Daniel 5:12

an excellent spirit a surpassing spirit, i.e. pre-eminent ability. Cf. Daniel 5:14; Daniel 6:3; and see on Daniel 2:31. The Aramaic word used stands often in the Syriac version of the N.T. for πλεῖον and περισσότερον, as Matthew 6:25; Matthew 11:9; Matthew 12:42.

interpreting … dissolving These two English words are, of course, substantives. The meaning of the passage is, no doubt, given correctly, but it involves a change of punctuation: in the original, the two words, as actually pointed, are participles and out of construction with the context.

shewing of hard sentences declaring of riddles. As Prof. Bevan remarks, the two Aramaic words here used correspond exactly to the two Hebrew words found in Judges 14:14-15; Judges 14:19, and there rendered -declare the riddle." -Hard" or (R.V.) -dark sentences," or -sayings" (Psalms 49:4; Psalms 78:2; Proverbs 1:6) is an obscure expression, the retention of which in the R.V. is to be regretted. The Hebrew word is the same as that which is used in 1 Kings 10:1 of the -hard questions" with which the Queen of Sheba plied Solomon. It is also used of an allegory Ezekiel 17:2, of an -enigma" of life, Psalms 49:4, of a truth taught indirectly Psalms 78:2, and of a satirical poem, containing indirect, taunting allusions, Habakkuk 2:6. Orientals love both actual riddles and also indirect, figurative modes of speech; and the power of explaining either the one or the other is highly esteemed by them.

dissolving of doubts loosing of knots: i.e. either solving of difficulties(cf. the same word in the Talm., Jebamoth61 a (-I see a knot[difficulty] here," 107 b -they made two knots[raised two difficulties] against him"; it has also the same sense of perplexityin Syriac, P.S [258] col. 3591); or (Bevan) untying of magic knotsor spells(cf. this sense of the word in Syriac, -tiers of knots," of a species of enchanters, -incantations and knots," P.S [259] l. c.), to accomplish which demanded special skill.

[258].S. R. Payne Smith, Thesaurus Syriacus.

[259].S. R. Payne Smith, Thesaurus Syriacus.

whom the king named Belteshazzar See Daniel 1:7.

and he will shew declare (Daniel 5:7).