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Matthew Henry

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

John Gill

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:18

O thou king ,.... "Hear" F20 So Pagninus, Munster. , O king; so Aben Ezra supplies it; what he was about to say first, in order to prepare him for the meaning of the handwriting, and the cause of it; or, "thou knowest", as Saadiah supplies it; namely, what follows: the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom : a very large one, which reached to the ends of the earth: this was not to be ascribed to his predecessor that left it to him; or to his victorious arms, which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:19

And for the majesty that he gave him ,.... The greatness of his power, the largeness of his dominions, and the vast armies he had at his command: all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him ; not only those that were subject to him, but those that had only heard of him: who dreaded his approach unto them, and their falling into his victorious hands, and being made vassals to him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive ; he ruled in an arbitrary... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:20

But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened it pride ,.... When his heart was elated with his successes and victories, with the enlargement of his dominions, and with his grandeur and glory he had arrived unto; and his pride increased yet more, till he was strengthened and hardened in it: or, "to deal proudly" F21 להזדה "ad superbe agendum", Junius & Tremellius; "ad superbiendum", Piscator, Michaelis; "ut superbe ageret", Cocceius. ; and behave haughtily to God and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:21

And he was driven from the sons of men ,.... From their company, and from conversation with them; his madness was of that kind, that he chose rather to be with beasts than men; it drove him from men, and made him more desirous of being with beasts; or it was so intolerable, that his family, friends, and courtiers, were obliged to remove him from them, from his palace and court, and from all conversation with men, which he was incapable of through his frenzy and madness: and his heart was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:22

And thou his son, O Belshazzar ,.... His grandson; See Gill on Daniel 5:1 , hast not humbled thine heart ; so as to acknowledge the most high God, and his dependence on him; to own him as his Sovereign, by whom he held his crown and kingdom, and to whom he was accountable; but, on the contrary, lifted up his heart in pride and haughtiness against him: though thou knewest all this ; either by the relation of others, his father and mother, and others; or being an eyewitness of it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:23

But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven ,.... Who made it, and dwells in it; from whence he beholds all the actions of the children of men, and will bring them to an account for them; and yet, though so high and great, such was the insolence of this king, that he dared to lift up himself against him, as if he was above him, and greater than he; and indeed so it may be rendered, "above the Lord of heaven" F24 על מרי שמיא "super Dominum coeli", Montanus; "super Dominum... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:24

Then was the part of the hand sent from him ,.... That is, from God: being thus reproached and blasphemed, at that very instant, and for that reason, because the vessels of his sanctuary were profaned, and idol gods were praised, and he despised; he caused part of a hand, the writing fingers of it, to appear on the wall of the king's palace: and this writing was written ; which was then upon the wall, and he points to it. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 5:17

Let thy gifts be to thyself - They could be of little use to any, as the city was in a few hours to be taken and pillaged. read more

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