Daniel 5:30

¶ In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.

In that night {H3916} was Belshazzar {H1113} the king {H4430} of the Chaldeans {H3779} slain {H6992}.

That very night Belshatzar, the king of the Kasdim, was killed.

That very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain,

In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain.

Daniel 5:30 is a potent verse that marks the swift and dramatic conclusion of the Babylonian Empire and the life of its final king, Belshazzar. It succinctly records the immediate fulfillment of divine judgment.

Historical and Cultural Context

This verse describes the very night King Belshazzar of the Chaldeans held a great feast, profaning the sacred vessels taken from the Temple in Jerusalem by his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 5:2). During this revelry, a mysterious hand appeared and wrote a message on the palace wall, causing immense terror. When none of his wise men could interpret it, the prophet Daniel was summoned. Daniel fearlessly declared God's judgment, interpreting the words "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin" to mean that Belshazzar's kingdom had been weighed, found deficient, and was about to be given to the Medes and Persians (Daniel 5:26-28). Daniel 5:30 confirms that this prophecy was fulfilled with astonishing immediacy. That same night, the city of Babylon fell to the invading forces, traditionally understood to be the Persian army under Cyrus the Great, with Darius the Mede taking control of the kingdom (Daniel 6:1).

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Judgment and Sovereignty: The verse powerfully illustrates God's absolute control over earthly kingdoms and His swift execution of judgment. Belshazzar's sudden demise underscores that no human power or fortification can withstand God's decree. The fall of the mighty Babylonian Empire was an act of divine will.
  • Consequences of Pride and Sacrilege: Belshazzar's downfall was a direct result of his arrogant defiance of God and his desecration of holy objects. This serves as a stark warning against pride, irreverence, and the misuse of God's blessings.
  • Fulfillment of Prophecy: The immediate and literal fulfillment of Daniel's interpretation highlights the reliability and truthfulness of God's prophetic word. What God declares, He brings to pass, often with precision and speed.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV's phrasing "was Belshazzar... slain" is direct and impactful, conveying the finality and suddenness of the king's death. While the word "slain" itself is straightforward, the profound linguistic weight of the chapter lies in the preceding Aramaic words on the wall, "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin," which served as God's verdict and foreshadowed the exact event described in this verse.

Practical Application

Daniel 5:30 serves as a timeless reminder that God is actively involved in human affairs and holds all leaders and individuals accountable for their actions. It cautions us against the dangers of pride, arrogance, and disrespect for what is sacred. Just as Belshazzar faced immediate consequences, we are called to live with humility and reverence, acknowledging God's ultimate authority over our lives and circumstances. The swiftness of judgment for Belshazzar also emphasizes the urgency of responding to God's warnings and living righteously, for "the triumphing of the wicked is short" (Job 20:5).

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jeremiah 51:31

    One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to shew the king of Babylon that his city is taken at [one] end,

  • 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.

  • Isaiah 47:9

    But these two [things] shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, [and] for the great abundance of thine enchantments.

  • Jeremiah 51:39

    In their heat I will make their feasts, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the LORD.

  • Isaiah 21:4

    My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.

  • Isaiah 21:9

    And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, [with] a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.

  • Jeremiah 51:11

    Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device [is] against Babylon, to destroy it; because it [is] the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.

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