Daniel 5 2

Daniel 5:2 kjv

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.

Daniel 5:2 nkjv

While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.

Daniel 5:2 niv

While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them.

Daniel 5:2 esv

Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.

Daniel 5:2 nlt

While Belshazzar was drinking the wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver cups that his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem. He wanted to drink from them with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.

Daniel 5 verses

Daniel 5 2 meaning

Daniel 5:2 depicts King Belshazzar, amidst a grand feast, ordering the sacred gold and silver vessels taken from the temple in Jerusalem by his ancestor Nebuchadnezzar to be brought forth. His intent was for himself and his royal entourage—his princes, wives, and concubines—to drink wine from them, thereby defiantly profaning holy objects consecrated to God. This act served as a blatant display of arrogance and contempt towards the God of Israel.

Daniel 5 2 Context

Daniel chapter 5 immediately opens with a scene of luxurious revelry within King Belshazzar's palace, while outside, the Persian army is at Babylon's gates, unbeknownst to the feasting king and his court. Belshazzar, a co-regent with his father Nabonidus, exhibits profound arrogance, likely emboldened by Babylon's seemingly impregnable defenses and a drunken stupor. This specific verse (5:2) directly sets the stage for the dramatic judgment to follow, as the desecration of God's holy temple vessels represents the peak of Belshazzar's impious defiance, challenging the very power that his renowned "father" Nebuchadnezzar had learned to acknowledge after a period of divine humbling (Dan 4). The act signifies a complete disregard for the God of Israel and foreshadows the impending collapse of the Babylonian kingdom.

Daniel 5 2 Word analysis

• Belshazzar (בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר, Belshatsar): "Bel protect the king" or "Bel save the king." A name indicating allegiance to the chief Babylonian deity, ironically contrasting with the swift judgment from the true God that is about to fall upon him. He was a co-regent, distinct from his father Nabonidus who was often absent.
• while he tasted (טְעֵם, ṭeʿem): Though usually translated "tasted," it implies more than a mere sip, often denoting "drank" or "had begun to drink." This signifies the deepening state of revelry and perhaps increasing drunkenness, lowering inhibitions and judgment, but importantly, not absolving guilt for his subsequent deliberate command.
• the wine (חַמְרָא, ḥamrāʾ): A staple of ancient feasts, wine here is explicitly linked to the intoxicating atmosphere that facilitates Belshazzar's reckless and impious decree. In ancient near-east cultures, drinking wine was associated with revelry but also with foolishness if abused.
• commanded (אָמַר, ʾāmar): This Aramaic word stresses a deliberate, vocal order. It underscores that Belshazzar's action was not a drunken mistake but a conscious act of will and public instruction. His defiance was active, not passive.
• to bring (אֵיתָיוּ, ʾêtāyw): An explicit instruction for action. It highlights that the vessels were known to be present, albeit stored away, implying a conscious choice to recall them for an unholy purpose.
• the golden and silver vessels (מָאנֵי דַהֲבָא וְכַסְפָּא, mānê dhahabhāʾ wekhaspāʾ): The emphasis on "gold and silver" highlights their preciousness, value, and thus, their perceived dignity for use by royalty. More significantly, in the Israelite cult, these materials were chosen for sacred objects to represent divine glory and purity. Their profanity is therefore an extreme affront.
• which his father Nebuchadnezzar (אַבּוּהִי נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, abbuhî Nebukhadnetzar): The term "father" (abbuhî) in Aramaic can refer to a direct father, a grandfather, or any ancestor or predecessor on the throne. Historically, Nebuchadnezzar was Belshazzar's grandfather (via Nabonidus, Belshazzar's actual father, being married to Nebuchadnezzar's daughter). Belshazzar's knowledge of Nebuchadnezzar's conquest and the source of the vessels is crucial; he knew their history and sacred origins, making his action premeditated despite his inebriation.
• had taken out of the temple (הַנְפֵּק...הֵיכְלָא, hanpeq...hêḵlāʾ): Hanpeq means "to bring out" or "take away." The hêḵlāʾ is the holy temple in Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar took them as spoils of war and symbols of triumph over Yahweh, but never deliberately profaned them for idolatrous feasting like Belshazzar. The implication is a recognition of their unique sacred status, which Belshazzar deliberately violated.
• which was in Jerusalem (יְרוּשְׁלֶם, Yerushalem): Specifically names the sacred city, further grounding the vessels' identity as instruments dedicated to Yahweh.
• that the king and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein:
  • the king and his princes: The head of the empire and his highest officials, demonstrating the official and public nature of the sacrilege. It was a corporate act of insolence.
  • his wives, and his concubines: The inclusion of women, particularly concubines, adds to the sense of moral degeneracy and luxurious abandon, emphasizing the utter profanity of the event by associating sacred vessels with a morally loose and impious banquet. It underscores a total debauchery in all aspects of court life.
  • might drink therein: The explicit purpose of using the vessels was for impious drinking, thus directly mocking the God to whom they were dedicated, by using items of His service for personal and idolatrous gratification.

Daniel 5 2 Bonus section

The historical relationship between Belshazzar and Nebuchadnezzar has often been a point of critical discussion. Archaeological findings from cuneiform texts clarified that Nabonidus was Belshazzar's actual father and the last king of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar was his grandfather, not direct father. However, the Aramaic term for "father" (אֲבִי - ʾabû or its possessive abbuhî) in the ancient Near East was broadly used, not just for immediate paternal lineage, but also for "grandfather," "ancestor," or "predecessor." Thus, Daniel's usage of "father" for Nebuchadnezzar, in reference to Belshazzar, is perfectly consistent with ancient Semitic linguistic and cultural practices, rather than an inaccuracy. Belshazzar was certainly aware of Nebuchadnezzar's conquests and his temporary insanity and subsequent humility described in Daniel 4. This awareness makes Belshazzar's sacrilege even more audacious, as he chose to ignore a clear warning from his powerful predecessor's experience with the God of Israel.

Daniel 5 2 Commentary

Daniel 5:2 reveals Belshazzar's fatal flaw: profound spiritual blindness and defiant arrogance. Knowing (through "father" Nebuchadnezzar's experiences described in Dan 4) or at least having access to knowledge of Yahweh's power, Belshazzar deliberately escalated his kingdom's transgression by desecrating holy vessels from Jerusalem's temple. This was not a mere act of drunken excess but a calculated challenge to the God of Israel. While Nebuchadnezzar had humbled himself before God after judgment, Belshazzar, a successor, learned nothing from history. This act of sacrilege—treating the sacred as common and defiling instruments of divine worship—symbolically marked the climax of Babylon's defiance against the Almighty, bringing about its immediate judgment. The lavish feast, in direct contrast to the impending destruction outside the walls, highlights human hubris versus divine sovereignty. It serves as a potent warning against spiritual pride and the disregard for what is consecrated to God.

• Example: Treating sacred texts or spiritual truths lightly, using them for personal gain or jest, reflects a similar attitude of disrespect for their divine origin.
• Example: Institutions established for worship becoming places of profane entertainment or worldly pursuit mirrors Belshazzar's act, signaling a departure from divine purpose.