Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Daniel 5

Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross
Introduction

1  Belshazzar's impious feast.
5  A hand-writing unknown to the magicians, troubles the king.
10  At the commendation of the queen Daniel is brought.
17  He, reproving the king of pride and idolatry,
25  reads and interprets the writing.
30  The monarchy is translated to the Medes.
Verse 1

Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
made
Genesis 40:20, Esther 1:3, Isaiah 21:4,5, 22:12,14, Jeremiah 51:39,57, Nahum 1:10, Mark 6:21,22
Verse 2

Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.
Belshazzar
Belshazzar is said by Josephus to be the same as Naboandelus, the Nabonadius of Ptolemy, and the Labynetus of Herodotus. He reigned seven years, during which time he was engaged in unsuccessful wars with the Medes and Persians; and at this very time was besieged by Cyrus.
the golden
1:2, 2 Kings 24:13, 25:15, 2 Chronicles 36:10,18, Ezra 1:7-11, Jeremiah 27:16-22, Jeremiah 52:19
father
or, grandfather.
11,13,18, 2 Samuel 9:7, 2 Kings 8:25-27, 2 Chronicles 11:20, 15:16, Jeremiah 27:7
taken out
Chal. brought forth. might.
4,23
Verse 4

They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
praised
23, 4:37, Judges 16:23,24, Isaiah 42:8, Hosea 2:8-13, Revelation 9:20,21
of gold
3:1-7,8-18, Psalms 115:4-8, 135:15-18, Isaiah 40:19,20, 42:17, 46:6,7, Jeremiah 10:4-9, Habakkuk 2:19, Acts 17:29, 19:24-28, Revelation 9:20
Verse 5

In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
the same
4:31,33, Job 20:5, Psalms 78:30,31, Proverbs 29:1, Luke 12:19,20, 1 Thessalonians 5:2,3
wrote
8,15,24-28, Colossians 2:14, Revelation 20:12-15
Verse 6

Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
the king's
9, 2:1, 3:19, Job 15:20-27, 20:19-27, Psalms 73:18-20, Isaiah 21:2-4
countenance
Chal. brightness.
was changed
Chal. changed it. and his thoughts.
10, 4:5,19, 7:28
so that
Psalms 69:23, Isaiah 13:7,8, 21:3,4
joints
or, girdles.
Isaiah 5:27
Chal
bindings, or knots. and his knees.
Isaiah 35:3, Ezekiel 7:17, 21:7, Nahum 2:10, Hebrews 12:12
Verse 7

The king cried aloud to 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 shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
aloud
Chal. with might.
4:14; *marg:
to bring
2:2, 4:6, Genesis 41:8, Isaiah 44:25,26, 47:13
be clothed
16,29, 2:6, Genesis 41:42-44, Numbers 22:7,17, 24:11, 1 Samuel 17:25
scarlet
or, purple. a chain.
Proverbs 1:9, Song of Solomon 1:10, Ezekiel 16:11
the third
2:48, 6:2,3, Esther 3:1, 10:2,3
Verse 8

Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.
but
Because, probably, it was written in the ancient Hebrew or Samaritan character.
2:27, 4:7, Genesis 41:8, Isaiah 47:9,12-15
Verse 9

Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.
greatly
6, 2:1, Job 18:11-14, Psalms 18:14, Revelation 6:15
countenance
Chal. brightness.
6, 10:8
changed
Psalms 48:6, Isaiah 13:6-8, 21:2-4, Jeremiah 6:24, 30:6, Matthew 2:3
Verse 10

Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:
the queen
This was probably Nitocris, the queen-mother, widow of Evil-merodach, son of Nebuchadnezzar, and father of Belshazzar.
O king
2:4, 3:9, 6:6,21, 1 Kings 1:31
let not
Genesis 35:17,18, 1 Samuel 4:20-22, Job 13:4, 21:34
Verse 11

There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
a man
2:47, 4:8,9,18, Genesis 41:11-15
father
or, grandfather.
light
2:11, 2 Samuel 14:17, Acts 12:22, 14:11, Revelation 3:9
Nebuchadnezzar
Nebuchadnezzar was certainly the grandfather of Belshazzar; but the term father in Hebrew and Chaldee is frequently used to denote a progenitor, or ancestor, however remote.
father
or, grandfather.
master
2:48, 4:9, Acts 16:16
Verse 12

Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.
an excellent
14, 6:3, Psalms 16:3, Proverbs 12:26, 17:27, Colossians 1:29
interpreting of
or, of an interpreter of, etc. dissolving. or, of a dissolver. doubts. Chal. knots.
16, 1 Kings 10:1-3, 2 Chronicles 9:1,2
whom
1:7, 4:8,19
Verse 13

Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?
Art thou
Though Daniel was one of the chief ministers of state, who did "the king's business" in the palace, (Da 8:27,) yet Belshazzar seems to have known nothing of him. This shews that he was a weak and vicious prince, who minded pleasure more than business, according to the character given him by historians. He appears to have left the care of public affairs to his mother, Nitocris, a lady celebrated for her wisdom, who evidently knew Daniel well, and probably constantly employed him in the government of the kingdom.
11, 1:21, 2:48, 8:1,27
the children
2:25, 6:13, Ezra 4:1, 6:16,19,20, 10:7,16
father
or, grandfather.
2,11,18
Jewry
John 7:1,3
Judea
Verse 14

I 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.
11,12
Verse 15

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:
7,8, 2:3-11, Isaiah 29:10-12, 47:12
Verse 16

And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
make
Chal. interpret.
Genesis 40:8
thou shalt
7, Acts 8:18
Verse 17

Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
Let
Daniel, on this occasion, behaved in a very different manner to Belshazzar, than he had formerly done to Nebuchadnezzar. Belshazzar had that very night insulted the God of heaven in the most daring manner; and the venerable prophet, as His delegate, denounced sentence against him.
29, Genesis 14:23, 2 Kings 3:13, 5:16,26, Acts 8:20
rewards
or, fee.
2:6
I will read
Psalms 119:46
Verse 18

O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:
O thou
3:17,18, 4:22, 6:22, Acts 26:13,19
the most
2:37,38, 4:17,22-25,32, Deuteronomy 32:8, Psalms 7:17, 9:2, 47:2, 92:8, Lamentations 3:35,38, Acts 7:48
Verse 19

And 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.
that he
3:4, 4:22, Jeremiah 25:9-14, 27:5-7, Habakkuk 2:5, Romans 13:1
whom he would he slew
2:12,13, 3:6,20,21,29, Proverbs 16:14, John 19:11
Verse 20

But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
when
4:30-33,37, Exodus 9:17, 18:11, Job 15:25-27, 40:11,12, Proverbs 16:5,18, Isaiah 14:12-17, Luke 1:51,52, 18:14
hardened
1 Samuel 6:6, 2 Kings 17:14, 2 Chronicles 36:13, Jeremiah 19:15, Hebrews 3:13
in pride
or, to deal proudly. deposed. Chal. made to come down.
Isaiah 47:1, Jeremiah 13:18, 48:18, Ezekiel 30:6
Verse 21

And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like 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; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
he was driven
4:25,32,33, Job 30:3-7
his heart was made like
or, he made his heart equal. etc. till.
4:17,25,32,35,37, Exodus 9:14-16, Psalms 83:17,18, Ezekiel 17:24
Verse 22

And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
thou
18, Psalms 119:46, Matthew 14:4, Acts 4:8-13
his son
He was, strictly speaking, "his grandson;" but the term son is frequently used to denote filiation at any distance.
hast
Exodus 10:3, 2 Chronicles 33:23, 36:12, Isaiah 26:10, Matthew 21:32, Acts 5:29-33, 1 Peter 5:5,6
though
Luke 12:47, John 13:17, James 4:6,17
Verse 23

But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and 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 praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:
lifted
3,4, 2 Kings 14:10, Isaiah 2:12, 33:10, 37:23, Jeremiah 50:29, Ezekiel 28:2,5,17, Ezekiel 31:10, Habakkuk 2:4, 1 Timothy 3:6, Revelation 13:5,6
the Lord
4:37, Genesis 14:19, Psalms 115:16
and they
2-4, 1 Samuel 5:1-9
hast praised
Judges 16:23
which
Psalms 115:4-8, 135:15-17, Isaiah 37:19, 46:6,7, Habakkuk 2:18,19, 1 Corinthians 8:4
in whose
Genesis 2:7, Job 12:10, 34:14,15, Psalms 104:29, 146:4, Isaiah 42:5, Acts 17:25,28,29
and whose
Job 31:4, Psalms 139:3, Proverbs 20:24, Jeremiah 10:23, Hebrews 4:13
hast thou
Romans 1:21-23
Verse 24

Daniel 5:5

Verse 25

And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
MENE
Had these words been written in the Chaldean character, every one who knew the alphabet of the language could at least have read them: they are pure Chaldee, and literally denote "He is numbered, he is numbered; he is weighed; they are divided."
Verse 26

This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
God
9:2, Job 14:14, Isaiah 13:1-14, 21:1-10, 47:1-15, Jeremiah 25:11,12, Jeremiah 27:7, 50:1-51, Acts 15:18
Verse 27

TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
Thou
Job 31:6, Psalms 62:9, Jeremiah 6:30, Ezekiel 22:18-20
art
Matthew 22:11,12, 1 Corinthians 3:13
Verse 28

PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
PERES
Peres,"he was divided," pronounced paras, denoted Persians, who seem evidently referred to.
Thy
31, 6:28, 8:3,4,20, 9:1, Isaiah 13:17, 21:2, 45:1,2
Verse 29

Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed 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.
they clothed
7,16
Verse 30

In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.
1,2, Isaiah 21:4-9, 47:9, Jeremiah 51:11,31,39,57
Verse 31

And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.
Darius
This was Cyaxares, son of Astyages, king of Media, and maternal uncle to Cyrus, who allowed him the title of his conquests, as long as he lived.
6:1, 9:1
being
Chal. he as the son of, etc. about. or, now.

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