Section I. - Authenticity of the Chapter Much fewer objections have been made to the authenticity of this chapter, and much fewer difficulties started, than in regard to Daniel 4. Those which have been urged may be classed under the following heads: I. The first is substantially stated in this man... [ Continue Reading ]
BELSHAZZAR THE KING - See Introduction to the chapter, Section II. In the Introduction to the chapter here referred to, I have stated what seemed to be necessary in order to illustrate the history of Belshazzar, so far as that can be now known. The statements in regard to this monarch, it is well un... [ Continue Reading ]
BELSHAZZAR, WHILE HE TASTED THE WINE - As the effect of tasting the wine - stating a fact which is illustrated in every age and land, that men, under the influence of intoxicating drinks, will do what they would not do when sober. In his sober moments it would seem probable that he would have respec... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY DRANK WINE, AND PRAISED THE GODS OF GOLD, AND OF SILVER, ... - Compare the note at Daniel 5:1. Idols were made among the pagan of all the materials here mentioned. The word praised here means that they spake in praise of these gods; of their history, of their attributes, of what they had done.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE SAME HOUR - On the word “hour,” see the note at Daniel 4:19. CAME FORTH FINGERS OF A MAN’S HAND - Not the whole hand, but only the parts usually employed in writing. Not a man writing; not even an arm, but fingers that seemed to move themselves. They appeared to come forth from the walls, and... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE KING’S COUNTENANCE WAS CHANGED - The word rendered “countenance” is, in the margin, as in Daniel 5:9, “brightnesses.” The Chaldee word means “brightness, splendor” (זיו _zı̂yv_), and the meaning here is bright looks, cheerfulness, hilarity. The word rendered was changed, is in the margin ch... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE KING CRIED ALOUD - Margin, as in the Chaldee, “with might.” This indicates a sudden and an alarming cry. The king was deeply terrified; and, unable himself to divine the meaning of the mysterious appearance of the hand, he naturally turned at once to those whose office it was to explain drea... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN CAME IN ALL THE KING’S WISE MEN - The classes above referred to, Daniel 5:7. BUT THEY COULD NOT READ THE WRITING - The character was an unknown character to them. It may have been a character which was not found in any language, and which made the power of Daniel to read it the more remarkable... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN WAS KING BELSHAZZAR GREATLY TROUBLED - Not doubting that this was a Divine intimation of some fearful event, and yet unable to understand its meaning. We are quite as likely to be troubled by what is merely “mysterious” in regard to the future - by anything that gives us some undefined forebodi... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE QUEEN - “Probably the queen-mother, the Nitocris of Herodotus, as the king’s wives were at the entertainment.” - Wintle. Compare Daniel 5:2. So Prof. Stuart. The editor of the “Pictorial Bible” also supposes that this was the queen-mother, and thinks that this circumstance will explain her f... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS A MAN IN THY KINGDOM - To wit, Daniel. As the queen-mother had lived in the time of Nebuchadnezzar, and recollected the important service which he had rendered in interpreting the dream of the king, it was natural that her mind should at once recur to him. It would seem, also, that though D... [ Continue Reading ]
FORASMUCH AS AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT - Not an excellent spirit in the sense in which that phrase is sometimes used now, as denoting a good and pious spirit, but a spirit or mind that excels; that is, that is “distinguished” for wisdom and knowledge. INTERPRETING OF DREAMS - Margin, “or, of an interpret... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN WAS DANIEL BROUGHT IN BEFORE THE KING - From this it is clear that he lived in Babylon, though in comparative obscurity. It would seem to be not improbable that he was still known to the queen-mother, who, perhaps, kept up an acquaintance with him on account of his former services. ART THOU TH... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE EVEN HEARD OF THEE ... - Daniel 5:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW THE WISE MEN ... - Daniel 5:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I HAVE HEARD OF THEE ... - Daniel 5:11. CANST MAKE INTERPRETATIONS - Margin, “interpret.” Chaldee, “interpret interpretations.” The meaning is, that he was skilled in interpreting or explaining dreams, omens, etc. AND DISSOLVE DOUBTS - See the notes at Daniel 5:12. NOW, IF THOU CANST READ THE... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN DANIEL ANSWERED AND SAID BEFORE THE KING, LET THY GIFTS BE TO THYSELF - That is, “I do not desire them; I do not act from a hope of reward.” Daniel means undoubtedly to intimate that what he would do would be done from a higher motive than a desire of office or honor. The answer is one that is... [ Continue Reading ]
O THOU KING, THE MOST HIGH GOD GAVE NEBUCHADNEZZAR THY FATHER A KINGDOM ... - This reference to Nebuchadnezzar is evidently designed to show to Belshazzar the wickedness of his own course, and the reason which he had to apprehend the Divine vengeance, because he had not learned to avoid the sins whi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND, FOR THE MAJESTY THAT HE GAVE HIM - That is, on account of his greatness, referring to the talents which God had conferred on him, and the power which he had put in his hands. It was so great that all people and nations trembled before him. ALL PEOPLE, NATIONS, AND LANGUAGES TREMBLED AND FEARED... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN HIS HEART WAS LIFTED UP - See Daniel 4:30. AND HIS MIND HARDENED IN PRIDE - Margin, “to deal proudly.” The state of mind indicated here is that in which there is no sense of dependence, but where one feels that he has all resources in himself, and need only look to himself. HE WAS DEPOSED... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WAS DRIVEN ... - See this fully explained in Daniel 4:25.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU HIS SON, O BELSHAZZAR, HAST NOT HUMBLED THINE HEART ... - As thou shouldst have done in remembrance of these events. The idea is, that we ought to derive valuable lessons from what has taken place in past times; that, from the events which have occurred in history, we should learn what God... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT HAST LIFTED UP THYSELF AGAINST THE LORD OF HEAVEN - The God who had so signally rebuked and humbled Nebuchadnezzar. The monarch had done this, it would seem, during the whole of his reign, and now by a crowning act of impiety he had evinced special disregard of him, and contempt for him, by prof... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN WAS THE PART OF THE HAND SENT FROM HIM - To wit, the fingers. See Daniel 5:5. The sense is, that when it was fully perceived that Belshazzar was not disposed to learn that there was a God in heaven; when he refused to profit by the solemn dispensations which had occurred in respect to his prede... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THIS IS THE WRITING THAT WAS WRITTEN - The Babylonians, it would seem, were unacquainted with the “characters” that were used, and of course unable to understand the meaning. See Daniel 5:8. The first thing, therefore, for Daniel to do was to read the writing, and this he was able to do without... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS THE INTERPRETATION OF THE THING - It may seem not to have been difficult to interpret the meaning of the communication, when one was able to read the words, or when the sense of the words was understood. But, if the words are placed together, and considered in their abstract form, the whole... [ Continue Reading ]
TEKEL - This word (תקל _t__e__qēl_) is also, according to Gesenius, a passive participle (from תקל _t__e__qal_ - “to poise, to weigh”), and means “weighed.” It would be used with reference to anything placed in a balance to ascertain its weight; and hence, like the word “measure,” would denote that... [ Continue Reading ]
PERES - In Daniel 5:25 this is “Upharsin.” These are but different forms of the same word - the word in Daniel 5:25 being in the plural, and here in the singular. The verb (פרס _p__e__ras_) means, to “divide;” and in this form, as in the previous cases, it is, according to Gesenius, participle meani... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN COMMANDED BELSHAZZAR - In compliance with his promise, Daniel 5:16. Though the interpretation had been so fearful in its import, and though Daniel had been so plain and faithful with him, yet he did not hesitate to fulfill his promise. It is a remarkable instance of the result of fidelity, that... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT NIGHT WAS BELSHAZZAR THE KING OF THE CHALDEANS SLAIN - On the taking of Babylon, and the consequences, see the notes at Isaiah 13:17; Isaiah 45:1. The account which Xenophon (“Cyrop.” vii. s.) gives of the taking of Babylon. and of the death of the king - though without mentioning his name,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DARIUS THE MEDIAN TOOK THE KINGDOM - The city and kingdom were actually taken by Cyrus, though acting in the name and by the authority of Darius, or Cyaxares, who was his uncle. For a full explanation of the conquests of Cyrus, and of the reason why the city is said to have been taken by Darius,... [ Continue Reading ]