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Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Daniel 5:30

Herodotus, Xenophon, Berossus, the Babylonian Chronicles, and Cyrus (on the Cyrus Cylinder) all described the fall of Babylon in writings that have remained to the present day. [Note: See Goldingay, pp. 106-7; James B. Pritchard, ed., Ancient Near Eastern Texts, pp. 305-6, 315-16; D. W. Thomas, ed., Documents from Old Testament Times, pp. 81-83, 92-95; Flavius Josephus, Against Apion, 1:20; and J. M. Cook, The Persian Empire, p. 31.] Isaiah and Jeremiah had predicted Babylon’s fall (Isaiah... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Daniel 5:31

Belshazzar suffered execution that very night, and Darius the Mede became the ruler of Babylonia (cf. Daniel 2:21). The writer introduced Darius in Daniel 5:31, which is the first verse of chapter 6 in the Hebrew Bible, and he is the prominent king in chapter 6."The references to Darius the Mede in the book of Daniel have long been recognized as providing the most serious historical problem in the book." [Note: H. H. Rowley, Darius the Mede and the Four World Empires in the Book of Daniel, p.... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 5:1-31

Belshazzar’s FeastBelshazzar, king of Babylon, holds a great feast, at which he profanely uses the sacred vessels taken by Nebuchadnezzar from the Temple at Jerusalem (Daniel 5:1-4). He is terrified at seeing part of a human hand writing mysterious words on the wall of the banqueting room, and vainly offers great rewards to the wise men of Babylon if they can read and explain the writing (Daniel 5:5-9). The queen tells him of Daniel, and of his fame for wisdom, acquired in Nebuchadnezzar’s... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Daniel 5:24

(24) Then.—Not only “at that time,” but also “because of this.” Daniel here expressly designates the writing as something proceeding from God. read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Daniel 5:25

(25) Mene . . .—It should be remarked that the word Mene, which occurs twice in the inscription, is found only once in the interpretation, and that the “Medes” who are mentioned in the interpretation are not spoken of in the inscription. Hence it has been conjectured that the second Mene was originally Madai, or Media. This, though it appears plausible, has no external support. The word Mene, “numbered,” is repeated twice for the sake of emphasis. The days of Babylon are numbered; it is God... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Daniel 5:31

(31) Darius the Median.—Note the LXX. variation: “And Artaxerxes of the Medes took the kingdom, and Darius, full of days and glorious in old age.” (See Excursus D.)Took—i.e., received it from the hands of a conqueror. (Comp. Daniel 9:1, where Darius is said to have been “made king over the realm of the Chaldeans.”)EXCURSUS D: DARIUS THE MEDE (Daniel 5:31).It appears from the account given by Daniel that Darius the Mede was the sovereign appointed to rule over Babylonia after the death of... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Daniel 5:1-31

Daniel 5 : i Pomp, in our apprehension, was an idea of two categories; the pompous might be spurious, but it might also be genuine. It is well to love the simple we love it; nor is there any opposition at all between that and the very glory of pomp. But, as we once put the case to Lamb, if, as a musician, as the leader of a mighty orchestra, you had this theme offered to you 'Belshazzar the king gave a great feast to a thousand of his lords' ... surely no man would deny that, in such a case,... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:1-31

THE FIERY INSCRIPTIONIN this chapter again we have another magnificent fresco-picture, intended, as was the last-but under circumstances of aggravated guilt and more terrible menace-to teach the lesson that "verily there is a God that judgeth the earth."The truest way to enjoy the chapter, and to grasp the lessons which it is meant to inculcate in their proper force and vividness, is to consider it wholly apart from the difficulties as to its literal truth. To read it aright, and duly estimate... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Daniel 5:1-31

CHAPTER 5 Belshazzar’s Feast 1. Belshazzar’s licentious feast (Daniel 5:1-4 ) 2. The writing on the wall (Daniel 5:5-9 ) 3. Forgotten Daniel (Daniel 5:10-16 ) 4. The message of Daniel (Daniel 5:17-31 ) Daniel 5:1-4 . This feast of wickedness and blasphemy needs no further annotations. But it shows the great decline morally in the great Babylonian empire. Nebuchadnezzar, no doubt, had handled the golden vessels of the house of the Lord most carefully. He had stored them away, fearing to... read more

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