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More Daniel commentaries
Daniel 2:1-13
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
Daniel 2:14-23
God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
Daniel 2:24-35
Daniel Explains The Dream
Daniel 2:36-43
Daniel Gives a Prophetic Outline of The Dream
Daniel 2:44-49
Daniel is Promoted
Daniel 3:1-7
Nebuchadnezzar’s Golden Statue
Daniel 3:8-18
Daniels’s Friends Disobey The King
Daniel 3:19-30
Saved In a Fiery Trial
Daniel 4:1-18
Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream
Daniel 4:19-27
Daniel Explains Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream
Daniel 4:28-37
Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation
Daniel 5:1-16
King Belshazzar’s Banquet
Daniel 5:17-31
Daniel Interprets The Handwriting
Daniel 6:1-17
Daniel And The Lions Den
Daniel 6:18-28
Daniel Saved From The Lions
Daniel 7:1-14
Daniel’s Vision of The Four Beasts
Daniel 7:15-28
The Meaning of Daniel’s Vision
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King Belshazzar’s Banquet
Daniel 5:1–16
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
The story is told of a monastery in Portugal, perched high on a 3,000 foot cliff and accessible only by a terrifying ride in a swaying basket. The basket is pulled with a single rope by several strong men, perspiring under the strain of the fully loaded basket. One American … More
This chapter opens with the night feast of Belshazzar in which he invited one thousand of his leaders (v. 1). Daniel speaks of Belshazzar as the son of Nebonidus and he reigned as joint king with his father (v. 2). Belshazzar felt sure that Babylon could never be captured. Historians say that its walls were 350 feet high, 87 feet thick and 6 miles long. In addition it was guarded by a 35 foot mote and there were 250 watchtowers which extended another 100 feet in the air. During this drinking party Belshazzar ordered that the sacred vessels carried from the temple in Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar be brought to use as drinking vessels (v. 3). As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone (v. 4).
God immediately spoke in judgment by writing on the wall (v. 5). Suddenly the hilarity of the party gave way to a hushed fear (v. 6). Belshazzar’s countenance was changed from a look of gaiety to one of dreadful fear. He was so terrified that his knees smote together. God can bring low the proudest sinner in a moment. The king called for all his wise men but none could read or interpret the mysterious handwriting (vv. 7-8). This only made Belshazzar more terrified and his face grew more pale (v. 9). At that point the queen appeared (thought to be his mother the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar) and suggested Daniel as an interpreter (vv. 10-12). Daniel, now an old man, was brought into the banquet hall before the king (v. 13). Explaining the situation to Daniel, the king offered him a third place in the kingdom if he could interpret the writing (vv. 14-16). Since there were already two rulers, Belshazzar and his father he would then be “third ruler in the kingdom.”Application
It is very easy for me to feel secure in my way of life to the point I think I could never fall (I Corinthians 10:12). I must remember that it is only the Lord and His grace that will keep me from falling. My security is only in the Lord.
Daniel 5:1-16 (English Standard Version)
King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand. Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. Then the king's color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom." Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his lords were perplexed. The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, "O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you or your color change. There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father--your father the king--made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation." Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, "You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter. But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom."
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