Daniel 5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:6

Then the kings countenance changed ,.... Or, "his brightness" F12 זיוהי "splendores ejus", Montanus, Vatablus, Michaelis. ; his ruddy countenance, his florid looks, his gay airs; all his jollity and mirth, that appeared in his face, were changed into paleness, sadness, and confusion: and his thoughts troubled him ; what should be the meaning of this; perhaps he might immediately fear it presaged ruin and destruction to him; the sins of his former life might at once come into his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:7

The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers ,.... Or, "with strength" F14 בחיל "cum virtute", Vatablus; "in virtute", Montanus; "fortiter", Cocceius; "cum robore", Michaelis. ; with a strong voice, as loud as he could; which is expressive of the fright he was in, and of his eagerness and impatience of information; laying aside all decency, and forgetting his royal majesty, like a man out of his senses, quite distracted, as it were: of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:8

Then came in all the king's wise men ,.... The whole college of them, the persons before described; over whom, in Nebuchadnezzar's time, Daniel was the chief of the governors, Daniel 2:48 , these came in readily, in hope of getting both riches and honour: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof ; for if they could not do the former, it must be impossible to do the latter; of the reason of which, various are the conjectures F16 Vid.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:9

Then was King Belshazzar greatly troubled ,.... A second time, and perhaps more than before; since he had conceived some hope that his wise men would have informed him what this writing was, and the meaning of it; but finding that they were nonplussed by it, it gave him still greater uneasiness: and his countenance was changed in him ; again; very likely, upon the coming in of the wise men, he had a little recovered himself, and became more composed and serene; which appeared in his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:10

Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house ,.... Not the wife of Belshazzar, as Porphyry would have it; but rather the queen mother, as Jacchiades, the widow of Evilmerodach his father, whose name was Nitocris; and is spoken of, by Herodotus F17 Clio, sive l. 1. c. 185, 188. , as a very prudent woman; and as this seems to be by her words and conduct: though Josephus F18 Antiqu. l. 10. c. 11. sect. 2. says it was his grandmother,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:11

There is a man in thy kingdom ,.... She does not say in his court; very probably, after the death of Nebuchadnezzar, perhaps in one of the former reigns, he was removed from his offices; for, had he been in one, very likely the queen would have described him by it; and this seems to receive confirmation by the question Belshazzar put to him upon his coming into his presence, art thou that Daniel , &c.; and only says that he had heard of him, Daniel 5:13 , in whom is the spirit... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:12

Forasmuch as an excellent spirit ,.... A superior spirit to all the wise men in Babylon for natural knowledge and political wisdom; and he had yet a more excellent spirit which she knew nothing of, and was no judge of; a spirit of real grace, and true piety and devotion: and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams ; of which interpreting two of Nebuchadnezzar's was a proof: and showing hard sentences : or explaining enigmas and riddles, or proverbial, parabolical, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:13

Then was Daniel brought in before the king ,.... Proper officers being sent to seek and find him; and having fetched him from his house or apartment where he lived, which seems to have been in the city of Babylon, though not very probably at court as formerly, he was introduced in form into the king's presence; 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 ? by which it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:14

I have even heard of thee ,.... Very probably he had heard often of him, though he did not think fit to honour him, and use him with that familiarity his grandfather had; or however he had now just heard of him by the queen, whose encomiums of him he recites in her own words: that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee ; which are the express words of his mother, Daniel 5:11 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:15

And now the wise men; the astrologers, have been brought in before me ,.... For it seems they came not of themselves, or upon hearing his loud cry; but were sent for by him, and came by his orders, and were introduced into his presence by the proper officers: that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof ; pointing to the writing upon the wall: but they could not show the interpretation of the thing ; nor even read it; though it may be some of... read more

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