Daniel 2:21

Authorized King James Version (1611)

And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְ֠הוּא מְהַשְׁנֵ֤א עִדָּנַיָּא֙ וְזִמְנַיָּ֔א מְהַעְדֵּ֥ה מַלְכִ֖ין וּמְהָקֵ֣ים מַלְכִ֑ין יָהֵ֤ב חָכְמְתָא֙ לְחַכִּימִ֔ין וּמַנְדְּעָ֖א לְיָדְעֵ֥י בִינָֽה׃

Transliteration

And-he məhašnēʾ ʿiddānayyāʾ and-zimənayyāʾ, məhaʿdēh malkin and-məhāqêm malkin; yāhēb ḥākəmətāʾ to-ḥakkîmîn and-mandəʿāʾ to-yādəʿê bînāh.

Grammar Details

• *məhašnēʾ*: verb, Pael participle, masculine singular - changes
• *ʿiddānayyāʾ*: noun, masculine plural, emphatic state - times/seasons
• *zimənayyāʾ*: noun, masculine plural, emphatic state - times/seasons
• *məhaʿdēh*: verb, Aphel participle, masculine singular - removes
• *malkin*: noun, masculine plural - kings
• *məhāqêm*: verb, Aphel participle, masculine singular - establishes/sets up
• *yāhēb*: verb, Peal participle, masculine singular - gives
• *ḥākəmətāʾ*: noun, feminine, emphatic state - wisdom
• *ḥakkîmîn*: noun, masculine plural - wise ones
• *mandəʿāʾ*: noun, masculine, emphatic state - knowledge
• *yādəʿê*: participle, masculine plural, construct state - knowers of
• *bînāh*: noun, feminine - understanding

Word Meanings

• *məhašnēʾ*: changes/alters
• *ʿiddānayyāʾ*: times/seasons/epochs
• *zimənayyāʾ*: times/appointed times/seasons
• *məhaʿdēh*: removes/deposes
• *məhāqêm*: establishes/sets up/installs
• *yāhēb*: gives/grants
• *mandəʿāʾ*: knowledge/insight
• *yādəʿê bînāh*: those who know understanding/discerning ones

Referenced Verses

• Dan 7:25 : 25 And he shall speak [great] words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
• Jas 1:5 : 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
• Dan 2:9 : 9 But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, [there is but] one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.
• Dan 4:17 : 17 This matter [is] by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.
• Job 12:18 : 18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
• 1 Kgs 4:29 : 29 ¶ And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that [is] on the sea shore.
• Dan 4:32 : 32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling [shall be] with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
• Jas 1:17 : 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
• Jas 3:15-17 : 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but [is] earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife [is], there [is] confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
• Rev 19:16 : 16 And he hath on [his] vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
• Dan 11:6 : 6 And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in [these] times.
• Luke 1:51-52 : 51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He hath put down the mighty from [their] seats, and exalted them of low degree.
• Luke 21:15 : 15 ‹For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.›
• Acts 13:21-22 : 21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. 22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the [son] of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
• 1 Cor 1:30 : 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
• 1 Kgs 10:24 : 24 And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
• 1 Chr 22:12 : 12 Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God.
• 1 Chr 29:30 : 30 With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.
• 2 Chr 1:10-12 : 10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, [that is so] great? 11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: 12 Wisdom and knowledge [is] granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that [have been] before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.
• Esth 1:13 : 13 Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so [was] the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment:
• Exod 31:3 : 3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
• Exod 31:6 : 6 And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;
• 1 Sam 2:7-8 : 7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. 8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, [and] lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set [them] among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth [are] the LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them.
• 1 Kgs 3:8-9 : 8 And thy servant [is] in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. 9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? 10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; 12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
• 1 Kgs 3:28 : 28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God [was] in him, to do judgment.
• Job 34:24-29 : 24 He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead. 25 Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth [them] in the night, so that they are destroyed. 26 He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others; 27 Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways: 28 So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted. 29 When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth [his] face, who then can behold him? whether [it be done] against a nation, or against a man only:
• Ps 31:14-15 : 14 But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou [art] my God. 15 My times [are] in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
• Ps 75:5-7 : 5 Lift not up your horn on high: speak [not with] a stiff neck. 6 ¶ For promotion [cometh] neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. 7 But God [is] the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
• Ps 113:7-8 : 7 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, [and] lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; 8 That he may set [him] with princes, [even] with the princes of his people.
• Prov 2:6-7 : 6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and understanding. 7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: [he is] a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
• Prov 8:15-16 : 15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. 16 By me princes rule, and nobles, [even] all the judges of the earth.
• Eccl 3:1-8 : 1 ¶ To every [thing there is] a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up [that which is] planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
• Jer 27:5-7 : 5 I have made the earth, the man and the beast that [are] upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me. 6 And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him. 7 And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.