Daniel 5

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Daniel 5

The destruction of the kingdom of Babylon had been long and often foretold when it was at a distance; in this chapter we have it accomplished, and a prediction of it the very same night that it was accomplished. Belshazzar now reigned in Babylon; some compute he had reigned seventeen years, others but three; we have here the story of his exit and the period of his kingdom. We must know that about two years before this Cyrus king of Persia, a growing monarch, came against Babylon with a great... read more

Matthew Henry

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

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Daniel 5:30-31

Here is, 1. The death of the king. Reason enough he had to tremble, for he was just falling into the hands of the king of terrors, Dan. 5:30. In that night, when his heart was merry with wine, the besiegers broke into the city, aimed at the palace; there they found the king, and gave him his death's wound. He could not find any place so secret as to conceal him, or so strong as to protect him. Heathen writers speak of Cyrus's taking Babylon by surprise, with the assistance of two deserters... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5

INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 5 This chapter gives an account of a feast made by King Belshazzar, attended with drunkenness, idolatry, and profanation of the vessels taken out of the temple at Jerusalem, Daniel 5:1 , and of the displeasure of God, signified by a handwriting on the wall, which terrified the king, and caused him to send in haste for the astrologers, &c.; to read and interpret it, but they could not, Daniel 5:5 , in this distress, which appeared in the countenances of him... 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

John Gill

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

In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand , &c.; From heaven, as Jarchi; or they came forth as if they came out of the wall: this was done by the power of God, though it might be by the intervention or means of an angel; so Josephus Ben Gorion F9 Hist. l. 1. c. 5. p. 24. says, that an angel came and wrote what follows; and Saadiah says it was Gabriel, called a man, Daniel 11:21 , but this is conjecture; however, at the very time the king and his nobles were feasting and... read more

Group of Brands