Belshazzar (Daniel 5:1–4; Daniel 5:5–9; Daniel 5:10–12; Daniel 5:13–21; Daniel 5:22–28; Daniel 5:29–31; Daniel 7:1; Daniel 8:1)

The Chaldean king slain on the night of the writing

The king of Babylon who made a great feast to a thousand lords, drank from the vessels of the temple at Jerusalem, saw the fingers of a man's hand write on the wall, heard Daniel read the writing, clothed Daniel with purple, and was slain that night.

The book of Daniel names him in two ways: as the king of the feast in chapter 5, and as a date for Daniel's own visions. “Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand” (Daniel 5:1). While he tasted the wine he commanded the vessels Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple at Jerusalem to be brought, and “they drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone” (Daniel 5:4).

“In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace” (Daniel 5:5). The king’s countenance was changed, his wise men could not read the writing, and the queen named Daniel. Brought in, Daniel refused the gifts, told how the Most High God had deposed Nebuchadnezzar when his heart was lifted up, and said to the king, “thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thy heart, though thou knewest all this” (Daniel 5:22). He read the writing: “God hath numbered thy kingdom, and brought it to an end” (Daniel 5:26).

Belshazzar commanded that Daniel be clothed with purple and made third ruler in the kingdom (Daniel 5:29). “In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom” (Daniel 5:30-31). Elsewhere the book reckons time by his reign: “In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream” (Daniel 7:1), and “In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me, Daniel” (Daniel 8:1).

Weaknesses

• Lifted up himself against the Lord of heaven
• Did not humble his heart
• Praised gods that see not, nor hear

Themes

• Pride
• Profaned temple vessels
• The writing on the wall
• Judgment in a night
• The Most High rules in the kingdom of men

The feast and the temple vessels (Daniel 5:1–4)

Belshazzar makes a great feast for a thousand lords and commands the vessels from the temple at Jerusalem to be brought; they drink from them and praise the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood and stone.

The hand writes on the wall (Daniel 5:5–9)

The fingers of a man's hand write on the plaster of the palace wall; the king is greatly troubled, his lords are perplexed, and the wise men of Babylon cannot read the writing.

The hand writes on the wall

“In the same hour came forth the 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. Then the king’s countenance was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another” (Daniel 5:5-6).

The king cried aloud for the enchanters, the Chaldeans and the soothsayers: “Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom” (Daniel 5:7). “Then came in all the king’s wise men; but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation” (Daniel 5:8).

“Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed” (Daniel 5:9).

The queen names Daniel (Daniel 5:10–12)

The queen comes into the banquet house, bids the king not be troubled, and tells him of Daniel, in whom were found light, understanding and wisdom in the days of his father.

Daniel refuses the gifts (Daniel 5:13–21)

The king questions Daniel and offers purple, a chain of gold and the third place in the kingdom; Daniel answers that the gifts may go to another, and tells how the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar the kingdom and deposed him when his heart was lifted up.

Daniel refuses the gifts

Daniel was brought in, and the king said, “I have heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in thee” (Daniel 5:14). He promised that if Daniel could read the writing he should be clothed with purple and be the third ruler in the kingdom (Daniel 5:16).

“Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; nevertheless I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation” (Daniel 5:17).

“O thou king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty” (Daniel 5:18). “But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him” (Daniel 5:20), “until he knew that the Most High God ruleth in the kingdom of men, and that he setteth up over it whomsoever he will” (Daniel 5:21).

The charge and the writing read (Daniel 5:22–28)

Daniel tells Belshazzar he has not humbled his heart but lifted himself up against the Lord of heaven, then reads MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN and gives the interpretation.

The charge and the writing read

“And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thy heart, though thou knewest all this, but hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee” (Daniel 5:22-23). Daniel said the king had 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” (Daniel 5:23).

“Then was the part of the hand sent from before him, and this writing was inscribed. And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN” (Daniel 5:24-25).

“MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and brought it to an end; TEKEL; thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. PERES; thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians” (Daniel 5:26-28).

The reward and the king's death (Daniel 5:29–31)

Belshazzar commands that Daniel be clothed with purple and made third ruler; that night he is slain, and Darius the Mede receives the kingdom.

The reward and the king's death

“Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom” (Daniel 5:29).

“In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old” (Daniel 5:30-31).

The text does not say how he was slain or by whom.

Visions dated by his reign (Daniel 7:1; Daniel 8:1)

Daniel's dream and visions are dated to the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, and a later vision to the third year of his reign.

Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 5:2; Daniel 5:11; Daniel 5:13; Daniel 5:18)

The queen and Daniel call Nebuchadnezzar his father, and Belshazzar says “the king my father brought out of Judah” (Daniel 5:13).

Daniel (Daniel 5:12–17; Daniel 5:22–29)

Called in on the queen's word, Daniel refuses the gifts, charges the king, and reads the writing, and the king commands that he be clothed with purple.

The Most High God (Daniel 5:18; Daniel 5:21; Daniel 5:23; Daniel 5:26)

Daniel says the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar the kingdom, and that God numbered Belshazzar's kingdom and brought it to an end.

The queen (Daniel 5:10–12)

She comes into the banquet house, bids him not be troubled, and tells him to let Daniel be called.

His lords (Daniel 5:1; Daniel 5:3; Daniel 5:9)

A thousand of them feast with him, drink from the temple vessels, and are perplexed at the writing.

Major sections

• Daniel 5
• Daniel 7:1
• Daniel 8:1

More illuminations · Harbinger's Lamp