Verses 1-2 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. 2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.
Belshazzar means “Bel protect the king”, Bel being a pagan god. This king was the grandson of King Nebuchadnezzar. Remember that male descendants were called sons regardless of the number of generations. History is silent as to what happened to King Nebuchadnezzar’s son, father of Belshazzar, and as to why his son did not take the throne. Belshazzar was a partying king and his disrespect of the holy vessels of God was his downfall.
Verses 3-4 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. 4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
Notice that the gods these pagan people were praising were all gods of commerce or of commodities. Notice also that the first four items were the same and in the same order as those that comprised the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream regarding the future empires that would rise and fall.
Verses 5-6 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6 Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
It can be imagined that these elite revelers were somewhat intoxicated when the hand of God appeared in the light of the candlestick, and that perhaps they wondered if they were seeing things that were not really there. But the king knew that he was seeing something real and he became so frightened his knees knocked together. He was shaking with fear.
Verse 7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Like his grandfather, Belshazzar turned to the magicians, the astrologers and the other men considered to be wise in order to obtain an explanation as to what this phenomenon was. As was apparently the usual Babylonian reward, the king promised possessions and an elevated position to anyone who could explain the writing.
Verses 8-9 Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. 9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.
Belshazzar’s celebration had taken on a somber atmosphere as his wise men failed to read and interpret the writing and as the king became more frightened.
Verses 10-12 Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: 11 There is a man in thy 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 thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; 12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.
In verse one above it is recorded that Belshazzar’s wives were at the party and drinking from the sacred vessels, so since the queen, hearing about what was happening, came to the banquet house after the party had started, this may indicate that she was Belshazzar’s mother or grandmother. Don’t really know as the prophet Daniel did not record this queen’s name. Regardless, she was the voice of reason and she knew about Daniel and recommended that he be summoned and consulted.
Verses 13-16 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? 14 I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. 15 And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing: 16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Where was Daniel while Belshazzar was ruling? He had been elevated to the number two position in King Nebuchadnezzar’s government and he had been put in charge of all the wise men, and yet King Belshazzar did not seem to be familiar with him. This writer believes that the prophet Daniel retired from the lime light after King Nebuchadnezzar died as he was a humble man and did not aspire to be in positions of importance. His service to King Nebuchadnezzar ended and he just continued doing his job quietly behind the scenes.
Verse 17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
Daniel’s response seems to indicate that he did not hold a very high opinion of this Babylonian king. He basically said, “Keep your gifts. I don’t want them. However, I will do what you ask.”
Verses 18-21 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: 19 And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, 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 mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: 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 wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
Daniel starts his dialogue by reminding the king what happened to King Nebuchadnezzar because of his pride, lack of humility, and indifference towards the most High God. The following verse shows that King Belshazzar knew this history, but had failed to learn from it.
Verses 22-23 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; 23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast 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 plainly and boldly told King Belshazzar that he had offended the LORD, and as a result, the LORD had sent him a message.
Application: Some Christian believers and churches focus their attention on the New Testament books and fail to give proper time and attention to the wealth of information and instruction contained in the Old Testament books. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:11, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” Christian believers can learn from the events that occurred in the lives of these Old Testament men and women. The lessons to take away from King Belshazzar’s final moments on this Earth while throwing a pagan party are many. Think about them.
Verses 24-28 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. 25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. 27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. 28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
Mene was a weight, usually 50 shekels. Tekel means to weigh. Upharsin means to divide or to break in two.
Verses 29-31 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. 30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. 31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. (Daniel 5)
Historically, the walls of the city of Babylon were impenetrable. So the Medo-Persian army rerouted the Euphrates river that ran under the wall and through the city, and then passed under the wall and conquered the city of Babylon the very night the king was holding his celebration. Even though Daniel was given rewards that he did not want, his position as third ruler in the kingdom was short lived as the kingdom fell to Darius the Mede that very night.