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
Then was the part of the hand sent - This was the filling up of the cup of thy iniquity; this last act made thee ripe for destruction. read more
Verse 24 Some stress must be laid upon the adverb באדין,badin, “at that time,” because God’s wrath, or at least its denunciation, was now ripe. Daniel, therefore, shews how very patiently God had borne with King Belshazzar in not instantly talking up arms and inflicting punishment; but he now begins to come forth as a judge, and to ascend his judgment seat; for the haughtiness was now desperate, and the impiety no longer tolerable. We observe with what emphasis the word then is used; as if he... read more
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
The value of a good man. The value to a community of a wise and good man is not to be measured by rubies. The safety, welfare, and happiness of society hang upon him. I. THE GOOD MAN 'S GENEROSITY OF MIND . Daniel does not refuse to come when sent for in haste by the king He might have taken occasion, teem the fright of the king, to remind him of past neglect. He might have accused the king of selfish inconsistency, in that he had dishonoured Daniel in the days of kingly... read more
At the bar of God. "The God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified" ( Daniel 5:23 ). In this tremendous scene Daniel may be regarded as counsel for the crown—for the everlasting crown, for the throne of eternal righteousness, against the unhappy prisoner placed by these awful events at the bar. As such he is the representative of all earnest preachers of righteousness. He was marked by zeal for the right of the crown; fidelity to the position; ... read more
Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written . As we have seen, the real equivalent of this verse in the Septuagint is a clause in Daniel 5:17 , "And the hand which had written ( γράφασα ) stood." If we take this to mean that the band now " ceased to write," then the original text might be פְסִאָק יָדִא כְתָבָא , the verb being written fleaum , in Mandaean manner. Then it would easily happen that ק (in the older script, see words) was... read more
Then was the part of the hand sent from him - To wit, the fingers. See Daniel 5:5. The sense is, that when it was fully perceived that Belshazzar was not disposed to learn that there was a God in heaven; when he refused to profit by the solemn dispensations which had occurred in respect to his predecessor; when his own heart was lifted up with pride, and when he had gone even farther than his predecessors had done by the sacrilegious use of the vessels of the temple, thus showing special... read more
Daniel 5:24-28. Then was part of the hand sent from him The LXX. read, Δια τουτο εκ προσωπου αυτου απεσταλη αστραγαλος χειρος , και την γραφην ταυτην ενεταξε . “On this account hath the joint, or part of a hand, been sent from his presence, and hath formed this writing.” The reading in the Vulgate is to the same purpose. Houbigant translates the verse, “Therefore is the hand sent from him, the fingers whereof have formed this writing.” And this is the writing, MENE, &c. In the Arabic... read more
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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