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Daniel 5

31 verses

TL;DR

Daniel 5 describes Belshazzar's lavish feast, the appearance of a divine hand writing on the wall, Daniel's prophetic interpretation, and the swift judgment that ends Babylon's reign.

Summary

The chapter opens with King Belshazzar holding a grand banquet and drinking from the temple vessels taken from Jerusalem. During the feast a hand appears and writes mysterious words on the palace wall, frightening the king and his courtiers. The wise men of Babylon cannot decipher the writing, prompting Belshazzar to call Daniel. Daniel explains that the words—MENE, TEKEL, PERES, UPHARSIN—declare God's judgment: Babylon's kingdom is numbered, weighed, found lacking, and will be divided to the Medes and Persians. Daniel is rewarded with a scarlet robe and gold chain and declared the third ruler. That night Belshazzar is slain, and the Median king Darius takes over the empire.

Outline
  1. Belshazzar's feast and desecration of temple vessels
  2. The miraculous writing on the wall and the failure of the wise men
  3. Daniel's interpretation, the judgment proclamation, and the downfall of Babylon
Themes
Divine judgment over prideFaithful obedience versus idolatryThe sovereignty of God over empires
Keywords
feastvesselswritinginterpretationDanielMENETEKELPERESjudgmentDariusChaldeans
People
BelshazzarNebuchadnezzarDanielQueenwise men of BabylonastrologersChaldeansDarius
Places
BabylonJerusalemking's palacebanquet house
Things
golden and silver vesselshand of Godwriting on the wallMENE, TEKEL, PERES, UPHARSINscarlet robegold chain
Key Verses
  • Daniel 5:5: The moment the divine hand writes on the wall, setting the narrative in motion.
  • Daniel 5:25: The declaration of the words that reveal God's judgment.
  • Daniel 5:30: The fulfillment of the prophecy with Belshazzar's death.
  • Daniel 5:31: The conclusion of the chapter showing the transition to Median rule.
Questions
  • What does the episode of the writing on the wall teach us about the nature of divine communication?
  • How does Belshazzar's behavior reflect the dangers of pride and idolatry?
  • In what ways does Daniel’s role model faithfulness to God in a hostile environment?
  • What parallels can be drawn between the judgment of Babylon and modern instances of political or religious hubris?
  • How does the passage encourage believers to respond to divine judgment?
Sentiment

negative
The chapter focuses on judgment, downfall, and the threat of pride.