Daniel 5:12

“Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, etc.] A superior spirit to all the wise men in Babylon for natural knowledge and political wisdom; and he had yet a more excellent spirit which she knew nothing of, and was no judge of; a spirit of real grace, and true piety and devotion: and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams; of which interpreting two of Nebuchadnezzar’s was a proof: and showing hard sentences: or explaining enigmas and riddles, or proverbial, parabolical, and figurative phrases and expressions: and dissolving of doubts: or untying knots, solving problems, and answering knotty, intricate, and difficult questions: were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named…”

“Forasmuch as an excellent spirit - Not an excellent spirit in the sense in which that phrase is sometimes used now, as denoting a good and pious spirit, but a spirit or mind that excels; that is, that is “distinguished” for wisdom and knowledge. Interpreting of dreams - Margin, “or, of an interpreter.” This was regarded as a great attainment, and was supposed to prove that one who could do it was inspired by the gods. And showing of hard sentences - The meaning of enigmatical or obscure sentences. To be able to do this was supposed to indicate great attainments, and was a knowledge that was much coveted. Compare Proverbs 1:6 : “To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of…”

“an excellent: Dan 5:14, Dan 6:3; Psa 16:3; Pro 12:26, Pro 17:27; Col 1:29 interpreting of: or, of an interpreter of, etc dissolving: or, of a dissolver doubts: Chal. knots. Dan 5:16; Kg1 10:1-3; Ch2 9:1, Ch2 9:2 whom: Dan 1:7, Dan 4:8, Dan 4:19 Daniel 5:13”

“The remarkable endowments of Daniel are again stated (according to Dan 5:11) to give weight to the advice that he should be called in. The words from מפשּׁר \[interpreting\] to פטרין \[doubts\] are an explanatory parenthetical clause, after which the following verb, according to rule, joins itself to שׂכלתנוּ. In the parenthetical clause the nomen actonis אחויה \[showing\] is used instead of the participle, whereby the representation of the continued capability lying in the participle is transferred to that of each separate instance; literally, interpreting dreams, the explanation of mysteries and dissolving knots. The allusion of פטרין משׁרא to קטרי חר משׁתּרין, Dan 5:6, is only apparent,…”