Daniel 5:1-12

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

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:6

Then the kings countenance changed ,.... Or, "his brightness" F12 זיוהי "splendores ejus", Montanus, Vatablus, Michaelis. ; his ruddy countenance, his florid looks, his gay airs; all his jollity and mirth, that appeared in his face, were changed into paleness, sadness, and confusion: and his thoughts troubled him ; what should be the meaning of this; perhaps he might immediately fear it presaged ruin and destruction to him; the sins of his former life might at once come into his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:7

The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers ,.... Or, "with strength" F14 בחיל "cum virtute", Vatablus; "in virtute", Montanus; "fortiter", Cocceius; "cum robore", Michaelis. ; with a strong voice, as loud as he could; which is expressive of the fright he was in, and of his eagerness and impatience of information; laying aside all decency, and forgetting his royal majesty, like a man out of his senses, quite distracted, as it were: of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 5:8

Then came in all the king's wise men ,.... The whole college of them, the persons before described; over whom, in Nebuchadnezzar's time, Daniel was the chief of the governors, Daniel 2:48 , these came in readily, in hope of getting both riches and honour: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof ; for if they could not do the former, it must be impossible to do the latter; of the reason of which, various are the conjectures F16 Vid.... read more

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