Daniel 1:20
And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
Original Language Analysis
וְכֹ֗ל
H3605
וְכֹ֗ל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
1 of 18
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
דְּבַר֙
And in all matters
H1697
דְּבַר֙
And in all matters
Strong's:
H1697
Word #:
2 of 18
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
אֲשֶׁר
H834
אֲשֶׁר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
5 of 18
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
בִּקֵּ֥שׁ
enquired
H1245
בִּקֵּ֥שׁ
enquired
Strong's:
H1245
Word #:
6 of 18
to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after
וַֽיִּמְצָאֵ֞ם
of them he found
H4672
וַֽיִּמְצָאֵ֞ם
of them he found
Strong's:
H4672
Word #:
9 of 18
properly, to come forth to, i.e., appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e., find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
עֶ֣שֶׂר
them ten times
H6235
עֶ֣שֶׂר
them ten times
Strong's:
H6235
Word #:
10 of 18
ten (as an accumulation to the extent of the digits)
יָד֗וֹת
better
H3027
יָד֗וֹת
better
Strong's:
H3027
Word #:
11 of 18
a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v
עַ֤ל
H5921
עַ֤ל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
12 of 18
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
כָּל
H3605
כָּל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
13 of 18
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
הַֽחַרְטֻמִּים֙
than all the magicians
H2748
הַֽחַרְטֻמִּים֙
than all the magicians
Strong's:
H2748
Word #:
14 of 18
a horoscopist (as drawing magical lines or circles)
אֲשֶׁ֖ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֖ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
16 of 18
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
Cross References
Exodus 8:19Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.Isaiah 19:3And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.Job 19:3These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.Nehemiah 4:12And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you.Exodus 8:7And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.Exodus 7:22And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said.Genesis 41:8And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.Genesis 31:7And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.Numbers 14:22Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;
Historical Context
This examination occurred around 602 BC after three years of intensive Babylonian education (605-602 BC). Nebuchadnezzar's court magicians represented centuries of Mesopotamian learning—astronomy, mathematics, divination, and dream interpretation. The king's testing wasn't casual but rigorous evaluation to determine fitness for royal service. Ancient Near Eastern courts valued wisdom highly; competent advisors could significantly influence policy and national welfare. Daniel's superior performance gave him access to power centers where he served faithfully for seven decades under multiple empires.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Daniel's tenfold superiority over pagan wisdom challenge modern assumptions that secular education surpasses biblically-grounded learning?
- In what ways does compromise in 'small' matters of obedience actually diminish rather than enhance our effectiveness in the world?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm—The phrase "ten times better" (eser yadot, עֶשֶׂר יָדוֹת) literally means "ten hands," an idiom for exceptional superiority. The word "wisdom" (chokmah, חָכְמָה) refers to practical skill and discernment, while "understanding" (binah, בִּינָה) denotes insight and ability to distinguish between options. Nebuchadnezzar subjected Daniel and his friends to rigorous examination (sha'al, שָׁאַל, "enquired/questioned") and discovered their comprehensive excellence.
The comparison with "magicians" (chartummim, חַרְטֻמִּים)—the same term used for Pharaoh's sorcerers in Exodus—and "astrologers" (ashshaphim, אַשָּׁפִים, literally "enchanters" or "conjurers") is striking. These practitioners represented Babylon's accumulated wisdom tradition, yet the Hebrew youths who refused defilement far surpassed them. This demonstrates that fearing Yahweh provides true wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), while pagan learning divorced from divine revelation produces inferior understanding.
The tenfold superiority wasn't merely intellectual but moral and spiritual. Their diet of vegetables and water (1:12-16) shouldn't naturally produce such results—this is divine blessing on faithfulness. God honored their refusal to compromise by granting them extraordinary ability. This pattern recurs throughout Scripture: Joseph's wisdom exceeded Egyptian sorcerers (Genesis 41:8, 38-39), Moses was educated in Egyptian wisdom yet faithful to Yahweh (Acts 7:22), and Solomon's God-given wisdom surpassed all eastern wisdom (1 Kings 4:29-31). True wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord.