When Nebuchadnezzar died, Daniel was one of the most powerful men in Babylon and doubtless had his own house and was well provisioned for retirement. Daniel dies at 84 years old. 11 b ). This distinction is supported by Keil.265, Their pride in their deities may have been bolstered by the magnificence of the city of Babylon itself, interpreted as an evidence of the power of their gods. Herodotus pictures hundreds of towers at appropriate intervals reaching another 100 feet into the air above the top of the wall.266, Modern interpreters view Herodotus figures as greatly exaggerated, with the real dimensions only about one-fourth of what Herodotus claimed. E. J. Belshazzar was not allowed to officiate and oversee the Babylonian. [53] During a feast, Babylonians eat and drink from the holy vessels of Yahweh's temple, and "king" Belshazzar sees a hand writing the words mene, mene, tekel, upharsin on a wall. [57], In the Book of Daniel, Belshazzar is not malevolent (he rewards Daniel and raises him to high office). Daniels excellent qualities manifested themselves in an excellent spirit, unusual knowledge and understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, difficult sentences, and dissolving of doubts, that is, solutions to problems. The latter surrendering, without waiting for investment, was humanely treated by Cyrus, who dismissed him from Babylonia, but gave him Car-mania for his residence. [30] Though it is clear that Belshazzar during his father's absence assumed many responsibilities typically only held by the king,[22] several prerogatives were also kept solely by Nabonidus. Suiting the action to the word, Cyrus and Darius grasped a heavy ornament forming part of a candelabrum, and with it shattered the skull of their royal master (Shir ha-Shirim Rabbah 3:4).[58]. Before morning they killed Belshazzar and took over his kingdom (v 31). In beginning his explanation of the handwriting on the wall, Daniel first of all reads the writing; and for the first time, the words are introduced into the text of this chapter. Belshazzar also lacked many of the prerogatives of kingship, most importantly he was not allowed to preside over and officiate the Babylonian New Year's festival, which was the exclusive right of the king himself. These facts are pertinent to Belshazzars situation as they were well known by everyone as Daniel expresses it in verse 22, And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this. The contrast between the supreme power of Nebuchadnezzar and the very limited power of Belshazzar is also evident. But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. E. G. Kraeling (The Handwriting on the Wall, Journal of Biblical Literature 63 [1944]: 11-18) assuming that five kings are in viewi.e., mene is given twice and the upharsin equals two half-minassuggests that the five kings following Nebuchadnezzar were intended, viz., Evil-Merodach, Neriglissar, Labashi-Marduk, Nabonidus and Belshazzar. Belshazzar and Daniel | the church of Christ | Daniel Chapter 5 Some have claimed that the text does not plainly indicate the language. Though oaths for most of the regency only refer to Nabonidus, some oaths from late in the regency were sworn by "the majesty of Nabonidus, king of Babylon, and Belshazzar, his son", or even by "the majesty of Nabonidus and Belshazzar". It seems likely that skirmishes along the border were frequent from then until Babylon's fall. In one case, sacred garments that Belshazzar ordered to be granted to a temple in Uruk were held back because Nabonidus had given a contrary order before departing for Tayma. I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. 247 See Raymond P. Dougherty, Nabonidus and Belshazzar. The latter relates the story thus, Cyropd., lib. Daniel 6:10-15, Darius orders Daniel to be thrown into the lions den and wishes Daniel that he be saved by his God. 263-64. What Daniel is saying is that he will give an unprejudiced interpretation with no attempt to seek favor from the king. What happened to King Belshazzar in the book of Daniel? [12][29] Though this period has often been dubbed a "co-regency", Belshazzar never assumed an official title. 279 In the end, even the critics accept either the interpretation of Daniel (mene, numbered; tekel, weighed; peres, divided); or the reading, a maneh, a maneh, a shekel, and a half-maneh, see exposition. Morning Prayer: Thursday 27 April 2023 Belshazzar was the first-born son of Nabonidus, the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. 1., and Xenophon, inform us. Cf. Daniel 5:2 Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his . Through the deposition of Labashi-Marduk, Belshazzar had positioned himself to become the heir of one of Babylonia's wealthiest families. Under this interpretation, the writing would read, A maneh, a marieh, a shekel, and a half-maneh. Having arrived at this conclusion, however, it still remains to be determined what it means. As Keil points out, the king was ready to listen to anyone who could interpret the writing.269. The next four years Neriglisar occupied the throne. [25] In 546 BC, Cyrus the Great crossed the Tigris to invade Lydia, ostensibly a Babylonian ally, and though Belshazzar took up a defensive position with his army, perhaps expecting a sudden Persian attack against Babylonia itself, no aid was sent to the Lydians, who were swiftly conquered by Cyrus. A Clay Cylinder and Daniel's History | Mind Renewers The situation before Belshazzar had all the elements of a great drama. 24-26) as holding that only three kings are referred to, viz., Nebuchadnezzar, Evil-Merodach and Belshazzar. One possibility, suggested by Paul-Alain Beaulieu, is that Belshazzar was put in charge of Babylonia's defense and was moving with the army along the northern and eastern border. How God holds in derision the rulers of the world who take counsel against Him (Ps 2:1-4)! He was 62 years old. The identity of this conqueror, unknown outside the Bible by this name, has touched off endless controversy and discussion which will be considered in the next chapter. [22], As he was clearly the main beneficiary of the coup, Belshazzar was likely the chief orchestrator of the conspiracy ended in the deposition and death of Labashi-Marduk. He died about 561 and was succeeded by his son Awil-Marduk (Evil-Merodach of 2 Kings). O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. Now, in chapter 5, this prophecy is about to be fulfilled. Daniel 3:1-6, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuses to pay homage to Nebuchadnezzars golden statue. For discussion of Josephus account, see Keil, pp. Belshazzar - Wikipedia Belshazzar's Impious Feast 1 Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. While the dimensions may be questioned, the magnificence of the city was not seriously exaggerated.267. 57-59; cf. The large reward that was offered, however, was to no avail, for the wise men who assembled could not read the writing nor interpret it. At Daniel's request, his three countrymen were also placed in positions of authority as administrators of Babylon. Jeremiah is explicit, And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts. 251 H. H. Rowley, The Historicity of the Fifth Chapter of Daniel, Journal of Theological Studies 32:12. A great bridge spanned the Euphrates River, connecting the eastern section and the western or new section of the city. What Did Belshazzar Use In His Feast? - On Secret Hunt Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied. The bridge was later supplemented by a tunnel mentioned by Diodorus. [16] The sources suggest that while he was part of the conspiracy, Nabonidus had not intended, nor expected, to become king himself and he was hesitant to accept the nomination. There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation. He was known for his military might, the splendour of his capital, Babylon, and his important part in Jewish history. Nebuchadnezzars humiliating experience in chapter 4 had been followed by his death in 562 b.c. 278 There is a remarkably close parallel to the language of 5:23 in the Prayer of Nabonidus found in Qumran Cave 4:See J. T. Milik, pp. (Cf. [27][28] During Nabonidus's absence, Belshazzar was put in charge of the administration in Babylonia. Contemporary civilization is similar to ancient Babylon in that it has much to foster human pride but little to provide human security. 5:31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. There are actually so many plausible possibilities in Daniels account, supported by the evidence cited, that the storm of objections can hardly be taken seriously.254. That means Daniel was 36 years old when Jerusalem and Solomon's temple were destroyed. According to the accounts in the Bible and Xenophon, Belshazzar held a last great feast at which he saw a hand writing on a wall the following words in Aramaic: mene, mene, tekel, upharsin. The prophet Daniel, interpreting the handwriting on the wall as Gods judgment on the king, foretold the imminent destruction of the city. Much as Babylon fell on that sixteenth day of Tishri (Oc. This would be understandable if she was elderly and the widow of Nebuchadnezzar. How old was Daniel when Belshazzar was king? He delivered into his (1:e., Cyrus) hands Nabonidus, the king who did not worship him (i.e., Marduk).287. More specifically of the invasion of the Medes, Isaiah writes, Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media (Is 21:2), and continues, after describing their dismay, My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me. Nebuchadnezzar dies and is replaced by a succession of short-lived kings. Not only would such a connection explain Nabonidus's rise to the throne (due to his being a member of the royal family), but it would also explain later historical traditions in which Belshazzar is described as Nebuchadnezzar's descendant. Ibid., p. 214. The inscription on the wall may have appeared like this, MN MN TQL UPRSN. The order of the letters in the Aramaic, of course, would be the reverse of this, that is, from right to left. So broad and strong were the walls that chariots four abreast could parade around its top. Because his rule was arbitrary and licentious, he was assassinated by Neriglisar after he had reigned only two years. 5:1-4 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. According to Berosus, Nebuchadnezzar was succeeded by his son, Evil-Merodach, also known as Amel-Marduk, who was killed in 560 b.c. Almost seventy years have passed since the events of chapter 1 of Daniel. Daniel 5:1-25 ERV. The downfall of Babylon is in type the downfall of the unbelieving world. The Bible refers to him as his son ( Daniel 5:2 ), but really the original language seems to hint they're family, or. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Daniel describes graphically in verse 19 how Nebuchadnezzar was feared and had absolute authority of life and death over his people and, accordingly, was an absolute sovereign. [10] It is alternatively possible that later traditions of Belshazzar being a descendant of Nebuchadnezzar are derived from royal propaganda, and that there was no connection to the previous ruling Chaldean dynasty. When this took place, the Persians who were appointed to that purpose close to the stream of the river, which had now subsided to about the middle of a mans thigh, entered Babylon by this passage. Daniel 12:13, Cyrus allows the Jews to return to Judea and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Daniel 5:30 Commentaries: That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king