Daniel 5 23

Daniel 5:23 kjv

But 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:

Daniel 5:23 nkjv

And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified.

Daniel 5:23 niv

Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.

Daniel 5:23 esv

but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.

Daniel 5:23 nlt

For you have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone ? gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny!

Daniel 5 verses

Daniel 5 23 meaning

Daniel 5:23 unequivocally condemns King Belshazzar's actions as a deliberate and arrogant affront against the Almighty God. It details his profound sacrilege in misusing the sacred vessels of God's Temple for a profane banquet, alongside the concurrent idolatry of praising lifeless, man-made deities. This comprehensive charge underscores his failure to acknowledge or honor the true "Lord of heaven," the very God who holds the breath of his life and dictates all his ways, despite having witnessed God's judgment on his predecessor.

Daniel 5 23 Context

Daniel 5:23 occurs within the narrative of Belshazzar's Feast, marking the climax of his profane actions and preceding the prophetic interpretation of the writing on the wall. Belshazzar, co-regent with his father Nabonidus, hosts a grand feast in Babylon. In an act of unparalleled defiance, he commands the sacred gold and silver vessels taken from the Jerusalem Temple by Nebuchadnezzar to be brought for himself, his lords, wives, and concubines to drink wine from them. This was a deliberate act of sacrilege and boastful provocation against the God of Israel, further compounded by his praising of inanimate idols. Critically, Belshazzar performs this deed after having been fully aware of his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar's prior humbling by the very "Lord of heaven" (Dan 5:22). This verse immediately precedes Daniel's pronouncements of divine judgment against Belshazzar and Babylon. The historical context shows Babylon on the brink of collapse to the Medes and Persians, yet Belshazzar displays incredible hubris and blindness to the signs.

Daniel 5 23 Word analysis

• but you (לָהֵן אנתְּ - lahen 'ant): "But" denotes a sharp contrast. Belshazzar's direct, personal responsibility is emphasized. Despite being a powerful king, Daniel holds him singularly accountable.
• have lifted up yourself (הִתְרֹמַמְתָּ - hitromamtā): From רָמַם (ramam) meaning "to be high, to be exalted." This reflexive-intensive verb highlights deliberate self-exaltation and arrogant pride. It implies a conscious act of rebellion and assertion against a superior power.
• against the Lord of heaven (קֳבֵל מָרֵא שְׁמַיָּא - qobel mare' shmayyā'): קֳבֵל (qobel) means "in front of, against." מָרֵא שְׁמַיָּא (mare' shmayyā') "Lord of Heaven," is a significant title in Daniel (Dan 2:18, 4:26) emphasizing God's ultimate sovereignty over earthly kingdoms, contrasting sharply with Belshazzar's temporal power. This makes the defiance direct and absolute.
• And you have brought before you the vessels of his house (וּמָאנַיָּא דִֽי־בֵיתֵהּ הַנְחֶיתוּ קֳדָמָךְ - u-mānayya' dî-beteh hanhitu qodāmak): "Vessels" (מָאנַיָּא - mānayya') refers to the sacred articles plundered from the Jerusalem Temple. "His house" directly refers to God's temple. הַנְחֶיתוּ (hanhitu) implies actively taking them out and placing them for profane use. This is sacrilege, a gross profanation of objects dedicated solely to Yahweh's worship.
• and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. (ואנתְּ וְרַבְרְבָנָךְ נְשָׁתָךְ וּלְחֵנָתָךְ חַמְרָא שָׁתַיִן - wə'ant wərab'rəvānāk nəšātāk ulḥēnātāk ḥamrā' shāṯayīn): This details the public and comprehensive nature of the sacrilege. The inclusion of "wives and concubines" emphasizes the hedonistic, sensual, and profane atmosphere of the feast, which directly corrupted the holy items. It underscores a complete abandonment of reverence.
• And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, (וְלֵֽאלָהִין דִּֽי־כְסַף וְדַהַב נְחָשׁ פַּרְזֶל אָע וָאֶבֶן שַׁבַּחְתָּ - wəle'lāhîn dî-kəṣaf wədahaḇ nəḥāš parzel 'ā' wa'even shab'ḥtā'): לֵֽאלָהִין (le'lāhîn) "to gods" (plural), confirming polytheistic worship. The enumeration of materials (כְסַף, דַּהַב, נְחָשׁ, פַּרְזֶל, אָע, וָאֶבֶן - silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, stone) is a common biblical device to mock the lifelessness and crafted nature of idols, starkly contrasting them with the living God. שַׁבַּחְתָּ (shab'ḥtā') means "you have praised," indicating an act of worship and adoration.
• which do not see or hear or know, (דִּֽי־לָא חָזַיִן וְלָא שָׁמְעִין וְלָא יָדְעִין - dî-lā' ḥāzayin wəlā' shām'əyin wəlā' yāḏ'əyîn): This is a powerful, recurring biblical polemic against idols, highlighting their impotence and nullity (Ps 115:5-7, Isa 44:9-19). Belshazzar worships nothingness while ignoring the all-seeing, all-hearing, all-knowing God.
• but the God in whose hand is your breath, (וְלֶאֱלָהָא דִּֽי־נִשְׁמְתָךְ בִּידֵהּ - wəle'lāhā' dî-nish'mətāk biyeḏeh): "God" (אֱלָהָא - 'elāhā') singular, explicitly distinguishing Him from the idols. "Breath" (נִשְׁמְתָךְ - nish'mətāk) signifies life itself, originating from God (Gen 2:7, Job 12:10). This powerfully reminds Belshazzar that his very existence depends entirely on the God he defiantly spurned.
• and whose are all your ways, (וְכָל־אָרְחָתָךְ לֵהּ - wəḵol 'orḥātāk leh): "Ways" (אָרְחָתָךְ - 'orḥātāk) signifies his path, destiny, actions, and fate. This asserts God's absolute sovereignty and control over every aspect of Belshazzar's life and kingdom. Belshazzar is accountable to Him.
• you have not honored. (לָא יַקַּרְתָּֽ - lā' yaq'qartā'): This is the ultimate charge. Despite knowing and witnessing God's power and sovereignty, Belshazzar consciously chose not to render due respect, reverence, or worship (יַקַּרְתָּֽ - "you have honored"). This constitutes willful defiance and spiritual blindness.

Daniel 5 23 Bonus section

The specific phrase "Lord of Heaven" (מָרֵא שְׁמַיָּא - mare' shmayyā') is characteristic of Aramaic sections in Daniel, emphasizing God's universal dominion. This title served a crucial polemical function in a Babylonian context where celestial deities and astrology played significant roles, clearly positioning Yahweh as the ultimate, supreme ruler over all heavenly and earthly realms. Belshazzar's act was not just sacrilege but also a test of sovereignty against a God who had demonstrated His power over empires. The detailed list of idol materials (silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, stone) intentionally parallels the components of Nebuchadnezzar's dream statue (Daniel 2), linking Belshazzar's idolatry directly to the transient nature of earthly empires compared to God's eternal kingdom. Belshazzar’s conscious failure to learn from his predecessor, despite knowing the story (Dan 5:22), exacerbates his guilt, signifying a hardened heart and a direct refusal of God's revealed truth. This underscores the principle of greater judgment for those with greater knowledge and opportunities for repentance.

Daniel 5 23 Commentary

Daniel 5:23 encapsulates the quintessential sin of Belshazzar: an overt act of defiant pride and sacrilege, despite divine revelation. He elevates himself "against the Lord of heaven," not merely ignoring Him, but actively challenging His supremacy through the desecration of holy Temple vessels. His collective participation with his court in this profanity, combined with the active praise of lifeless idols, vividly illustrates his profound spiritual blindness. The prophet sharply contrasts the impotent, man-made idols – deaf, dumb, and ignorant – with the living God, the true "Lord of heaven" who holds the very breath of Belshazzar's life and governs his destiny. Belshazzar's failure to honor this sovereign God, despite having clear historical precedent in Nebuchadnezzar's humbling, makes his sin inexcusable and paves the way for the immediate and certain divine judgment that follows. The verse is a profound theological statement on accountability to a sovereign God.