Daniel 5:1-31

Belshazzar's Feast

Belshazzar, king of Babylon, holds a great feast, at which he profanely uses the sacred vessels taken by Nebuchadnezzar from the Temple at Jerusalem (Daniel 5:1). He is terrified at seeing part of a human hand writing mysterious words on the wall of the banqueting room, and vainly offers great rewards to the wise men of Babylon if they can read and explain the writing (Daniel 5:5). The queen tells him of Daniel, and of his fame for wisdom, acquired in Nebuchadnezzar's days. Daniel is accordingly sent for, and Belshazzar repeats to him his request and his promises (Daniel 5:10).

Declining the offered reward Daniel rebukes Belshazzar for neglecting the lessons of humility taught by Nebuchadnezzar's history, and interprets the writing as a message of doom (Daniel 5:17). That night Belshazzar is slain and Darius the Median receives the kingdom (Daniel 5:30).

Teaching. The profanations of Belshazzar were very similar to those of Antiochus Epiphanes (1Ma 1:20-24; 2Ma 5:15-17), and Belshazzar's fate would encourage the Jews in the time of Antiochus to hope that their oppressor would be similarly cut off.