DANIEL 5:1
BELSHAZZAR THE KING MADE A GREAT FEAST TO A THOUSAND OF HIS LORDS AND DRANK WINE BEFORE THE THOUSAND.

The inhabitants of Babylon little realized that this was the last night of their nation’s existence. In the great banqueting hall measuring 173 feet long by 57 feet wide the king feasted with a thousand of his lords.

The king never dreamed when he called his nobles to this feast that it would end in such a dramatic way.

It was hardly a time to celebrate for the Persians had conquered most of the territory around Babylon and were getting ready to take the city itself. Because of his well fortified city, the king may have felt secure and planned the feast for the purpose of inspiring his men in view of the situation; however it came at a time when a popular Babylonian festival was usually celebrated.

DANIEL 5:2
BELSHAZZAR, WHILES HE TASTED THE WINE, COMMANDED TO BRING THE GOLDEN AND SILVER VESSELS WHICH HIS FATHER NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAD TAKEN OUT OF THE TEMPLE WHICH WAS IN JERUSALEM; THAT THE KING, AND HIS PRINCES, HIS WIVES, AND HIS CONCUBINES, MIGHT DRINK THEREIN,

Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine
It would seem from this statement that the king had been drinking for quite a while before he gave this order.

Commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels
His mind inflamed with the wine, he gave a command that even in the eyes of a pagan was sacrilegious. The sacred things of even a conquered religion were still considered holy, and were not put to an ordinary use or kept in some secular place but in a temple.

Which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple
Belshazzar was the grandson of the great king; his mother probably a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar. The word "father" means "grandfather" or "ancestor". The expression "his father" could also be understood in the sense of "his predecessor."

An example of this is found in an Assyrian inscription which calls the Israelite king, Jehu, "a son of Omri," although the two had no blood relationship whatsoever. Actually Jehu was the exterminator of the whole house of Omri (2 Kings 9, 10.)

His wives, and his concubines, might drink therein 
The two Aramaic words translated "wives" and “concubines" are synonyms, both meaning "concubines".

One may have represented a higher class than the other, one class may have been women from respectable homes, even homes of nobility and the other, women bought for money or captured in war.

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; AND THE KING AND HIS PRINCES, HIS WIVES, AND HIS CONCUBINES, DRANK IN THEM.

The king in his arrogance and pride ordered that the sacred vessels be brought from the temple to show that no god could raise a hand against him. There is no question that this act was directed against the God of Israel. It could well be that Belshazzar had heard the story of his grandfather's dealings with the God of heaven and this may have had something to do with his action, there is no question that it was an act of defiance.

DANIEL 5:4
THEY DRANK WINE, AND PRAISED THE GODS OF GOLD, AND OF SILVER, OF BRASS, OF IRON, OF WOOD, AND OF STONE.

Although Belshazzar knew that he was safe in a city that was believed could withstand a very long siege there was evidently some lurking fears in his mind. These fears he quickly drowned in wine and as they drank, they praised the various gods Bel-Marduk, they believed, could surely be counted on to protect his own city.

DANIEL 5:5
IN THE SAME HOUR CAME FORTH FINGERS OF A MAN'S HAND, AND WROTE OVER AGAINST THE CANDLESTICK UPON THE PLAISTER OF THE WALL OF THE KING'S PALACE; AND THE KING SAW THE PART OF THE HAND THAT WROTE.

In ancient times even royal palaces were poorly lighted at night. Over against the most lighted part, probably on the large blank wall directly opposite the king's table, possibly raised on a platform, those bloodless fingers were writing. In contrast to the poor light of the candles a brilliant spotlight played on the hand writing on the wall. Paralyzed by fright and terror, Belshazzar and his guests watched as the mysterious apparition wrote the mystic letters in dazzling letters of fire.

DANIEL 5:6
THEN THE KING'S COUNTENANCE WAS CHANGED, AND HIS THOUGHTS TROUBLED HIM, SO THAT THE JOINTS OF HIS LOINS WERE LOOSED, AND HIS KNEES SMOTE ONE AGAINST ANOTHER.

Sudddenly the king's "colour changed" his face became ashen white, and consternation gripped his heart, his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. Gone was all his bravado and his vainglorious boasting. The loud laughter ceased, and the music died away. Terror stricken a thousand guests looked from the face of the king to the writing on the wall.

DANIEL 5:7
THE KING CRIED ALOUD TO BRING IN THE ASTROLOGERS, THE CHALDEANS, AND THE SOOTHSAYERS, AND THE KING SPAKE, AND SAID TO THE WISE MEN OF BABYLON, WHOSOEVER SHALL READ THIS WRITING, AND  SHOW ME THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF, SHALL BE CLOTHED WITH SCARLET, AND HAVE A CHAIN OF GOLD ABOUT HIS NECK, AND SHALL BE THIRD RULER  IN THE KINGDOM.

Shall be clothed with scarlet
the royal purple, a deep purplish red sometimes called crimson, this would be a token of kingly favour.

A chain of gold about his neck the chain of gold was the ancient counterpart of a medal awarded to public servants the king wished to honour for distinguished service.

Shall be third ruler in the kingdom
Belshazzar was only second in command because his absent father Nabonidus still ranked first. Third place would put the lucky wise man next to Belshazzar, one step from the throne.

DANIEL 5:8
THEN CAME IN ALL THE KING'S WISE MEN: BUT THEY COULD NOT READ THE WRITING, NOR MAKE KNOWN TO THE KING THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF.

Not one of the wise men even offered to read the writing, to say nothing of being able to reveal its fearful meaning.

The words on the wall were most likely in Aramaic however it was easy to determine the exact meaning. There were only three words, consisting of fourteen letters but each of the three words might have a different meaning, or shade of meaning, depending to the way the reader might interpret them. Even with a knowledge of the correct meaning of each word, the reader could not be certain of the import of the message as a whole. The inability of the wise men to decipher the mystic words left the king even more alarmed than before. It was obvious that this was a message from the gods possibly with evil intent.

DANIEL 5:9
THEN WAS KING BELSHAZZAR GREATLY TROUBLED, AND HIS COUNTENANCE WAS CHANGED IN HIM, AND HIS LORDS WERE ASTONIED.

As the Chaldeans were unable to read the writing on the wall, the king's terror increased. He knew this was a rebuke for his sacrilegious use of the holy vessels.

DANIEL 5:10
NOW THE QUEEN BY REASON OF THE WORDS OF THE KING AND HIS LORDS CAME INTO THE BANQUET HOUSE: AND THE QUEEN SPAKE AND SAID, O KING, LIVE FOREVER: LET NOT THY THOUGHTS TROUBLE THEE, NOR LET THY COUNTENANCE BE CHANGED:

It is believed that this queen mentioned here was either the kind's mother or grandmother. She could hardly been Belshazzar's own wife, for his own "wives, and his concubines" were already among the revelers in the great hall.

DANIEL 5:11
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 SOOTH SAYERS;

In whom is the spirit of the holy gods
The information she imparts concerning Daniel's distinguished service in the past and concerning his high position under Nebuchadnezzar is apparently new to Belshazzar. This would suggest that Daniel had not held office in the realm for some time.

In the days of thy father
It is believed that Nabonidus had married a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar and thus Belshazzar was really the grandson of the great king.

DANIEL 5:12
FORASMUCH AS  AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT, AND KNOWLEDGE, AND  UNDERSTANDING, INTERPRETING OF DREAMS, AND SHOWING 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.

The queen certainly knew all about Daniel and his ability to explain dreams and such like things. There can be no question that she was the grandmother seeing she knew so much about Daniel.

DANIEL 5:13
THEN WAS DANIEL BROUGHT IN BEFORE THE KING, AND THE KING SPAKE AND SAID UNTO DANIEL, ART THOU THAT DANIEL, WHICH ART OF THE CHILDREN OF THE CAPTIVITY OF JUDAH, WHOM THE KING MY FATHER BROUGHT OUT OF JEWRY?

Art thou that Daniel?
R.S.V. has "You are that Daniel?" This greeting suggests that Belshazzar was acquainted with Daniel's past record but not with Daniel himself. It seems obvious that after Nebuchadnezzar passed off the scene Daniel's leadership must have come into disfavour and he was retired from public service. The fact that Daniel later entered the service of Persia (ch 6:1-3) suggests that his retirement during the closing years of Babylonian empire was not due to ill health or old age.

DANIEL 5:14
I HAVE EVEN HEARD OF THEE, THAT THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY GODS IS IN THEE, AND THAT LIGHT AND UNDERSTANDING AND EXCELLENT WISDOM IS FOUND IN THEE.

I have even heard of thee
Daniel now more than eighty years old had lived around the court and held some of the highest offices in the empire under the former sovereigns, including the great Nebuchadnezzar. The ancients were very fond of passing on stories and no greater stories could be told than those of Daniel's exploits.

DANIEL 5:15
AND THE WISE MEN, THE ASTROLOGERS, HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN BEFORE ME, THAT THEY SHOULD READ THIS WRITING, AND MAKE KNOWN  UNTO ME THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF; BUT THEY COULD NOT SHEW THE  INTERPRETATION OF THE THING.

Once more the God of Heaven had overruled, for there was the writing plain for all to see and yet the wise men, learned in languages, were unable to decipher same.

DANIEL 5:16
AND I HAVE HEARD OF THEE, THAT THOU CANST MAKE INTERPRETATIONS AND DISSOLVE DOUBTS: NOW IF THOU CANST READ THE WRITING, AND MAKE KNOWN TO ME THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF, THOU SHALT BE CLOTHED WITH SCARLET, AND HAVE A CHAIN OF GOLD ABOUT THY NECK, AND SHALT BE THE THIRD RULER IN THE KINGDOM.

The king offered Daniel a great reward to reveal the dream however seeing there was so little of the kingdom left it was rather a hollow reward. Especially as Daniel could read the writing and knew that the king’s offer was worthless.

DANIEL 5:17
THEN DANIEL ANSWERED AND SAID BEFORE THE KING, LET THY GIFTS BE TO THYSELF, AND GIVE THY REWARDS TO ANOTHER; YET I WILL READ THE WRITING UNTO THE KING, AND MAKE KNOWN TO HIM THE INTERPRETATION.

Daniel promises the king that he would read the mysterious writing on the wall but he declines the royal gifts that Belshazzar offers to him. He well knew that those gifts would be worthless as the Persians were very soon to overthrow the kingdom and if he accepted these gifts they would actually be an embarrassment to him.

DANIEL 5:18
0 THOU KING, THE MOST HIGH GOD GAVE NEBUCHADNEZZAR THY FATHER A KINGDOM, AND MAJESTY, AND GLORY, AND HONOUR:

Before Daniel read and interpreted the writing he reminded the king of the experience of his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar, how that through the blessings of God he became the greatest monarch of his time.

DANIEL 5:19
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.

Nebuchadnezzar had been used of God in subduing the nations. Even Israel itself was overthrown because God had allowed the king to do this in fulfillment of prophecy. The same with Tyre and Egypt.

DANIEL 5:20
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:

When God is unable to save men in prosperity, He brings upon them adversity in order to humble them and make them more responsive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. This is very well illustrated by Nebuchadnezzar's case.

DANIEL 5:21
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 HE APPOINTED OVER IT WHOMSOEVER HE WILL.

Had the king heeded the counsel that had been given to him it would have saved him from the great humiliation that came upon him. In reciting the story of his grandfather's experiences, Daniel possibly was endeavouring to show the proud monarch how important it is to heed the warnings of God and to give attention to His counsel.

Really this experience of Belshazzar was designed to be a warning to all mankind, particularly those who fail to take notice of the counsel of God because they are so determined to go their own way.

DANIEL 5:22
AND THOU HIS SON, 0 BELSHAZZAR, HAST NOT HUMBLED THINE HEART, THOUGH THOU KNEWEST ALL THIS.

It was not the easiest task to deliver this message but Daniel did not mince words, he spoke the truth, unpleasant as it was, and what is more the king knew in his heart that it was true. Possibly the Holy Spirit was speaking to him for the last time and the words would stir his conscience.

DANIEL 5:23
BUT THOU HAST LIFTED UP THYSELF AGAINST THE LORD OF HEAVEN; AND THEY HAVE BROUGHT THE VESSELS OF HIS HOUSE BEFORE THEE, AND THOU AND THY LORDS, THY WIVES, AND THY CONCUBINES, HAVE DRUNK WINE IN THEM; AND THOU HAST PRAISED THE GODS OF SILVER, AND GOLD, OF BRASS, IRON, WOOD, AND STONE, WHICH SEE NOT, NOR HEAR, NOR KNOW: AND THE GOD IN WHOSE HAND THY BREATH IS, AND WHOSE ARE ALL THY WAYS, HAST THOU NOT GLORIFIED.

The experience of the writing on the wall must have sobered up the king quite a lot but his mind was still stupefied by the wine. Even in his partly sober partly inebriated state, he remembered something about Nebuchadnezzar's remarkable experience and of his high esteem for Daniel. His gaze went to the sacred gold and silver goblets that lay scattered about the banquet tables in mute testimony of what Daniel was saying.

DANIEL 5:24
THEN WAS THE PART OF THE HAND SENT FROM HIM; AND THIS WRITING WAS WRITTEN.

The writing on the wall would have been large enough for all the guests to read, it is possible that the letters were illuminated.

DANIEL 5:25
AND THIS IS THE WRITING THAT WAS WRITTEN, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

Daniel proceeded to read the words written on the wall, apparently four words in Aramaic. But even after the words had been read, they could not be understood except by divine revelation.

DANIEL 5:26
THIS IS THE INTERPRETATION OF THE THING: MENE; GOD HATH NUMBERED THY KINGDOM, AND FINISHED IT.

Mene means "numbered," or "counted ". By divine illumination Daniel drew from this word the interpretation "God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it."

DANIEL 5:27
TEKEL; THOU ART WEIGHED IN THE BALANCES, AND ART FOUND WANTING.

In dealing with men, God always uses a language which appeals forcibly to their understanding. This is illustrated by the handwriting on the wall.

It is a common belief among pagans that the gods weigh deeds in the balances, and if the good deeds outweigh the evil, the individual enters into his reward; however if the opposite is the case then punishment follows.

These words addressed to the king condemn all who like Belshazzar neglect to take hold, of their God given opportunities. In the great investigative judgment of heaven men are weighed in the balances of the sanctuary to see whether their moral character and spiritual condition correspond with the benefits and blessings God bestows upon them.

DANIEL 5:28
PERES; THY KINGDOM IS DIVIDED, AND GIVEN TO THE MEDES AND PERSIANS.

The consonants of the word “peres” also stand for Persia and the Persians, who were even then at the gates of Babylon.

God had very graciously given Nebuchadnezzar the opportunity to accept Him and every blessing which heaven could bestow was given so that the king and his kingdom might stand on the side of right. Some have asked the question, why did Belshazzar accept so meekly the announcement of the end of his kingdom, especially seeing the Persians were besieging him, and such a statement would be regarded as treachery and unpatriotic. The answer is, "a terror of God was upon them all. (Gen 35:5)

God had stood by Daniel on other occasions when he was in danger and again at this time.

DANIEL 5:29
THEN COMMANDED BELSHAZZAR, AND THEY CLOTHED DANIEL WITH SCARLET, AND PUT A CHAIN OF GOLD ABOUT HIS NECK, AND MADE A PROCLAMATION CONCERNING HIM, THAT HE SHOULD BE THE THIRD RULER IN THE KINGDOM.

The king fulfilled the promise he had made to Daniel, although Daniel clearly indicated that he was not interested in the honors the king offered as reward. Scarcely had the scarlet robe been placed on Daniel and the golden chain hung about his neck, when the shouts of the invading army rang through the palace.

In the midst of their feasting and revelry none had noticed that the waters in the Euphrates were steadily diminishing. The besieging army of Cyrus, who had been held back by the massive walls of the city, had turned the river from its natural course and diverted it into many irrigational canals further upstream. Possibly the Babylonian guards in charge of the great gates that barred entrance into the city were as intoxicated as their king. Had they been sober, they would have certainly raised the warning as they noticed the receding waters.

What happened that night was a fulfillment of prophecy. Isaiah 45:1 says, "Thus saith the LORD to His anointed to Cyrus whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut."

DANIEL 5:30
IN THAT NIGHT WAS BELSHAZZAR THE KING OF THE CHALDEANS SLAIN.

The Persians, once in the river bed, easily entered the city through the open gates. Soon one post was running to "meet another, and one messenger to meet another," to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken, but the news was received too late to save the king. God had numbered his kingdom and finished it.

The pen of inspiration describes the overthrow of the kingdom more vividly than any human historian. Speaking of the downfall of Babylon, Jeremiah says, in Jeremiah 51:39 R.S.V. "While they are inflamed I will prepare them a feast and will make them drunk, till they swoon away and sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, says the Lord."

DANIEL 5:31
AND DARIUS THE MEDIAN TOOK THE KINGDOM, BEING ABOUT THREESCORE AND TWO YEARS OLD.

The kingdom was given to Darius, the aged king of the Medes. Thus came to an end one of the proudest monarchies that has ever been upon the earth.

The question naturally arises, why did not the conquering army destroy Daniel, who was the third ruler in the kingdom? The answer is simple. When the kingdom was taken and Belshazzar slain, Nabonadius, the first ruler, at the head of the army, was surrounded by the enemy in another part of the kingdom.