Daniel 5:2-3 NIV

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 5:2

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

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

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

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 5:3

Verse 3 The Prophet uses the word “golden, ” probably, because the most precious vessels were brought; silver might also have been added, but the more splendid ones are noticed. He does not say that Nebuchadnezzar carried them off, but implies it to be the common act of all the Babylonians. They obtained the victory under the direction of this king, hence he used the spoils; and since they were all engaged in the victory, the Prophet speaks of them all. In using the phrase, “the temple,” he... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 5:1-4

The downward road. "Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand "( Daniel 5:1 ). The history of the fall of Babylon must form the background of any homiletical treatment of this chapter (see the histories; and the Exposition above). The clearing up of the difficulty of this portion of Scripture, of the seeming discrepancy between Daniel's statements and the records of secular history, by the discovery of clay cylinders,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 5:1-9

Blasted merriment. All merriment is not forbidden. Banqueting is not in itself a sin. Jesus Christ himself honoured with his presence a marriage festival, and contributed, by miracle, the wine for the occasion. On the restoration of the prodigal son, a banquet was prepared, while music and dancing were the fitting exponents of the father's joy. God is not a foe to rational pleasure. He gives both the capacity and the occasion for joyful hilarity. But when excess of wine inflames the carnal... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 5:1-31

EXPOSITION BELSHAZZAR 'S FEAST . In regard to this chapter the peculiar state of the Septuagint text has to be noted. At the beginning of the chapter there are three verses which seem to be either variant versions of the Septuagint text, or versions of a text which was different from that from which the Septuagint has been drawn. Throughout the chapter, further, there are traces of doublets. Most of these variations occur in the Syriac of Paulus Tellensis. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 5:2

Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. The Septuagint has included the last clause of the Massoretic recension of the first verse, "And he drank wine, and his heart was lifted up, and he commanded to bring the vessels of gold and of silver of the house of God, which... read more

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

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

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

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

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

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 5:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 5:1-4

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 5:1-9

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 5:1-31

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 5:2

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