D S¹ 1-20. The Prediction. S² 30,31. The Fulfillment.
S¹ T m 1-4-. Impiety.
n -4. Idolatry.
U o 5. The Hand.
p 6-15. Interpretation required.
q 16. Gifts promised.
T m 17-23-. Impiety.
n -23. Idolatry.
U o 24. The Hand.
p 25-28. Interpretation given.
q 29. Gifts given.
426 B.C.
Daniel 5)
1 Belshazzar (= prince of Bel [Baal]. He was the son of Nabonidus. The inscription shows that he was co-regent while he [Nabonidus] went to meat Cyrus) the king made a great feast (the hall in which it was held has lately been excavated. It is 60 feet wide 172 feet long, the walls being beautifully decorated with painted stucco designs.. The date was 426 B.C. Daniel being 87) to a thousand of his princes, and drank wine before the thousand. (Good time Charlie, didn't have to worry about anything Why study? Sound familiar?)
2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels (Taken out of the Temple of God, cp. 1:2; and see 2 Kings 25:15. 2 Chron. 36:10. Jer. 52:19) which his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar (There is no word in the Hebrew of Chaldee for "grandfather". The word "father" is used for ancestor. Cp. 1 Kings 15:11-13]. in 2 Kings 2:14:3 the same is said of Amaziah; and in 2 Chron. 34:1,2, of Josiah. Cp. Rom. 9:10, where Paul speaks of "our father Isaac". But Jer. 27:7 explains the mater fully: "all nations shall serve him [i.e. Nebuchadnezzar], and his son [Nabonidus], and his son's son [Belshazzar] until the very time of his land come". See 7:1) had brought forth of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives (showing that the "queen" mentioned in v.10 must have been his mother), 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 (Elohim) which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. (Mockery, desecration. How do you think God feels when they use these sacred vessels in a drunken brawl?)
4 They drank wine,
and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. (6 items, Satan's number. Toasting to Satan.)
5 In the same moment came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the lamp-stand upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king was gazing on the end (i.e. the fingers) of the hand that wrote. (This is the shape you can get into listening to false teachers)
6 Then the king's bright looks was changed (went from flush red to white), and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. (He wet himself.)
7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers (He's calling in the religious community. See 2:2). And the king spoke, and said to the wise men of Babylon, "Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple (symbolic of royalty), and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall rule as one of the three (i.e. the 3rd: Nabonidus being the 1st, and Belshazzar the 2nd) in the kingdom."
8 Then came in all the Babylon's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. (That's what's wrong with churchmen today. How soon a generation forgets. Can't read manuscripts. Couldn't even remember 2 generations back. Do you know where your people come from? About the migrations of Judah from the Babylon captivity back to Judea. Or the 10 northern tribes of Israel of the Assyrian captivity. Who migrated over the Caucuses mountains, being named Caucasians. Traveled into Europe, and later settled in the Americas. Or are you like Esau who didn't care about his birthright?)
9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his princes were dumbfounded.
10 Now the queen (Nitocris, the daughter in law of Nebuchadnezzar, and mother of Nabonidud) by reason of the words of the king and his princes came into the banquet house (she was not present among the "wives" of v.2): and the queen spoke and said, "O king, live for ever: let not your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance be changed:
11 There is a man in you 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 your father (He didn't know Daniel. The truth was not passed down), the king, I say, your father, made master of the magicians (see 2:48. 2:2; and cp. 4:9), astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of dark 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." (God arranged this.)
13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spoke and said to Daniel, "Are you that Daniel (showing that the king had no personal knowledge of Daniel, or had disregarded him), which are of the sons of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah? (He's a little late getting around to it. You don't make a mockery of those things that are holy. God will not be mocked.)
14 I have even heard of you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in you.
15 And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing: (They had a hard time knowing what they had.)
16 And I have heard of you, that you can make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if you can read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, you shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom." (Pretty high promise. He'll do anything not to change cloths so often [see v.6])
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, "Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation thereof.
18 O you king, the most high God ('Ělyōn) gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom (it was prophesied), and majesty, and glory, and honor:
19 And for the majesty that He gave him, all peoples, 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 spirit hardened in pride (this was Satan's down fall), he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: (See chapter 11)
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 drenched with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that He appoints over it whomsoever He will. (And so it is today with the one world order)
22 And you his grandson, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this; (But he was too busy partying. Nobody listens to a drunk.)
23 But have lifted up yourself against the Lord (Adonai) of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you, and your princes, your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine in them;
and you have praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone (6 items, the number of Satan), which see not (cp. Pss. 115:4-8; 135:15-17. Isa. 37:19 46:6,7. Hab. 2:18,19. 1 Cor. 8:4), nor hear, nor know: and the God in Whose hand your breath is (Cp. Gen. 2:7. Job 10:12; 34:14,15. Pss. 104:19; 146:5. Isa. 42:5. Acts 17:25,28,29), and Whose are all your ways, have you not glorified: (Cp. Job 31:4. Ps. 139:3. Prov. 20:24. Jer. 10:23. Heb. 4:13)
24 Then was the fingers of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. (This Divine prophetic meaning could not be known or understood till interpreted by Daniel)
25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE (= NUMBERED, NUMBERED), TEKEL (= WEIGHED), UPHARSIN. (= DIVIDED)
26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it. (The days are counted and they are over)
27 TEKEL; You are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting. (He came up short.)
28 PERES; Your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians."
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. (Even though Daniel refused it.)
30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans (here spoken of in the national sense, not of a special class) slain. (See how fast God operates when a prophecy is given. Either by the Persians, or it may have been by assassination by one of his own followers, or accidentally in the tumult. It was a violent death. Cp. v.19. This was the 3rd of the month. on the 11th, Belshazzar's wife died, perhaps from grief)
31 And Darius the Median (he was the father of Cyrus) took out the kingdom (his general Gorbyas took the city in the name of Cyrus. See Isa. 45:1. Cp. Jer. 51:30,31.), being about sixty-two years old. (Born 488 B.C. Herodotus states that Cyrus was about 50 years of age at the taking of Babylon [in 426 B.C.]. At that age his father Astyages [Darius the Median"]was about 62 years old. Cyrus would therefore be just 40, having been born in 466 B.C. There is enough historical evidence in the writings of Babylon and Med-Persia that you are able to document that these writings are true. There is not another book in the O.T. that can be as well documented in history as Daniel.)