Daniel 1:20
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. | In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. | And in every matter of wisdom and understanding, concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his realm. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedAfter three years of training in Babylon, Daniel and his three friends were examined by King Nebuchadnezzar himself. In every question of wisdom and understanding he put to them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers in his kingdom. The chapter credits their knowledge and skill to God, who gave it to them. Daniel 1:5Daniel 1:17Daniel 1:18Daniel 1:19Daniel 1:20
Commonly taken out of context
How it’s often usedQuoted, with the vegetables-and-water test, as proof that a certain diet will make a person ten times smarter or more successful.
In contextThe ten-day test showed only that the men looked healthier (1:15). The chapter says plainly that "God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom" (1:17). Their superior wisdom is presented as God's gift, not as the effect of food. Daniel 1:15Daniel 1:17Daniel 1:20
SpeakingThe narrator tells this part of the book about Daniel in the third person. The traditional view holds that Daniel wrote the book. Daniel overview
ToThe book was written for God's people in exile in Babylon and after it. Daniel overview
Also involvedDaniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, young men of Judah's royal family and nobles, are compared with all the magicians and astrologers of Nebuchadnezzar's realm. Daniel 1:3Daniel 1:6Daniel 1:20
The king questioned the four young men on all kinds of matters and judged their wisdom far above that of his own court experts in hidden knowledge. Because of this they were given places to serve before the king. Daniel 1:19Daniel 1:20Strong's H2748Strong's H0825
The scene is the royal court of Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon, in the land of Shinar, where the young men were trained to stand in the king's palace. Daniel 1:2Daniel 1:4Daniel overview
The eventsThis happened at the end of the three years of training the king had set. The training began after Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem in the third year of Jehoiakim, about 605 BC. Daniel 1:1Daniel 1:5Daniel 1:18Daniel overview
WrittenTraditional: written by Daniel in the 500s BC. Scholarly: many critical scholars date the book's final form to about 167-164 BC, while others hold to the 500s BC date. Daniel overview
HereThe verse confirms what the chapter has just said: God gave these four men knowledge and wisdom. The king's own test showed it to be true. Daniel 1:17Daniel 1:19Daniel 1:20
In the whole of ScriptureOther Scripture also shows court magicians falling short. In Joseph's day Pharaoh's magicians could not interpret his dream, and in Moses' day Pharaoh's magicians said, "This is the finger of God." Isaiah mocks those who trust in enchantments and sorceries, which cannot deliver them from the fire, and like Solomon, Daniel and his friends had wisdom because God gave it. Genesis 41:8Exodus 8:19Isaiah 47:12Isaiah 47:141 Kings 4:29Daniel 1:17
For readersReaders living under foreign rule are shown men who would not defile themselves, yet served well in a pagan court. God can give his people wisdom that surpasses the best the world has. Daniel overviewDaniel 1:8Daniel 1:17Daniel 1:20
The Hebrew says literally "ten hands." The word's basic meaning is hand, but the lexicon also lists "time, repetition" among its senses, which is why it is rendered "ten times" here. Strong's H3027LStrong's H6235
- magiciansחַרְטֹם
The word means diviner, magician or astrologer, one held to have hidden knowledge. Pharaoh's court also had magicians, and they could not interpret his dream in Genesis 41:8. Strong's H2748Genesis 41:8
- astrologersאַשָּׁף
The word is defined as conjurer, enchanter or astrologer. It names men who dealt in occult arts, like the enchantments Isaiah says cannot deliver those who trust them. Strong's H0825Isaiah 47:12Isaiah 47:14
Takeaway
The four men's wisdom came from God and proved far greater than all of Babylon's occult experts. The chapter credits that wisdom to God's gift, not to their diet. Daniel 1:15Daniel 1:17Daniel 1:201 Kings 4:29
Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.
The world around the text
Behind this verse
- Trained for the king's service
- Young men of royal and noble families were taught "the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans" for three years and fed from the king's table. Babylonian scholars wrote in cuneiform on clay tablets. Daniel 1:3-5Daniel 1:17
About 605-536 BC. King of Babylon: Nebuchadnezzar (605-562 BC). Where Daniel lived and served for about seventy years. The capital of the Babylonian empire, on the Euphrates south of modern Baghdad, in the land the Bible calls Shinar and Chaldea.
Who ruled
- King of BabylonNebuchadnezzar605-562 BC
The king who besieged Jerusalem, carried Daniel and the temple vessels to Babylon, and later destroyed the city and temple. His own building inscriptions boast of the Babylon he built. Daniel 1:1-22 Kings 24:12 Kings 25:8-10Jeremiah 25:1Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- Last king of Babylon, and his son who ruled in his placeNabonidus and Belshazzar556-539 BC
Nabonidus spent about ten years at the oasis of Tema in Arabia and left his son Belshazzar to rule in Babylon. That is why Belshazzar could only offer Daniel the place of "third ruler in the kingdom": he was himself second. Daniel 5:1Daniel 5:7Daniel 5:29Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Verse Account of Nabonidus
- Received the kingdom after Babylon fellDarius the MedianFrom 539 BC
Daniel says he "took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old" and set 120 princes over it. Records outside the Bible do not name him; he has been identified with Gubaru, the governor Cyrus set over Babylon, or with Cyrus himself. Daniel 5:31Daniel 6:1Daniel 9:1Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)
- King of PersiaCyrus559-530 BC
He united the Medes and Persians, took Babylon in 539 BC, and let the exiles go home to rebuild the temple, as Isaiah had named him beforehand. Daniel 1:21Daniel 6:28Daniel 10:1Ezra 1:1-4Isaiah 44:28-45:1Cyrus Cylinder
- King of JudahJehoiakim609-598 BC
Judah's king when Daniel was taken. Jeremiah warned him and his people that the land would serve Babylon seventy years. Daniel 1:1-22 Kings 23:36-24:6Jeremiah 25:1-11
What was happening, 612 BC to 167 BC
- 612 BCWarNineveh falls
Babylon and the Medes destroyed Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, as Nahum and Zephaniah had foretold. Babylon became the great power of the region. Nahum 3:7Zephaniah 2:13Fall of Nineveh Chronicle (ABC 3)
- 605 BCWarBattle of Carchemish
Nebuchadnezzar defeated Pharaoh Necho of Egypt at Carchemish on the Euphrates, in Jehoiakim's fourth year. The same year he came against Jerusalem and took the first captives, Daniel among them. Jeremiah 46:2Daniel 1:1-4Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- 597 BCWarJerusalem surrenders
Nebuchadnezzar took King Jehoiachin, his nobles and craftsmen to Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel went into exile with them. 2 Kings 24:10-17Ezekiel 1:2Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- 586 BCWarJerusalem and the temple destroyed
Babylon's army burned the temple and the city and broke down its walls. Daniel later prays over "the desolations of Jerusalem" and asks God to shine on his "sanctuary that is desolate." 2 Kings 25:8-10Jeremiah 52:12-14Daniel 9:2Daniel 9:17
- c. 575 BCBuildingBabylon rebuilt in splendor
Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt Babylon with great walls, palaces and the blue-glazed Ishtar Gate, and his inscriptions praise his own work. Compare his boast: "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built?" Daniel 4:30Nebuchadnezzar's East India House InscriptionHerodotus, Histories 1.178-183
- 562 BCRulersNebuchadnezzar dies
His son Evil-merodach became king and released Jehoiachin of Judah from prison. 2 Kings 25:27-30Jeremiah 52:31-34
- c. 553-543 BCRulersNabonidus leaves Babylon to Belshazzar
King Nabonidus stayed at Tema in Arabia for about ten years, and the yearly New Year festival in Babylon was not held. Belshazzar governed in Babylon. Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Daniel 5:1Daniel 7:1
- 550 BCWarCyrus unites the Medes and Persians
Cyrus of Persia defeated Astyages king of the Medes, joining the two peoples in one kingdom. Daniel's vision names the ram's two horns as "the kings of Media and Persia," the higher coming up last. Daniel 8:3Daniel 8:20Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Herodotus, Histories 1.127-130
- October 539 BCWarBabylon falls to Cyrus
Cyrus's army entered Babylon without a long siege. Herodotus says the people were feasting when the city was taken. Daniel records that "in that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain." Daniel 5:30-31Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Herodotus, Histories 1.191Cyrus Cylinder
- 538 BCGod's peopleCyrus lets the exiles return
In his first year over Babylon, Cyrus proclaimed that the Jews could go back and build the LORD's house in Jerusalem. Daniel "continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus." Ezra 1:1-42 Chronicles 36:22-23Daniel 1:21Cyrus Cylinder
- c. 536 BCGod's peopleThe temple's foundation is laid
The returned exiles rebuilt the altar and laid the foundation of the temple. In the third year of Cyrus, Daniel was still in the east, mourning and praying. Ezra 3:1-11Daniel 10:1-3
- 334-331 BCWarAlexander the Great conquers Persia
Alexander of Macedon crossed into Asia and overthrew the Persian empire within four years. Daniel 8:21 names the rough goat as "the king of Grecia" and its great horn as "the first king." Daniel 8:5-8Daniel 8:21Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 1-3
- 323-301 BCWarAlexander's empire is divided
Alexander died young, and after twenty years of war his generals divided his empire, chiefly into four kingdoms. Daniel 8:22 says "four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power." Daniel 8:8Daniel 8:22Daniel 11:4Diodorus Siculus, Library 18-20Plutarch, Demetrius 28-30
- 167 BCWarAntiochus IV defiles the temple
The Greek king Antiochus IV banned Jewish worship and set up a pagan altar on the altar of burnt offering. 1 Maccabees calls it "the abomination of desolation." Two centuries later Jesus spoke of "the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet" as still to come. 1 Maccabees 1:54-59Josephus, Antiquities 12.5.4Matthew 24:15
The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient records of these years (the Babylonian Chronicles, the Cyrus Cylinder, Nebuchadnezzar's inscriptions) and ancient writers (Herodotus, Arrian, Diodorus, Josephus). Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.
Original Hebrew words
| English | Hebrew | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| and every | וְכֹ֗ל | ve-KHOL | H3605 | allכֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606) |
| matter of | דְּבַר֙ | de-VAR | H1697I | wordדָּבָר (da.var) : word/speech/command 1) speech, word, speaking, thing 1a) speech 1b) saying, utterance 1c) word, words 1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension) |
| wisdom of | חָכְמַ֣ת | cha-khe-MAT | H2451 | wisdomחׇכְמָה (chokh.mah) 1) wisdom 1a) skill (in war) 1b) wisdom (in administration) 1c) shrewdness, wisdom 1d) wisdom, prudence (in religious affairs) 1e) wisdom (ethical and religious) |
| understanding | בִּינָ֔ה | bi-NAH | H0998 | understandingבִּינָה (bi.nah) 1) understanding, discernment 1a) act 1b) faculty 1c) object 1d) personified Aramaic equivalent: bi.nah (בִּינָה "understanding" H0999) |
| which | אֲשֶׁר־ | 'a-SHER- | H0834A | whichאֲשֶׁר (a.sher) A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when |
| he sought | בִּקֵּ֥שׁ | bi-KESH | H1245 | to seekבָּקַשׁ (ba.qash) 1) to seek, require, desire, exact, request 1a) (Piel) 1a1) to seek to find 1a2) to seek to secure 1a3) to seek the face 1a4) to desire, demand 1a5) to require, exact 1a6) to ask, request 1b) (Pual) to be sought |
| the king | הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ | ha-ME-lekh | H4428G | kingמֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) 1) king Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430) |
| and he found them | וַֽיִּמְצָאֵ֞ם | vai-yim-tza-'EM | H4672 | to findמָצָא (ma.tsa) 1) to find, attain to 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to find 1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought) 1a1b) to find (what is lost) 1a1c) to meet, encounter 1a1d) to find (a condition) 1a1e) to learn, devise 1a2) to find out 1a2a) to find out 1a2b) to detect 1a2c) to guess 1a3) to come upon, light upon 1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with 1a3b) to hit 1a3c) to befall 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be found 1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered 1b1b) to appear, be recognised 1b1c) to be discovered, be detected 1b1d) to be gained, be secured 1b2) to be, be found 1b2a) to be found in … |
| ten | עֶ֣שֶׂר | 'E-ser | H6235 | tenעֶשֶׂר (e.ser) 1) ten 1a) ten 1b) with other numbers Aramaic equivalent: a.sar (עֲשַׂר "ten" H6236) |
| hands | יָד֗וֹת | ya-DOT | H3027L | handיָד (yad) : hand/arm[anatomy] 1) hand 1a) hand (of man) 1b) strength, power (fig.) 1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.) 1d) (various special, technical senses) 1d1) sign, monument 1d2) part, fractional part, share 1d3) time, repetition 1d4) axle-trees, axle 1d5) stays, support (for laver) 1d6) tenons (in tabernacle) 1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure) 1d8) wrists |
| above | עַ֤ל | 'al | H5921A | uponעַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) … |
| all | כָּל־ | kol- | H3605 | allכֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606) |
| the soothsayer-priests | הַֽחַרְטֻמִּים֙ | ha-char-tu-MIM | H2748 | magicianחַרְטֹם (char.tom) 1) diviner, magician, astrologer 1a) engraver, writer (only in derivative sense of one possessed of occult knowledge) Aramaic equivalent: char.tom (חַרְטֹם "magician" H2749) |
| the conjurers | הָֽאַשָּׁפִ֔ים | ha-'a-sha-FIM | H0825 | enchanterאַשָּׁף (ash.shaph) 1) necromancer, conjurer, 2) (TWOT) astrologer, enchanter, exorcist Aramaic equivalent: ash.shaph (אָשַׁף "enchanter" H0826) |
| who | אֲשֶׁ֖ר | 'a-SHER | H0834A | whichאֲשֶׁר (a.sher) A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when |
| [were] in all | בְּכָל־ | be-khol | H3605 | allכֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606) |
| kingdom his | מַלְכוּתֽוֹ׃ | mal-khu-TO | H4438 | kingdomמַלְכוּ (mal.khu) 1) royalty, reign, kingdom 1a) royalty, kingship, kingly authority 1b) kingdom 1c) realm (of territory) 1d) reign (of time) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.