Daniel 5:1-4

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Daniel 5:1-9

We have here Belshazzar the king very gay, but all of a sudden very gloomy, and in straits in the fulness of his sufficiency. See how he affronts God, and God affrights him; and wait what will be the issue of this contest; and whether he that hardened his heart against God prospered. I. See how the king affronted God, and put contempt upon him. He made a great feast, or banquet of wine; probably it was some anniversary solemnity, in honour off his birth-day or coronation-day, or in honour of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:1

Belshazzar the king made a great feast ,.... This king was not the immediate successor of Nebuchadnezzar, but Evilmerodach, Jeremiah 52:31 , who, according to Ptolemy's canon, reigned two years; then followed Neriglissar, his sister's husband, by whom he was slain, and who usurped the throne, and reigned four years; he died in the beginning of his fourth year, and left a son called Laborosoarchod, who reigned but nine months, which are placed by Ptolemy to his father's reign, and therefore... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:2

Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine ,.... As he was drinking his cups, and delighted with the taste of the wine, and got merry with it: or, "by the advice of the wine" F8 בטעם חמרא "vino dictante", Tigurine version. , as Aben Ezra and Jarchi interpret it, by a personification; as if that dictated to him, and put him upon doing what follows; and which often puts both foolish and wicked things into the heads of men, and upon doing them: then he commanded to bring the golden and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:3

Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem ,.... That is, the servants to whom the orders were given fetched them from the temple of Bel, and brought them to the king's house; and though only mention is made of golden vessels, yet no doubt the silver ones were also brought, according to the king's command: and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them ; by which they were profaned, being... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:4

They drunk wine ,.... That is, out of the vessels of the temple at Jerusalem, and perhaps till they were drunk: and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone ; for they had gods of all these materials; See Gill on Daniel 1:2 , and these they praised by offering sacrifices unto them; or rather by singing songs, and drinking healths, and by ascribing all their victories over the nations of the world to them; as that by their means they had got such... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 5:1

Belshazzar the king made a great feast - This chapter is out of its place, and should come in after the seventh and eighth. There are difficulties in the chronology. After the death of Nebuchadnezzar, Evil-merodach his son ascended the throne of Babylon. Having reigned about two years, he was slain by his brother-in-law, Neriglissar. He reigned four years, and was succeeded by his son Laborosoarchod, who reigned only nine months. At his death Belshazzar the son of Evil-merodach, was raised... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 5:2

Whiles he tasted the wine - He relished it, got heated by it, and when Wine got fully in, Wit went wholly out; and in consequence he acted the profane part of which we immediately read. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 5:4

And praised the gods of gold - They had gods of all sorts, and of all metals; with wooden gods, and stone gods, beside! read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 5:1

Verse 1 Daniel here refers to the history of what happened at the taking of Babylon; but meanwhile he leaves those judgments of God to the consideration of his readers, which the Prophets had predicted before the people had become exiles. He does not use the prophetic style, as we shall afterwards see, but is content with simple narrative; while the practice of history may be learnt from the following expressions. It is our duty now to consider how this history tends towards building us up in... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 5:2

Verse 2 Here king Belshazzar courts his own punishment, because he furiously stirred up God’s wrath against himself, as if he was dissatisfied with its delay while God put off his judgment for so long a period. This is according to what I have said. When the destruction of a house is at hand, the impious remove the posts and gates, as Solomon says. (Proverbs 17:19.) God therefore, when he wishes to execute his judgments, impels the reprobrate by a secret instinct to rush forward of their own... read more

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