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Daniel 5:15
ESV Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter.
NIV The wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and tell me what it means, but they could not explain it.
NASB Just now the wise men and the sorcerers were brought in before me to read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not declare the interpretation of the message.
CSB Now the wise men and mediums were brought before me to read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not give its interpretation.
NLT My wise men and enchanters have tried to read the words on the wall and tell me their meaning, but they cannot do it.
KJV 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:

What does Daniel 5:15 mean?

During a profane, drunken celebration, Babylon's king, Belshazzar, saw a supernatural hand writing on the wall (Daniel 5:1–5). In terror, he tried to learn what this meant, eventually summoning Daniel at the urging of the queen (Daniel 5:6–13). Belshazzar admitted that his wise men had failed to read the handwriting on the wall and had not been able to interpret it. In fact, they had not even been able to read it (Daniel 5:8).

The king's admission comments on the emptiness of Babylon's wisdom. As it pertains to spiritual truth, worldly wisdom is woefully lacking. Just as Babylon's wise men could not discern the message God sent (Daniel 5:23–24) to Belshazzar, so the wisdom of even the best educated men and women today fails to discern the message God has written in the Bible. Intellect is important, but to truly grasp spiritual truth, a person must know God's Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14). The apostle Paul declares in 2 Corinthian 4:3–4: "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case [the Devil] has blinded the minds of unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
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