations and languages trembled - trembled and feared from the face of him Whomever he wished he executed and whomever wished kept alive set up put down
וּמִן־ רְבוּתָא֙ דִּ֣י יְהַב־ לֵ֔הּ כֹּ֣ל עַֽמְמַיָּ֗א אֻמַיָּא֙ וְלִשָּׁ֣נַיָּ֔א הֲו֛וֹ [זאעין] (זָיְעִ֥ין) וְדָחֲלִ֖ין מִן־ קֳדָמ֑וֹהִי דִּֽי־ הֲוָ֨ה צָבֵ֜א הֲוָ֣א קָטֵ֗ל וְדִֽי־ צָבֵא֙ מַחֵ֔א מָרִ֔ים מַשְׁפִּֽיל

וּמִן־  And  because 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: מִן  
Sense: from, out of, by, by reason of, at, more than.
רְבוּתָא֙  of  majesty  the 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular determinate
Root: רְבוּ  
Sense: greatness.
דִּ֣י  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: דִּי  
Sense: who, which, that mark of genitive.
יְהַב־  He  gave 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יְהַב  
Sense: to give, provide.
עַֽמְמַיָּ֗א  peoples 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural determinate
Root: עַם  
Sense: people.
אֻמַיָּא֙  nations 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural determinate
Root: אֻמָּה  
Sense: people, tribe, nation.
וְלִשָּׁ֣נַיָּ֔א  and  languages 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural determinate
Root: לִשָּׁן  
Sense: tongue, language.
הֲו֛וֹ  trembled 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine plural
Root: הֲוָה  
Sense: to come to pass, become, be.
[זאעין]  - 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
(זָיְעִ֥ין)  trembled 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: זוּעַ  
Sense: (Pe) to tremble.
וְדָחֲלִ֖ין  and  feared 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: דְּחַל  
Sense: to fear.
קֳדָמ֑וֹהִי  the  face  of  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: קֳדָם  
Sense: before, in front of.
דִּֽי־  Whomever 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: דִּי  
Sense: who, which, that mark of genitive.
צָבֵ֜א  wished 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: צְבָה  
Sense: to desire, be inclined, be willing, be pleased.
קָטֵ֗ל  executed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: קְטַל  
Sense: to slay, kill.
וְדִֽי־  and  whomever 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, relative
Root: דִּי  
Sense: who, which, that mark of genitive.
צָבֵא֙  wished 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: צְבָה  
Sense: to desire, be inclined, be willing, be pleased.
מַחֵ֔א  kept  alive 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: חֲיָה  
Sense: to live.
מָרִ֔ים  set  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רוּם  
Sense: to rise.
מַשְׁפִּֽיל  put  down 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שְׁפַל  
Sense: to be or bring low, humble.