Daniel 5:20-31 NIV

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 5:20

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:25

And this is the writing that was written ,.... They are such and such letters, and so to be read, as follows: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN ; which are Chaldee words, and may be literally rendered, "he hath numbered, he hath numbered"; that is, God hath certainly, perfectly, and exactly numbered; "he hath weighed", God hath weighed thee, Belshazzar; "and they divide the kingdom"; that is, the Medes and Persians, as appears from the following interpretation: read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:26

This is the interpretation of the thing ,.... Or, "word" F26 מלתא "sermonis", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus; "verborum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Broughtonus; "verbi", Cocceius; "illius verbi", Michaelis. ; for they might all seem as one word; or this is the sense of the whole: MENE ; as for this word, it signifies, God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it ; God had fixed the number of years, how long that monarchy should last, which he was now at the head of, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:27

TEKEL ,.... As for the meaning of this word, and what it points at, it is this: thou art weighed in the balances : of justice and truth, in the holy righteous law of God; as gold, and jewels, and precious stones, are weighed in the scales by the goldsmith and jeweller with great exactness, to know the worth of them: and art found wanting ; found to be adulterated gold, reprobate silver, bad coin, a false stone; found to be a worthless man, a wicked prince, wanting the necessary... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Daniel 5:10-29

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

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

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

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

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

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:25

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:26

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:27

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