Albert Barnes Commentary Daniel 5:7

"The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spake and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom." — Daniel 5:7 (ASV)

And the king cried aloud - The margin, as in the Chaldee, reads “with might.” This indicates a sudden and alarming cry. The king was deeply terrified; and, unable himself to divine the meaning of the mysterious appearance of the hand, he naturally turned at once to those whose office it was to explain dreams and supernatural appearances.

To bring in the astrologers ... - See the note at Daniel 2:2; Daniel 4:7.

And said to the wise men of Babylon - These were those just referred to—the astrologers, etc. Having the power, as was supposed, of interpreting the indications of coming events, they were esteemed as eminently wise.

Whosoever shall read this writing - It would seem from this that even the characters were not familiar to the king and to those who were with him. Evidently, the letters were not in the ordinary Chaldee form, but in some form that was strange and unknown to them. Thus, a double mystery hung over the writing: a mystery regarding the language in which the words were written, and a mystery regarding the meaning of the words. Many conjectures have been formed as to the language employed in this writing (compare the note at Daniel 5:24), but such conjectures are useless, since it is impossible now to ascertain what it was.

However, since the writing had a primary reference to the sacrilege committed regarding the sacred vessels of the temple, and since Daniel was able to read the letters at once, it would seem not improbable that the words were in the Hebrew character then used—a character like that now found in the Samaritan Pentateuch.

The Chaldee character now found in the Bible has, not improbably, been substituted for the more ancient and less elegant character now found only in the Samaritan Pentateuch. Therefore, it is not improbable to suppose that even the astrologers and the soothsayers were not familiar with that character and could not readily read it.

And show me the interpretation thereof - That is, the meaning of the words.

Shall be clothed with scarlet - This was the color usually worn by princes and persons of rank. The margin reads “purple.” So the Greek of Theodotion: πορφύραν (porphuran). So also the Latin Vulgate: “purpura.” On the nature and uses of this color, see the note at Isaiah 1:18.

And have a chain of gold about his neck - This was also indicative of rank and authority. . When Joseph was placed over the land of Egypt, the king honored him in a similar manner, by putting a gold chain about his neck. This was common in Persia. (See Xenophon, Cyropaedia I.3.2, II.4.6, VIII.5.18; Anabasis I.5.8). Upon most of the figures in the ruins of Persepolis, the same ornament is now found. Professor Stuart renders this, “a collar of gold.”

And shall be the third ruler in the kingdom - Of course, the king was first. It is not stated who the second was, or why the one who could disclose the meaning of the words should not be raised to the second rank.

It may be that the office of prime minister was so established, or was held by one whose services were so important to the king, that he could not be immediately displaced.

Alternatively, the meaning may be that the favored person who could interpret this would be raised to the third rank of dignity, or placed in the third class of those who held offices in the realm. The Chaldee reads, and shall rule third in the kingdom, and the idea would seem to be that he would be of the third rank or grade in office. Bertholdt also understands it this way.

Grotius understands it as the third person in rank. He says the first was the king; the second, the son of the king; and the third, the prince of the Satraps.