John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:17
Then Daniel answered and said before the king ,.... With great freedom, boldness, and intrepidity: let thy gifts be to thyself ; remain with thee; I neither want them, nor desire them; nor will I receive them on condition of reading and interpreting the writing: and give thy rewards to another ; which he had promised to those that could read and interpret the handwriting on the wall; even to be clothed with scarlet, have a golden chain, and be the third ruler in the kingdom. It may... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Daniel 5:10-29
Here is, I. The information given to the king, by the queen-mother, concerning Daniel, how fit he was to be consulted in this difficult case. It is supposed that this queen was the widow of Evil-Merodach, and was that famous Nitocris whom Herodotus mentions as a woman of extraordinary prudence. She was not present at the feast, as the king's wives and concubines were (Dan. 5:2); it was not agreeable to her age and gravity to keep a merry night. But, tidings of the fright which the king and his... read more