The Book of Daniel: Chapter 5

Chapter 5:1-4
{1} Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. {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. {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.

"Belshazzar the king." There was a great deal of controversy over this statement and related statements that spoke of Belshazzar as being the king of Babylon. Many critics used this as evidence for the lack of historicity on the part of the Bible, for they stated that Nabonadius was king of Babylon when it was captured by Cyrus. However, history has now revealed that Nabonadius was ruler, but he was away from the kingdom. Belshazzar was the ruling monarch in his absence. This accounts for the reason that Belshazzar offers Daniel the position of third ruler in the kingdom. He could not offer second place without unseating himself. "Made a great feast." The occasion for this feast is not stated. "To a thousand of his lords." The number of lords must have been very large. The round figure of one thousand was used. There may have been a few more present. "Whiles he tasted the wine." This phrase seems to indicate the influence of wine upon Belshazzar. After he drank, he became intoxicated. "Commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels." Under the effects of alcohol, his restraints were overcome and he yielded to an idea which came to his mind. He commanded his servants to bring in the golden and silver vessels that had been taken from the temple in Jerusalem. Then he had these distributed for the use of drinking and worshipping the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone.

Chapter 5:5-6
{4} They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. {5} In 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. {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.

"In the same hour." This phrase does not mean a prolonged delay, but immediately or suddenly while they were still engaged in the act. "Fingers of a man’s hand." There appeared not a man, not even an arm, but just the fingers of a man’s hand. "And wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall." The candlestick, mentioned here, might also have been the one taken from the temple at Jerusalem. It may have been brought along with the vessels. It would have been quite possible that all the utensils of the temple would have been brought in. The manner of writing upon the plaster is not specified. They may have been cut in the plaster or be traced in black or light. "The king saw the part of the hand that wrote." It is clear that the king observed the hand as it wrote. It does not state whether the others at the feast observed the hand when it wrote. The fact that the wise men were called in to interpret the handwriting, shows that it was still visible and must have been somewhat permanent in nature. The king was frightened. The fear could be seen on his face. He began to shake all over in great fear.

Chapter 5:7-9
{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 show 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. {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. {9} Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.

Then Belshazzar called in all of his wise men to interpret the handwriting on the wall. The king promised to clothe the one who interpreted the dream in scarlet. This was the royal color and would be equal to clothing him in royal robes. He would also put a chain of gold around his neck. The king also promised to make him the third ruler in the kingdom. The reason, that Belshazzar offers to make them the third ruler, is because he is only second ruler in the kingdom himself (compare verse one discussion.) They could not read the writing. It may have been written in characters, not found in any language. The king was greatly troubled when his wise men could not interpret the writing. He was even more frightened than before.

Chapter 5:10-16
{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: {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; {12} Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing 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 show the interpretation. {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? {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. {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 show the interpretation of the thing: {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.

"The queen." There is some question as to who is referred to here. Is this the wife, mother, or grandmother of Belshazzar? Since verse two mentions that the king’s wives were at the feast with him, it seems quite clear that the individual referred to here was not one of his wives since this queen came after the handwriting came. The fact that she calls Nebuchadnezzar the father of Belshazzar, and is so well acquainted with the experience of Nebuchadnezzar might indicate that this was the wife of Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar’s grandmother. No conclusive evidence can be given to prove who she was. The queen told Belshazzar about Daniel and how he had interpreted dreams. Belshazzar had Daniel brought in and offered him the same reward as his wise men for interpreting the handwriting. We are not told where Daniel was, nor why the king was seemingly ignorant of him.

Chapter 5:17
{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.

Daniel declined the offer of Belshazzar’s reward, but tells the king that he will read the writing and tell the king what the meaning of the dream is.

Chapter 5:18-24
{18} O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: {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. {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: {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. {22} And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; {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: {24} Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.

Daniel began by reminding Belshazzar about his father Nebuchadnezzar and his humbling by God as seen in chapter four. Nebuchadnezzar learned the hard way (by judgment) that a man ought not to elevate himself before God. Even though Belshazzar knew about his grandfather’s experience, he had mocked God by worshipping the false gods with the utensils from the temple of Jerusalem. Daniel pointed out that he was under the control of God, even though he claimed to worship other gods and tried to ignore Jehovah. God sent the part of the hand to write out the message because of the act of Belshazzar. This indicates that God watches even the acts of the ungodly. If they do that which is wicked, God will judge them also.

Chapter 5:25-28
{25} And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. {26} This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. {27} TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. {28} PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

Daniel first read the entire writing as it appeared on the wall. Even if the wise men had been able to read the writing on the wall, they probably would have difficulty with the interpretation. It seemed to be nothing more than a list of words. "Mene." This word means to number and here it means literally numbered. "Tekel". This word means to weigh and here being a passive participle meaning weighed. "Upharsin." This word means to divide and here it is a participle meaning divided. When Daniel gave the interpretation for this word, he used the singular form "peres" of the plural "upharsin." Translated the writing read "Numbered, numbered, weighed, divided." It can be seen that a person would have difficulty interpreting this writing even if he had been able to read it. Daniel interprets the writing to Belshazzar. God has numbered Belshazzar’s kingdom and finished it. He was weighed in the balances and found wanting. We do not know how God judged him wanting, for man does not understand the judgment of God; however the attitude of his heart was undoubtedly taken into account. His kingdom was divided and given to the Medes and the Persians.

Chapter 5:29-31
{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. {30} In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. {31} And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

Then Belshazzar commanded his promised reward to be conferred upon Daniel. There is no indication at this time, that Daniel refused the reward as he had previously. Belshazzar kept his word even though the message was of judgment against him and his kingdom. "In that night was Belshazzar ... slain." The statement says that he was slain that same night. How the army of the Medes and Persians entered the supposedly secure city of Babylon, has been the subject of much research and conjecture. Some have stated that the armies diverted the river, but they would still have had to break thru the gates that went down into the riverbed. Others have said that the city was so displeased with Belshazzar’s reign that they willingly opened the gates and let the invading armies in. It cannot be determined with certainty what did happen that night. Darius the Mede, who was about 62 years old, was placed on the throne by Cyrus. The Babylonian kingdom had come to an end. The breast and arms of silver were now in existence as seen in Daniel 2:32.