The Book of Daniel
Daniel 5
Chapter V · Vol. III, pp. 1391–1392
1 Belshazzar's impious feast. 5 A hand-writing, unknown to the magicians, troubleth the king. 10 At the recommendation of the queen, Daniel is brought. 17 He, reproving the king of pride and idolatry, 25 readeth and interpreteth the writing. 30 Belshazzar slain; the kingdom translated to the Medes.
1 Belshazzar1 the king made aa great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
B.C. cir. 538.
1 This is a very difficult portion of chronology. The common account closes Nebuchadnezzar's reign in B.C. 561, succeeded by Evil-merodach in B.C. 562; succeeded by Neriglissar, B.C. 560, and who perished in battle against Cyrus, and was succeeded by his son Laborosoarchod, B.C. 555, and being assassinated by Gobryas, was succeeded by Belshazzar the son of Evil-merodach, B.C. 554, in whose reign the city was taken by Cyrus, B.C. 538. But, according to Hales, the succession was thus:—Nebuchadnezzar, who ascended the throne B.C. 604, was succeeded by his son Evil-merodach, B.C. 561. He was succeeded by Belshazzar, B.C. 558, who was killed by conspirators on the night of the 'feast,' leaving a son, Laborosoarchod, who, after a reign of nine months, died, and was peaceably succeeded by Darius the Mede, whose viceroy, Nabonadius, revolting, Cyrus marched against Babylon and took it, as foretold by Jeremiah, ch.li.—C.
a Es.1.3. Ec.10.16. Is.22.12,13; 21.5. Je.51.39,57.
2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring bthe golden and silver vessels which his father2 Nebuchadnezzar had taken out3 of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, cmight drink therein.
b ch.1.2. Je.27.16; 52.19. 2 Ki.25.15; 24.13.
2 Or, grandfather, as ver.11,18. Je.27.7. 2 Sa.9.7. 2 Ki.8.26,18. 2 Ch.15.16.
3 Chald. brought forth.
c ver.23. Pr.20.1.
3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.
4 They drank wine, and dpraised the gods eof gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
d Is.42.8. Ex.20.4,5. Re.9.20.
e Ps.115.4-8. Is.40.19,20; 41.6,7; 42.17; 44.9-20; 46.6,7. Je.10.3-15; 51.17,18.
5 Ing the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
g ch.4.31,33. Ps.78.30,31. Mat.24.36-39. Job 20.5. 1 Th.5.2,3.
6 Thenh the king's countenance4 was 5changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the 6joints7 of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
7 The king cried 8aloud ito bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, jshall be clothed with scarlet,9 and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the kthird ruler in the kingdom.
8 Chald. with might.
i ch.1.20; 2.2; 4.6. Is.44.25; 47.12,13.
j Nu.22.7,17. ver.29. Ge.41.15-44.
9 Or, purple.
8 Then came in all the king's wise men: lbut they could not read the writing,1 nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.
l Ge.41.8. ch.2.2-11; 4.7. Is.44.25; 8.19; 47.9,12,13.
A.M. cir. 3466. B.C. cir. 538.
1 They could not read it, because written in the ancient Hebrew character, which differed essentially from the Chaldean, and greatly surpassed it in beauty. Specimens are still preserved on Jewish coins of high antiquity.—C.
9 Then was king Belshazzar ngreatly troubled, and his countenance2 was changed in him, and his lords owere astonied.
n ver.6. Job 18.11,13,14. Ps.39.11. Re.6.15. Pr.18.14.
2 Chald. brightnesses, ver.6.
10 Now the 3queen,4 by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet-house; and the queen spake and said, pO king, live for ever; qlet not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:
11 Therer is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and, in the days of thy father,5 light, and understanding, and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father,6 the king, I say, thy father, made smaster of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
12 Forasmuch as tan excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting7 of dreams, and showing of hard sentences, and dissolving8 of doubts,9 were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named uBelteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.
13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou vthat Daniel,1 which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father2 brought out of Jewry?3
v ver.11; ch.iv.; 2.48; 1.3-21.
1 How comes it to pass that Belshazzar does not know so notable a person as Daniel? The recluse education of an eastern prince would alone sufficiently account for his ignorance. His attachment to idolatry will farther account for Daniel being kept out of the way by the idolatrous court party. Added to these things, Daniel, as a pious student of the divine Word, would naturally live retired in the Chaldean college of which he was president, and had, most probably, after the death of Nebuchadnezzar, been removed from his place in the cabinet.—C.
2 Or, grandfather, ver.2,11,18.
3 Or, Judea, Jn.7.1,3.
14 Ix have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light, and understanding, and excellent wisdom, is found in thee.
x ver.11. Mar.7.25.
15 Andy 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 show the interpretation of the thing:
16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make4 interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now, if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, zthou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler5 in the kingdom.
4 Chald. interpret.
z Nu.22.7,17. ver.7,29. Ac.8.18.
5 Third ruler.—Next to the queen-mother, usually a person of great importance in eastern courts, or next to the heir-apparent, who was generally united with his father as co-regent.—C.
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, aLet thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards6 to another; yet I will read the writingb unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.7
a Ge.14.23. Mat.10.8. 2 Ki.5.16. 1 Co.9.15. Pr.25.27. Ac.20.33. 1 Th.2.5,6.
6 Or, fee, as ch.2.6.
b Ps.119.46.
7 The difference in tone and language between this address and that of Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar is very marked. This is bold, severe, and determined. The indignation of the prophet has been roused by the desecration of the sacred vessels of the temple. The sin of Belshazzar was aggravated; it was presumptuous defiance of the God of Israel. Daniel, therefore, as God's prophet, shows no compassion. He feels that he must vindicate the divine honour, and he refuses—haughtily refuses, to accept any reward. It is strange, however, that after the interpretation was given, rewards and honours were forced upon him. The reason probably was, the desire of the terrified monarch to propitiate the Lord's prophet.—P.
18 O thou king, the most high cGod gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father8 a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:
19 And,d for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive, and whom he would he set up, and whom he would he put down.
d Je.25.9-33; 27.7; xlvi.-xlix. Eze.xvii.xxv.-xxx. ch.2.37,38; 4.22; 3.4. 1 Sa.8.11, &c.
20 But ewhen his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride,9 he was deposed1 from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
A.M. cir. 3466. B.C. cir. 538.
e ch.4.30-33,37. Is.14.12-17. Lu.1.51,52; 16.18; 14.11. Ex.18.11. Pr.16.18. Job 9.12; 40.11,12.
9 Or, to deal proudly.
1 Chald. made to come down.
21 And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like2 the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; gtill he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
22 And hthou his son, O Belshazzar, ihast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
h Ps.119.46. Mat.14.4. Ac.4.13.
i 2 Ch.33.23; 36.12. Is.26.10,11. Ja.4.6,17; 5.5. Lu.12.47.
23 But jhast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; kand they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast lpraised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, nwhich see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God oin whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not pglorified:
j ver.3,4. 1 Sa.5.1,9. Je.50.29; 51.1. Ac.9.4. Re.13.6. 2 Ch.28.22. Is.5.11,12; 22.12,13.
k ver 2-4. Pr.20.25. Ro.2.22. Is.43.24.
l Ju.16.23.
n Ps.115.5-8; 135.15-17. Is.37.19. Je.10.3. Hab.2.18,19. 1 Co.8.1,4.
o Job 12.10. Is.42.5. Pr.20.24. Je.10.23. Ac.17.28,29. He.4.13. Ps.50.16-23.
p Ro.1.21.
24 Thenq was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.
q ver.5. Ac.10.12. ch.12.9.
25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.3
3 Mene, Mene—number, number. The repetition declaring the decree was certain, and would speedily be accomplished, Ge. 41. 32.—Tekel, weight.—Upharsin, and divisions.—U, the conjunction 'and.'—Pharsin, the plural of 'Peres,' which was probably not written in the letters, but included in the sense, and, therefore, like the other blanks, is filled up by Daniel.—C.
27 TEKEL; thou art sweighed in the balances, and art found twanting.
s Je.6.30. Eze.22.18. Job 31.6. Ps.62.9,10.
28 PERES; thy kingdom is divided,4 and given to the Medes and Persians.
4 [Foretold, Is.21.2] Is.xiii.xiv.xlvii. Je.l.li. ver.13,31; ch.9.1; 6.28. Ezr.1.2,7-11.
29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they uclothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
u ver.7,16.
30 Inv that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.5
v Je.51.11,39,57. Is.14.12,19; 47.9. ver.1,2.
5 Not improbably by his drunken and idolatrous associates, in anger at the advancement of the anti-idolatrous Daniel. See ch.6.1-9.—C.
31 And xDarius the Median6 took the kingdom, 7being about8 threescore and two years old.
x ch.6.1; 9.1.
6 The Medes were descended from Madai, a son of Japheth, Ge.10.2. The country they colonized, and to which they gave their name, lay between Persia, Armenia, and Assyria. A portion of it was level, and famous for its breed of horses. They were allies and afterwards conquerors of the Assyrians, and under the greatest of their kings, Cyaxares (or Darius), they ruled over a vast country. They united with the Persians, to whom they were allied by descent, in the conquest of Babylon, and thus were fulfilled the predictions of Isaiah (ch.13.17,18; 21.2) and Jeremiah (ch.51.11,28).—P.
7 Chald. he as the son of, &c.
8 Or, now.
Notes
Reflections.—Alas! how mad is it to riot in luxury and carnal security—in drunkenness and uncleanness; when death and hell stand ready to receive us! But awfully criminal is that mirth in which men profane or jest with sacred things. Immorality and impiety, drunkenness and idolatry, greatly promote one another. And indeed drunken worshippers are good enough for dunghill gods. How easily can God awaken the most secure, and cause the stoutest heart to tremble! and the incapacity of creatures to comfort adds to the terror. But if a handwriting on a wall can so affect sinners, how is it that they do not tremble to see every day, in the Bible, God's handwriting, denouncing their everlasting ruin! Wise counsellors are strangely overlooked at luxurious courts. But necessity nevertheless often forces their despisers to receive them back to honour and regard; and such are worthy of praise who again introduce them to esteem. Ministers ought to deal faithfully with the greatest, in showing them their guilt, their presumptuous pride and profaneness, and what they may expect for their punishment: and God will procure honour to such, even from them who contemn his own word.