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G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Daniel 5:1-31

The next scene is cast in the reign of Belshazzar. He had succeeded to the throne of his father, and was a man of profligate habits. No details are given of his reign, but a graphic picture is set before us of the carousal which revealed the man, and was the occasion of the final manifestation of his sin, and of the consequent judgment of God. Having gathered together a thousand of his lords, his wives, and his concubines, he was guilty of the unutterable folly of using in drunken revelry the... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 5:8-9

‘Then all the king’s wise men came in. But they could not read the writing or make its interpretation clear to the king. Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his face was changed on him, and his lords were perplexed.’ None of the wise men of Babylon were able to read and decipher the writing. Whether this means that the script was unintelligible, or just that its meaning was difficult, does not really matter, although the former is probable as they could at least have made a guess at... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 5:1-31

Daniel 5. Belshazzar, who is represented as king of Babylon, makes a great feast, using the vessels which his father had brought to Babylon from the Temple at Jerusalem. During the feast the fingers of a man’ s hand are seen, writing on the wall. Daniel explains the handwriting and tells the king that his days are numbered and that his kingdom is to be given to the Medes and Persians. That night the king is murdered and Darius the Mede assumes the throne. The motive of the chapter is again... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Daniel 5:8

The rabbies say it was not in the Chaldee character, though the words were Chaldee, but the old Hebrew, Canaanitish, Phoenician, and Samaritan letters; or else because only the initial letters, M. T. P., were written. But God reserved this honour for Daniel, and to him that He might have all the glory. Besides, this interpretation was figurative, about weighing in a balance. read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Daniel 5:1-31

HOMILETICSSECT. XVII.—BELSHAZZAR’S FEAST (Chap. 5.)This chapter deservedly a favourite with general readers [126]. The magnificence, excitement, and revelry of the royal feast; the profligate king, when heated with wine, calling for the sacred vessels of the Temple, and, with his princes, wives, and concubines, drinking out of them to the honour of heathen deities; the sudden appearance, in the midst of the carousal, of a weird hand, tracing distinct but unintelligible characters on the wall;... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:1-31

Daniel 5:1-31 I. Belshazzar's feast was characterised by great intemperance. II. It was characterised by great profanity. III. This night was one of supernatural visitation. IV. This was a night of terrible retribution. W. M. Taylor, Daniel the Beloved, p. 98. References: Daniel 5:1-31 . W. M. Taylor, Contemporary Pulpit, vol. iv., p. 240. Daniel 5:5 . R. Payne-Smith, Homiletic Magazine, vol. xi., p. 158. Daniel 5:10-23 . Ibid. p. 220. read more

Chuck Smith

Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:1-31

Shall we turn now in our Bible to Daniel, chapter 5.Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousands ( Daniel 5:1 ).There are men who call themselves Bible scholars and they belong to a school known as "higher criticism." And for years these men declared that the book of Daniel was not valid. And one of their reasons for this declaration was that in secular history they had not discovered the name Belshazzar. But one of ancient historians,... read more

Joseph Sutcliffe

Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments - Daniel 5:1-31

Daniel 5:2 . Belshazzar his father Nebuchadnezzar. Belshazzar was the son of Evilmerodach, and grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. The empire therefore falling at this time, fulfilled the prophecy, that all nations should serve Nebuchadnezzar, and his son, and his son’s son. Jeremiah 27:7. Having spoken of the fall of Babylon on Isaiah 13:14. and elsewhere, I shall subjoin some reflections from one of my sermons. Daniel 5:4 . They drank wine and praised the gods of gold. Here the king first... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Daniel 5:8

Dan 5:8 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. Ver. 8. But they could not read the writing. ] Utpote caecitate et stupore pervulsi; they could not so read it as to make any good sense of it. It may be the initial letters only were set down, or else without pricks, or in a strange character, the Samaritan, or some other. The honour of the work was reserved for a better man. read more

Samuel Bagster

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge - Daniel 5:8

but: Because, probably, it was written in the ancient Hebrew or Samaritan character. Daniel 2:27, Daniel 4:7, Genesis 41:8, Isaiah 47:9, Isaiah 47:12-Ezra : Reciprocal: Exodus 8:18 - they could Isaiah 41:28 - I beheld Isaiah 47:13 - Let now Jeremiah 50:35 - her wise men Daniel 1:20 - the magicians Daniel 2:4 - tell Daniel 4:18 - forasmuch Daniel 5:5 - wrote Daniel 5:15 - General Colossians 2:14 - the handwriting read more

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