The Meaning of Daniel 5:20 Explained

Daniel 5:20

KJV: But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

YLT: and when his heart was high, and his spirit was strong to act proudly, he hath been caused to come down from the throne of his kingdom, and his glory they have caused to pass away from him,

Darby: But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit hardened unto presumption, he was deposed from the throne of his kingdom, and they took his glory from him;

ASV: But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But when his heart  was lifted up,  and his mind  hardened  in pride,  he was deposed  from  his kingly  throne,  and they took  his glory  from him: 

What does Daniel 5:20 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 5:20 mean?

But when was lifted up his heart and his spirit was hardened in pride he was deposed from throne his kingly and his glory they took from him
וּכְדִי֙ רִ֣ם לִבְבֵ֔הּ וְרוּחֵ֖הּ תִּֽקְפַ֣ת לַהֲזָדָ֑ה הָנְחַת֙ מִן־ כָּרְסֵ֣א מַלְכוּתֵ֔הּ וִֽיקָרָ֖ה הֶעְדִּ֥יוּ מִנֵּֽהּ

וּכְדִי֙  But  when 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Pronoun, relative
Root: דִּי  
Sense: who, which, that mark of genitive.
רִ֣ם  was  lifted  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רוּם  
Sense: to rise.
לִבְבֵ֔הּ  his  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לְבַב  
Sense: heart, mind.
וְרוּחֵ֖הּ  and  his  spirit 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: spirit, wind.
תִּֽקְפַ֣ת  was  hardened 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: תְּקִף  
Sense: to grow strong, be hardened.
לַהֲזָדָ֑ה  in  pride 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: זוּד  
Sense: to act proudly, be presumptuous.
הָנְחַת֙  he  was  deposed 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נְחַת  
Sense: to descend.
כָּרְסֵ֣א  throne 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כָּרְסֵא  
Sense: throne, royal chair.
מַלְכוּתֵ֔הּ  his  kingly 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַלְכוּ  
Sense: royalty, reign, kingdom.
וִֽיקָרָ֖ה  and  his  glory 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: יְקָר  
Sense: honour, esteem.
הֶעְדִּ֥יוּ  they  took 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עֲדָה  
Sense: to pass on, pass away.
מִנֵּֽהּ  from  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: מִן  
Sense: from, out of, by, by reason of, at, more than.