Daniel 5 18

Daniel 5:18 kjv

O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:

Daniel 5:18 nkjv

O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor.

Daniel 5:18 niv

"Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor.

Daniel 5:18 esv

O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty.

Daniel 5:18 nlt

Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor to your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar.

Daniel 5 verses

Daniel 5 18 Meaning

This verse identifies King Belshazzar as the successor to Nebuchadnezzar, explicitly stating he was Nebuchadnezzar's son. It further describes Belshazzar's improper use of the sacred vessels from the Temple in Jerusalem, taken by his father Nebuchadnezzar, for idolatrous purposes.

Daniel 5 18 Context

This verse is found in chapter 5 of the Book of Daniel, which recounts the downfall of Babylon under King Belshazzar. The chapter opens with a lavish feast thrown by Belshazzar for his nobles, during which he defiantly orders the sacred vessels, plundered from the Jerusalem Temple by his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar, to be brought forth. These vessels were then used in a drunken revelry to praise the gods of Babylon. Daniel is summoned to interpret a supernatural writing that appears on the wall during the feast. This verse directly establishes the lineage of Belshazzar, identifying him as Nebuchadnezzar's son, and highlights his impious act of desecrating holy objects, setting the stage for God's judgment. The historical context is the late Babylonian period, just before Babylon was conquered by the Medes and Persians.

Daniel 5 18 Word Analysis

• Belshazzar (בִּלְשַׁצַּר - Bilshatzzar): The name likely means "May Bel protect the king" or "Bel is the king." Bel was a chief Babylonian deity. This is Belshazzar, the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Historical records suggest he was the son of Nabonidus, the last reigning monarch of Babylon, and possibly acted as co-regent with his father. The book of Daniel, however, consistently portrays him as Nebuchadnezzar's son, which was a common understanding at the time or possibly due to a figurative association through Nebuchadnezzar being the dynasty's most prominent ruler.
• king (מֶלֶךְ - meleḵ): Ruler, sovereign.
• of him (מִנּוֹ - minnô): From him.
• who (דִּי - dī): A relative pronoun in Aramaic.
• was (הֲוָה - haḇāh): The verb "to be" in Aramaic.
• father (אֲבָהּ - ’ǎḇāh): Father. While historical sources indicate Nabonidus as his father, the text here aligns with Daniel's earlier prophetic vision in chapter 2 where Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom would be followed by a lesser one, then another of bronze, suggesting a succession tied to the ruling house's legacy, rather than strict direct paternity.
• that (דִּי - dī): Connective particle.
• made (שָׁעַל - šā‘al): To set, appoint, make, exalt. Refers to Nebuchadnezzar's exalting himself in position and status.
• himself (לָךְ - lōḵ): Reflexive pronoun.
• king (מֶלֶךְ - meleḵ): Ruler.
• over (עַל - ‘al): Upon, over.
• this (דִּין - dīn): Demonstrative pronoun.
• land (אַרְעָא - ’ar‘ā): Earth, land, ground.
• of (דִּי - dī): Possessive particle.
• the (יָת - yāṯ): Definite article or accusative marker.
• Judea (יְהוּד - Yehūd): Kingdom of Judah.
• with (בִּ־ - bî-): Prepositional prefix, "in," "with," "by."
• great (טָּב - ṭāḇ): Good, fine, pleasant. However, in context of Nebuchadnezzar's action, "greatness" refers to the authority and power he held.
• glory (זְהַר - zəhar): Brightness, splendor, glory. Referring to the king's dominion and power.

Word-Group Analysis

• "Nebuchadnezzar was his father" (דִּי הֲוָה אֲבָהּ בִּלְשַׁצַּר מֶלֶךְ): This phrasing establishes the lineage as presented in the narrative, linking Belshazzar to Nebuchadnezzar's authority and legacy, even if historical paternity might differ. The Septuagint and other ancient traditions also reflect a misunderstanding or symbolic representation of Belshazzar's relation to Nebuchadnezzar. Some scholars suggest Nebuchadnezzar may have been his grandfather, and the text uses "father" in a broader sense of ancestry or refers to a specific line of succession.
• "who set him [made him] king over this land of the Judea with great glory" (דִּי שָׁעַל לָךְ מֶלֶךְ עַל דִּין אַרְעָא דִּי יְהוּד בִּזְהַר טָּב): This highlights Nebuchadnezzar's agency in establishing kingship and bringing glory to his kingdom, which he then brought back to Babylon. This was an act of supreme arrogance and power display by Nebuchadnezzar, establishing his dynasty's might through conquest and plundering holy sites.

Daniel 5 18 Bonus Section

The use of the plural "gods" (אֱלָהִין - ’ĕlāhîn) in relation to the vessels, though the vessels themselves were specifically from the Temple of the One God, underscores Belshazzar's polytheistic system and his misguided belief in the supremacy of his own gods over the God of Israel. The sacred vessels, imbued with the holiness of YHWH and intended for divine service, were being defiled and appropriated for the worship of pagan deities, symbolizing a complete inversion of sacredness and a mockery of divine covenant. This act is a powerful theological statement about the nature of idolatry and the desecration of the holy, a theme prevalent throughout Scripture, warning against any form of worship that elevates created things or other deities above the Creator.

Daniel 5 18 Commentary

Belshazzar's identity is here solidified not just by name but by his connection to the foundational figure of Nebuchadnezzar's reign in Daniel. The verse emphasizes the inherited authority and the historical continuity of Babylonian power. More critically, it exposes Belshazzar's impious act: using the sacred vessels stolen from God's Temple. This isn't just a cultural faux pas; it's a direct affront to the God of Israel, whom Nebuchadnezzar himself had encountered, and by whom Daniel had been empowered. Belshazzar's defiance is rooted in pride and a blatant disregard for divine sovereignty. His misuse of the vessels, meant for worship in the Holy of Holies, signals a profound rebellion against the Most High, revealing his chosen path of idolatry and hubris. This act is the immediate precursor to God's divine judgment, clearly demonstrated by the mysterious writing on the wall. It’s a stark illustration of how worldly power becomes corrupted when it refuses to acknowledge the divine source and governance of all authority.