Daniel 5:1

KJV

¶ Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

KJV (with Strong's)

Belshazzar {H1113} the king {H4430} made {H5648} a great {H7229} feast {H3900} to a thousand {H506} of his lords {H7261}, and drank {H8355} wine {H2562} before {H6903} the thousand {H506}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Belshatzar the king gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords, and in the presence of the thousand he was drinking wine.

Berean Standard Bible

Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them.

American Standard Version

Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Daniel 5:1 introduces Belshazzar, the reigning king of Babylon, hosting an opulent and defiant feast for a thousand of his high-ranking officials and nobles, publicly drinking wine with them. This grand revelry, occurring while the Medo-Persian army besieges the city, serves as a dramatic prelude to imminent divine judgment, powerfully highlighting the king's profound hubris and the empire's impending doom as foretold by God's unwavering sovereignty.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Daniel 5:1 immediately follows the detailed account of King Nebuchadnezzar's humbling and subsequent restoration in [Daniel 4](/daniel/4 "Daniel 4 - Nebuchadnezzar's Humbling and Restoration"). This juxtaposition is critically important, as Belshazzar's actions in chapter 5 demonstrate a profound and deliberate failure to learn from his predecessor's direct experience of divine sovereignty. The extravagant feast itself meticulously sets the stage for the dramatic and terrifying appearance of the "handwriting on the wall" in [Daniel 5:5](/daniel/5-5 "Daniel 5:5 - The Mysterious Handwriting on the Wall"), which directly precipitates Daniel's interpretation and the swift, decisive fall of Babylon. This opening verse masterfully establishes a scene of defiant revelry and unchecked hubris, against which God's immediate and comprehensive judgment will be displayed, marking a pivotal turning point in the book's overarching narrative of earthly kingdoms rising and falling under the ultimate, unchallenged control of God.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The historical setting for this verse is approximately 539 BC, a precarious time when Babylon, once the dominant world empire, found itself under active siege by Cyrus the Great's formidable Medo-Persian forces. Belshazzar, who historical records indicate was likely co-regent with his father Nabonidus (who was often absent from the capital), chose this moment of extreme vulnerability to host a massive banquet. While grand feasts were common displays of power, wealth, and royal authority in ancient Near Eastern courts, intended to project strength and unity, Belshazzar's decision to hold such a lavish party amidst an active siege suggests either an astonishing degree of overconfidence, a desperate and ultimately futile attempt to boost morale, or profound spiritual blindness. The public nature of his drinking "before the thousand" further underscores his role as the orchestrator and chief participant in this defiant revelry, establishing a tone of excessive indulgence and a blatant disregard for both the imminent external threat and any potential divine warnings.
* **Key Themes:** This opening verse immediately introduces and reinforces several key themes central to the book of Daniel's theological message. Firstly, it powerfully highlights **Human Pride and Defiance**, as Belshazzar's extravagant and ill-timed feast in the face of imminent danger exemplifies a profound hubris that mirrors, yet in its deliberate sacrilege, surpasses Nebuchadnezzar's earlier pride (cf. [Daniel 4:30](/daniel/4-30 "Daniel 4:30 - Nebuchadnezzar's Boast of Babylon")). Secondly, it underscores **Moral and Spiritual Decadence**, as the unrestrained revelry and excess of the Babylonian court stand in stark and damning contrast to divine righteousness and the impending judgment. This pervasive decadence serves as a clear precursor and justification for the kingdom's swift fall. Finally, and most significantly, the verse functions as a crucial setup for **Divine Judgment and Sovereignty**, establishing the precise moment and context for God's dramatic and decisive intervention, thereby demonstrating His ultimate and unchallengeable authority over all earthly rulers and empires, a theme consistently woven throughout the entirety of [the book of Daniel](/daniel/1 "The Book of Daniel - God's Sovereignty Over Kingdoms").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Belshazzar (Aramaic, _Bêlshaʼtstsar_):** This proper noun identifies the central figure of this dramatic account, presented as the reigning king of Babylon at this critical juncture. Historically, he is understood to have been co-regent with his father, Nabonidus, managing the city's affairs. The name itself, meaning "Bel protect the king," directly invokes the chief Babylonian deity, Bel, thereby underscoring the pagan context of the feast and setting up a profound theological contrast with the God of Daniel, whose sovereignty is about to be dramatically displayed.
* **feast (Aramaic, _lᵉchem_):** While the Aramaic word _lᵉchem_ generally refers to "bread" or "food," in this specific context, especially when explicitly paired with the act of "drinking wine," it unequivocally denotes a grand "banquet" or "drinking party." The preceding adjective "great" (Aramaic: _rab_) further emphasizes the immense scale, extravagance, and lavishness of the gathering, highlighting the king's opulent lifestyle and perhaps his desperate attempt to project an image of unassailable power and prosperity, even as his kingdom faced dire and imminent threat.
* **drank (Aramaic, _shᵉthâh_):** This verb signifies the act of "imbibing" or "drinking." When combined with "wine" (Aramaic: _chămar_), it points directly to the excessive consumption of alcohol that characterized this revelry. The phrase "drank wine before the thousand" highlights Belshazzar's active, public, and leading participation in the indulgence. He was not merely an observer but the central figure of this unrestrained celebration, setting a tone of defiance and spiritual blindness in the face of an existential threat.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Belshazzar the king made a great feast":** This opening clause immediately introduces the protagonist and the central event that precipitates the chapter's dramatic climax. Belshazzar, explicitly identified as "the king," asserts his authority by initiating and orchestrating a grand, public celebration. The descriptor "great feast" emphasizes the immense scale and extravagance, painting a vivid scene of opulence and self-indulgence that stands in stark and ironic contrast to the impending doom of the Babylonian Empire. It instantly signals a leader who is either dangerously oblivious to, or defiantly ignoring, the grave danger his kingdom faces.
* **"to a thousand of his lords":** This phrase specifies both the immense number and the high status of the attendees at the banquet. "A thousand" signifies a vast gathering, indicative of the king's perceived power and the extensive breadth of his court and influence. "His lords" refers to the high-ranking officials, nobles, and magnates of the kingdom, implying that this was a gathering of the Babylonian elite. This detail underscores the collective nature of the revelry and the widespread participation in the king's defiant act, making the subsequent divine judgment a public spectacle for the entire leadership of the empire.
* **"and drank wine before the thousand":** This final clause powerfully highlights Belshazzar's personal and public involvement in the excessive drinking. The repetition of "the thousand" emphasizes the highly public nature of his actions, indicating that he was not merely present but actively leading the indulgence. By personally engaging in and leading the revelry and drinking "before" such a large and prominent assembly, Belshazzar not only indulged in excessive consumption but also publicly endorsed and perhaps even encouraged widespread intoxication. This act of public revelry and spiritual blindness, especially during a time of profound national crisis, serves as a potent symbol of his moral decay, spiritual arrogance, and ultimate defiance of any higher, divine authority.

#### Literary Devices
Daniel 5:1 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to set the scene for the dramatic events that immediately follow. **Foreshadowing** is prominently featured, as the extravagant and defiant feast, held amidst an active siege, immediately signals impending doom and divine judgment. The very act of revelry in the face of existential threat creates a palpable sense of unease and strongly anticipates the swift and unexpected divine intervention. **Irony** is also powerfully at play; Belshazzar's attempt to project an image of unassailable power and security through a grand display of wealth and indulgence ultimately serves to highlight his profound weakness, spiritual blindness, and ultimate vulnerability. The description "great feast" (Aramaic: _rab lᵉchem_) functions as **Hyperbole**, emphasizing the immense scale of the gathering, which further underscores the king's hubris and the sheer magnitude of the coming fall. Finally, the feast itself functions as rich **Symbolism**, representing the pervasive moral decay, spiritual arrogance, and ultimate disregard for the one true God that characterized the Babylonian Empire, thereby setting the stage for its dramatic, divinely ordained, and utterly deserved collapse.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Daniel 5:1 serves as a stark theological statement on the intrinsic nature of human pride and the absolute reality of divine sovereignty. Belshazzar's defiant feast, held in the immediate shadow of a besieging army and soon to be compounded by sacrilege, is far more than just a historical event; it is a profound and timeless illustration of humanity's persistent tendency to ignore divine warnings and to exalt itself in the face of God's ultimate and unchallengeable authority. The verse meticulously sets the stage for God's direct and dramatic intervention, demonstrating unequivocally that no earthly power, however mighty, secure, or defiant it may seem, can ultimately escape divine reckoning for its arrogance and moral corruption. It powerfully underscores the timeless biblical principle that God is the one who "removes kings and sets up kings" ([Daniel 2:21](/daniel/2-21 "Daniel 2:21 - God's Sovereignty Over Kingdoms")), and that pride inevitably precedes a devastating fall.

* [Proverbs 16:18](/proverbs/16-18 "Proverbs 16:18 - Pride Precedes Destruction")
* [Psalm 75:6-7](/psalms/75-6-7 "Psalm 75:6-7 - God Exalts and Humbles")
* [Isaiah 14:12-15](/isaiah/14-12-15 "Isaiah 14:12-15 - The Fall of Lucifer and Babylon's King")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The dramatic scene meticulously set in Daniel 5:1 offers profound and timeless lessons for believers today. Belshazzar's defiant revelry in the face of imminent judgment serves as a powerful and sobering cautionary tale against spiritual complacency, unbridled arrogance, and the pursuit of fleeting worldly pleasures. It vividly reminds us that all worldly power, wealth, and temporary gratifications are ultimately fleeting and perpetually subject to God's sovereign and immutable will. In a world that frequently encourages self-sufficiency, the accumulation of material possessions, and the relentless pursuit of fleeting gratifications, this verse issues a compelling call to humility, spiritual discernment, and a sober awareness of God's ultimate and rightful authority over all things. It challenges us to honestly examine our own lives for areas where we might be ignoring divine warnings, indulging in self-serving pursuits, or subtly failing to acknowledge God's rightful place as the supreme King and Lord. True security, lasting peace, and enduring joy are found not in defiant revelry or worldly power, but in humble submission to the Lordship of Christ and a life lived in accordance with His eternal truth and righteous commands.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways might I, like Belshazzar, be ignoring spiritual warnings or indulging in self-serving pursuits instead of diligently seeking God's will?**
* **How does the fleeting nature of Belshazzar's kingdom and its swift collapse challenge my own understanding of true security and lasting value in this life?**
* **What does Belshazzar's public display of revelry and defiance teach me about the profound influence of leadership and the critical importance of setting a godly example for others?**

### FAQ
**Who was Belshazzar, and what was his historical significance?**

Answer: Belshazzar (Aramaic: _Bêlshaʼtstsar_) was the last king of Babylon according to the biblical account in [Daniel 5](/daniel/5 "Daniel 5 - Belshazzar's Feast and the Fall of Babylon"). Historically, he is widely understood to have been the co-regent with his father, Nabonidus, who was frequently away from the capital city. While Nabonidus was technically the last *independent* king of Babylon, Belshazzar was the one in direct charge of the city when it dramatically fell to the Medo-Persian forces in 539 BC. His profound significance lies in his pivotal role as the king who presided over the final, dramatic, and divinely ordained collapse of the mighty Babylonian Empire, and whose blatant defiance of God directly led to the famous and terrifying "handwriting on the wall" incident.

**Why was Belshazzar's feast particularly defiant or significant?**

Answer: Belshazzar's feast was profoundly significant and defiant for multiple compelling reasons. Firstly, it was held at a moment of extreme peril, with the formidable Medo-Persian army actively besieging Babylon. To host such a lavish, public, and seemingly carefree celebration in the face of imminent invasion demonstrated an astonishing degree of hubris and a defiant disregard for the external threat. Secondly, as dramatically revealed in [Daniel 5:2-4](/daniel/5-2-4 "Daniel 5:2-4 - The Profanation of Sacred Vessels"), Belshazzar compounded his arrogance by sacrilegiously using the sacred vessels plundered from the temple in Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar for his pagan revelry. This act was a direct, blasphemous affront to the God of Israel, a profound sacrilege that immediately preceded and provoked divine judgment. The sheer scale of the feast ("a thousand of his lords") also underscored the widespread moral decay and spiritual blindness that permeated the entire Babylonian leadership.

**What happened immediately after this feast, according to the book of Daniel?**

Answer: Immediately following this defiant feast, as vividly described in [Daniel 5:5-6](/daniel/5-5-6 "Daniel 5:5-6 - The Mysterious Handwriting Appears"), a mysterious disembodied hand miraculously appeared and began writing an unknown message on the plaster of the palace wall. This terrifying and supernatural event caused Belshazzar to tremble uncontrollably with fear. Unable to interpret the ominous writing, he desperately summoned all his wise men, but none could decipher its meaning. Ultimately, Daniel, the faithful prophet of God, was called upon to interpret the divine message, which chillingly foretold the imminent fall of Babylon and the immediate end of Belshazzar's reign. That very night, Belshazzar was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom ([Daniel 5:30-31](/daniel/5-30-31 "Daniel 5:30-31 - The Fall of Babylon and Darius's Reign")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Daniel 5:1, while vividly depicting the dramatic fall of an earthly king and his defiant empire, profoundly foreshadows the ultimate triumph and eternal reign of God's true and eternal King, Jesus Christ. Belshazzar's defiant feast, marked by human pride, sacrilege, and impending judgment, stands in stark and powerful contrast to the divine humility, perfect obedience, and redemptive purpose embodied in Christ. Just as Belshazzar's kingdom was weighed in the divine balance and found utterly wanting ([Daniel 5:27](/daniel/5-27 "Daniel 5:27 - Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin")), so too will all earthly kingdoms, human systems of power, and self-exalting ideologies that reject God's sovereignty ultimately be judged and destined to fall. Jesus, however, inaugurates a kingdom that is "not of this world" ([John 18:36](/john/18-36 "John 18:36 - Jesus' Kingdom Not of This World")), a spiritual and eternal dominion that "will never be destroyed" ([Daniel 2:44](/daniel/2-44 "Daniel 2:44 - The Eternal Kingdom of God")). Belshazzar's self-indulgent revelry led directly to his swift and ignominious demise, but Christ's sacrificial death on the cross, the ultimate act of self-giving love, secured eternal life and triumphant victory over sin and death for all who believe ([Colossians 2:13-15](/colossians/2-13-15 "Colossians 2:13-15 - Triumph Over Principalities and Powers")). The dramatic judgment that fell upon Babylon serves as a sobering reminder of the coming judgment for all who persist in rejecting God's righteous rule, yet it also gloriously highlights the truth that Christ, the true [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), bore that judgment for us, inviting us into His eternal feast, the glorious [marriage supper of the Lamb](/revelation/19-9 "Revelation 19:9 - The Marriage Supper of the Lamb"), where there is no pride, only perfect communion, unending joy, and everlasting worship.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Esther 1:3

In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, [being] before him:

Genesis 40:20

¶ And it came to pass the third day, [which was] Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

Mark 6:21

And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief [estates] of Galilee;

Mark 6:22

And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give [it] thee.

Isaiah 22:12

And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:

Nahum 1:10

For while [they be] folden together [as] thorns, and while they are drunken [as] drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.

Jeremiah 51:57

And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise [men], her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name [is] the LORD of hosts.