King Belshazzar held a great feast, profaning sacred vessels from the Jerusalem temple by drinking from them and praising pagan gods. Suddenly, a mysterious hand appeared, writing an unknown message on the palace wall, terrifying the king. When his wise men failed, Daniel was called, who interpreted the writing as divine judgment, declaring Belshazzar's kingdom numbered, weighed, and divided. That same night, Belshazzar was slain, and his kingdom was taken by Darius the Median.
While tasting the wine, Belshatzar ordered that the gold and silver vessels which his father N'vukhadnetzar had removed from the temple in Yerushalayim be brought; so that the king, his lords, his wives and his concubines could drink from them.
So they brought the gold vessels which had been removed from the sanctuary of the house of God in Yerushalayim; and the king, his lords, his wives and his concubines drank from them.
Suddenly, the fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the palace wall by the lampstand. When the king saw the palm of the hand that was writing,
The king cried out to bring in the exorcists, astrologers and diviners. The king said to the sages of Bavel, "Whoever can read this inscription and tell me what it means will be dressed in royal purple, wear a gold chain around his neck and be one of the three men ruling the kingdom."
At this point the queen mother, because of what the king and his lords were saying, entered the banquet hall. The queen mother said, "May the king live forever! Don't be scared by your thoughts or let your face be so pale.
There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, he was found to have light, discernment and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. King N'vukhadnetzar your father - the king, your father - made him chief of the magicians, exorcists, astrologers and diviners;
because he was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, discernment, and the ability to interpret dreams, unlock mysteries and solve knotty problems. He is called Dani'el, but the king gave him the name Belt'shatzar. Now have Dani'el summoned, and he will tell you what this means."
Dani'el was brought into the king's presence. The king said to Dani'el, "Are you Dani'el, one of the exiles from Y'hudah whom the king my father brought out of Y'hudah?
Now the sages, the exorcists, were brought in to me so that they could read this inscription and tell me what it means, but they couldn't interpret it for me.
However, I've heard that you can give interpretations and solve knotty problems. Now if you can read the inscription and tell me what it means, you will be dressed in royal purple, wear a gold chain around your neck and be one of the three men ruling the kingdom."
Dani'el answered the king, "Keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else. However, I will read the inscription to the king and tell him what it means.
Because of the greatness he gave him, all the peoples, nations and languages trembled with fear before him. Anyone he wanted to, he put to death; anyone he wanted to, he kept alive; anyone he wanted to, he advanced; and anyone he wanted to, he humbled.
But when he grew proud and his spirit became hard, he began treating people arrogantly, so he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken away from him.
He was driven from human society, his heart was made like that of an animal, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed with grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky; until he learned that the Most High God rules in the human kingdom and sets up over it whomever he pleases.
Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven by having them bring you the vessels from his house; and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them; then you offered praise to your gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood and stone, which can't see, hear or know anything. Meanwhile, God, who holds your very breath in his hands, and to whom belongs everything you do, you have not glorified.
Then Belshatzar gave the order; and they clothed Dani'el in royal purple, put a gold chain around his neck and proclaimed of him that he was to be one of the three men ruling the kingdom.
The kingdom passed to Daryavesh the Mede when he was about sixty-two years old.
Study Notes for Daniel 5
Verse 1
Belshazzar was the son and co-regent of Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon. This feast was held during a time of imminent military threat from the Medes and Persians.
Verse 2
Using the sacred vessels plundered from the Jerusalem Temple (605 BC) for pagan revelry was an act of profound hubris and direct blasphemy against Yahweh.
Verse 4
The contrast between the inanimate idols they praised and the living God whose vessels they profaned highlights the depth of their spiritual rebellion.
Verse 5
The supernatural appearance of the hand provided a dramatic, terrifying, and visible sign of divine judgment, disrupting the revelry instantly.
Verse 7
The promise to make the interpreter the 'third ruler' confirms Belshazzar was the second ruler, serving under his father, Nabonidus, the primary king.
Verse 10
The queen (likely the Queen Mother) remembers Daniel from the previous generation, suggesting Daniel had been marginalized during Belshazzar's reign.
Verse 11
The queen credits Daniel's wisdom to the 'spirit of the holy gods,' reflecting her pagan terminology while acknowledging Daniel's unique divine connection.
Verse 17
Daniel refuses the promised rewards, establishing that he speaks not for personal gain but as a faithful prophet delivering God’s judgment.
Verse 18
Daniel begins his prophetic address by reminding Belshazzar that all earthly power, even that of the great Nebuchadnezzar, is derived solely from God.
Verse 21
This verse summarizes the core theological lesson of Daniel 4: God’s sovereignty is absolute, and He determines who rules in the kingdom of men.
Verse 22
Belshazzar’s sin is presented as greater than Nebuchadnezzar’s because he had the benefit of witnessing God’s judgment on his father but chose willful pride and sacrilege anyway.
Verse 23
Belshazzar compounded his sins by actively defying the Lord of heaven through the misuse of the sacred vessels and by failing to glorify the God 'in whose hand thy breath is.'
Verse 25
These Aramaic words are nouns relating to weights or currency, which Daniel interprets as God's verdict concerning the kingdom’s value and lifespan.
Verse 26
Mene, meaning 'numbered,' signifies that God has counted the days of the Babylonian kingdom and brought its appointed time to a close.
Verse 27
Tekel, meaning 'weighed,' indicates that Belshazzar's actions and character have been measured against God’s standards and found severely lacking.
Verse 28
Peres (the singular of Upharsin) means 'divided' and is a deliberate pun on the word for 'Persia,' explicitly naming the conquerors of the kingdom.
Verse 29
Despite the dire prophecy, Belshazzar honored his promise to reward Daniel, emphasizing the swiftness and unexpected nature of the coming judgment.
Verse 30
The immediate fulfillment of the prophecy on the same night validates Daniel’s divine authority and demonstrates God's absolute control over historical transitions.
Verse 31
Darius the Mede is likely a title or sub-king appointed by the primary conqueror, Cyrus the Great, who had successfully encircled and taken the city of Babylon.
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The Calling of Disciples
19And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
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