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 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel 5:2 | Belshazzar commanded to bring the gold and silver vessels from the temple | Daniel 5:2 |
| Jeremiah 52:18 | The vessels of brass and iron were carried away to Babylon | Jer 52:18 (fulfillment of judgment) |
| 2 Kings 24:13 | Nebuchadnezzar carried out all the treasures of the house of the LORD | 2 Kin 24:13 (initial act of plunder) |
| Ezra 1:7 | Cyrus brought out the vessels of the house of the LORD which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away | Ezr 1:7 (contrast to Belshazzar's profanation) |
| Isaiah 47:6 | God's anger against Babylon and the instruments of His wrath | Isa 47:6 (divine judgment theme) |
| Psalm 79:1 | The nations have come into Your inheritance; defiled Your holy temple | Ps 79:1 (parallels desecration of holy things) |
| Matthew 21:13 | Jesus cast out money changers from the temple | Matt 21:13 (holiness of temple) |
| 1 Corinthians 3:17 | If anyone defiles the temple of God, him God will destroy | 1 Cor 3:17 (consequences of defilement) |
| 1 Corinthians 6:19 | Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit | 1 Cor 6:19 (temple as a metaphor) |
| Revelation 18:12 | Cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple silk | Rev 18:12 (wealth of Babylon) |
| Psalm 115:4 | The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men's hands | Ps 115:4 (idolatry and contrast) |
| Isaiah 2:20 | Men will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold | Isa 2:20 (rejection of idols) |
| Revelation 13:14 | The beast that was and is not, deceives by signs and worships | Rev 13:14 (deception and idolatry) |
| John 10:22 | The feast of dedication in Jerusalem | John 10:22 (feasts and religious context) |
| Romans 1:23 | Changed the glory of God into an image made like corruptible man | Rom 1:23 (idolatry and dishonor) |
| Psalm 2:1-4 | Kings of the earth set themselves against the LORD and His Anointed | Ps 2:1-4 (opposition to God's authority) |
| Revelation 17:4 | Babylon the great, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations | Rev 17:4 (Babylon's spiritual defilement) |
| Nahum 2:10 | Babylon plundered; desolation and ruins | Nah 2:10 (prophecy of Babylon's fall) |
| Zechariah 5:4 | That it may enter the house of the thief and the house of him who swears falsely | Zech 5:4 (judgment on wickedness) |
| Isaiah 5:12 | They drink wine from large bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils | Isa 5:12 (indulgence and heedlessness) |
Daniel 5 verses
Daniel 5 2 Meaning
King Belshazzar, on the occasion of a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, commanded that the golden and silver vessels, which Nebuchadnezzar his predecessor had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, be brought. This act was to be done so that he, his princes, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.
Daniel 5 2 Context
Chapter 5 of Daniel marks a turning point, detailing the downfall of the Babylonian empire. Belshazzar, the last king of Neo-Babylonian Empire, is celebrating a lavish feast while his city is under siege by the Medes and Persians. This specific verse sets the stage for the miraculous appearance of the writing on the wall, a divine message signifying judgment. Historically, Nebuchadnezzar had indeed plundered the Jerusalem Temple during his conquests, an act deeply offensive to the Jewish people and a violation of divine sanctity. Belshazzar's decision to use these sacred vessels for his pagan revelry demonstrated extreme hubris and disregard for God.
Daniel 5 2 Word Analysis
- And Belshazzar (וַאֲנָא בֵּלְשַׁצַּר; wa'anā bēlšatṣar): The conjunction "and" links this verse to the preceding one, showing the progression of events. "Belshazzar" is the name of the king, son of Nabonidus.
- the king (מֶלֶךְ; melek): A title of royalty and supreme authority.
- made a great feast (עֲבַד שְׁתִיָּה רַבָּה; ‘ăḇaḏ šəṯîyāh rabbāh): The word "great" (רַבָּה; rabbāh) emphasizes the scale and extravagance of the event. "Feast" (שְׁתִיָּה; šəṯîyāh) literally means "drinking" or "a drinking party," highlighting the revelry.
- to a thousand (לְאֶלֶף; lə'elep̄): A large, but potentially symbolic number representing a significant portion of the ruling elite.
- of his lords (רַבָּנָיו; rabbānāyw): Refers to the princes, nobles, and high officials of the kingdom, those in positions of power and influence.
- and drank wine (וְשָׁתֵי —; wəšāṯê—): The action of drinking wine, a central part of the feast.
- before them (קֳדָם-Their; qədām-Their): Indicates that the king and his company were all present and participating together in this activity.
- Called for (סַחַר; saḥar): This Aramaic word implies commanding or ordering.
- the golden and silver vessels (אֶסְפַּלָּא דִּי-דַּהֲבָהּ וְכַסְפָּא; ‘əsappa lā dî-dahăḇāh wəḵaspā'): These were items of great value and sacred significance, taken from the house of God in Jerusalem. The terms for gold (דַּהֲבָהּ; dahăḇāh) and silver (כַסְפָּא; kaspā') denote precious metals.
- which Nebuchadnezzar his father (דִּי נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר אָבוּהִי; dî Nəḇûḵaḏneṣṣar 'āḇûhî): Belshazzar was the son, though often referred to as the "son" of Nebuchadnezzar in the sense of a successor or ruling after him, not necessarily his direct biological son. Nabonidus was Belshazzar's father.
- had taken from the temple (שֵׁיִצִיל מִן-הֵיכָלָא; šêyîṣîl min-hêḵālā): "Had taken" (שֵׁיִצִיל; šêyîṣîl) signifies an act of seizing or carrying away. "Temple" (הֵיכָלָא; hêḵālā) refers to the sanctuary in Jerusalem.
- which was in Jerusalem (דִּי בִירוּשְׁלَם; dî Bîrûšălem): Specifies the origin of the vessels, highlighting their sacred context.
- That the king, his princes, his wives, and his concubines (חַדְיַנּוֹן מִנְּהוֹן; ḥadyaḇəṉon min-nəhōn): Listing of all involved in the sacrilegious act, emphasizing its pervasiveness among the elite.
- might drink therein (יִשְׁתּוּן-בַּהּ; yištûn-ḇah): The explicit purpose for bringing the vessels – to be used in their drinking, thereby profaning them.
Group Analysis:The entire verse describes a single, significant action by Belshazzar: the intentional commandeering and desecration of sacred temple vessels during a large-scale royal celebration. The verse emphasizes the king's authority, the scale of the feast, and the specific sacred items used for profanity, underscoring the audacious and defiant nature of his act.
Daniel 5 2 Bonus Section
The decision to bring the vessels specifically for drinking underscores the depth of Belshazzar's decadence and his desire to exalt his own power and gods over the God of Israel. This highlights a recurring theme in biblical history: when nations and rulers disrespect or desecrate what is holy to God, they invite divine retribution. The narrative sets the stage for divine intervention, the famous writing on the wall, which signifies that God, not Belshazzar, was ultimately in control. The use of "his father" when referring to Nebuchadnezzar emphasizes a succession of rulers but also possibly a dynastic claim to power, contrasting with the true sovereignty of God. The fact that these were items "taken from the temple which was in Jerusalem" emphasizes their consecrated nature, making their defilement a particularly grievous offense in God's eyes.
Daniel 5 2 Commentary
Belshazzar’s act was a profound act of defiance against the God of Israel. Having inherited the vast Babylonian empire, he chose to honor his pagan gods by using sacred vessels belonging to Yahweh. This was not merely a matter of confiscation; it was a deliberate display of contempt for the God of heaven. The vessels from the Jerusalem Temple represented Israel's covenant relationship with God. By drinking from them during a revelry, Belshazzar demonstrated a supreme arrogance and ignorance of the divine power that had allowed Nebuchadnezzar to conquer Judah and carry away the vessels in the first place. This unholy act would soon bring swift and inescapable judgment upon him and his kingdom, as prophesied and foretold through Daniel.