Daniel 5:15
And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
The assembled wise men represented Babylon's finest intellectual tradition—astronomy, mathematics, divination, dream interpretation, and occult practices developed over centuries. Their collective failure wasn't due to incompetence but to encountering genuine divine revelation that transcended their methodologies. Ancient Near Eastern divination relied on established systems: celestial observations, dream lexicons, extispicy (reading animal organs), and ritual incantations. When confronted with unmediated divine communication—God's direct message written supernaturally—these systems proved useless. This vindicated biblical revelation's uniqueness: not human discovery but divine disclosure requiring Spirit-empowered interpretation.
Questions for Reflection
- Why does God allow sophisticated human experts to fail before providing His answer?
- What does the collective failure of Babylon's wise men teach about natural wisdom's limits?
- How does public failure of human solutions ensure God receives glory when His solution succeeds?
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Analysis & Commentary
The king explains his predicament: the wise men and astrologers were brought to interpret the writing but couldn't. This admission of failure prepares for Daniel's success, establishing that the solution requires divine enablement, not merely human expertise or effort. The king's explanation is straightforward—acknowledging both the problem (mysterious writing) and previous failed attempts (wise men couldn't interpret). This creates expectation: if Daniel succeeds where others failed, it validates the supernatural source of his ability. The verse demonstrates a pattern Scripture frequently shows: human inadequacy precedes divine intervention, ensuring God receives glory rather than human wisdom being credited. Belshazzar's admission that his experts failed removes any possibility of crediting Babylonian wisdom for the eventual interpretation.