Daniel 5 4

Daniel 5:4 kjv

They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

Daniel 5:4 nkjv

They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.

Daniel 5:4 niv

As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.

Daniel 5:4 esv

They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

Daniel 5:4 nlt

While they drank from them they praised their idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

Daniel 5 verses

Daniel 5 4 meaning

Daniel 5:4 describes the scene at King Belshazzar's blasphemous feast. While reveling, he and his nobles drank wine from the sacred vessels taken from the temple in Jerusalem and simultaneously praised various pagan gods, categorized by the materials from which their idols were made: gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. This verse highlights the profound sacrilege and idolatry committed, serving as the direct trigger for the divine judgment that followed immediately.

Daniel 5 4 Context

Daniel chapter 5 begins with King Belshazzar hosting a lavish feast for a thousand of his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. In an act of unparalleled defiance and sacrilege against the God of Israel, Belshazzar commands that the gold and silver vessels taken by his ancestor, Nebuchadnezzar, from the temple of God in Jerusalem (during the Judean exile), be brought out. Instead of reverencing their holy origin, these consecrated items are used for drinking wine during a pagan feast. This action represents a blatant disregard for the divine authority and a direct affront to Yahweh, whom Belshazzar consciously rejected despite knowing the lessons learned by Nebuchadnezzar. The scene depicted in Daniel 5:4 serves as the explicit act of idolatry and blasphemy that provoked the immediate and dramatic intervention of God through the "writing on the wall," foreshadowing Belshazzar's imminent downfall and the end of the Babylonian empire.

Daniel 5 4 Word analysis

• They drank wine: The Aramaic word for wine is chamra' (חַמְרָא). This wasn't merely social drinking, but indicates a revelry, a context of indulgence and abandon, amplifying the irreverence.
• and praised: The Aramaic verb is w'shabb'hu (וְשַׁבְּחוּ), derived from the root shabbach, meaning "to laud, to glorify, to adore." This word signifies an intentional act of worship and attribution of worth. By "praising" these idols, Belshazzar was elevating false gods above the Most High God, making his sin an active declaration of rebellion.
• the gods: The Aramaic term elahiyn (אֱלָהִין) refers to plural pagan deities, often emphasizing their numerous and localized nature, in stark contrast to the singular, universal God of Israel (Elaha). This highlights the polytheistic framework of Babylon.
• of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone: These are specific, literal materials used to fashion idols in the ancient world. Their listing here carries significant polemical weight, subtly yet powerfully recalling Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the great statue in Daniel 2.
  • "gods of gold and silver": Connects to the head (gold) and breast/arms (silver) of Nebuchadnezzar's dream-statue, symbolizing the Babylonian and Medo-Persian empires. This is ironic; Belshazzar, a successor to the "head of gold," praises lesser, human-made "gods of gold" rather than the God who is above all.
  • "bronze, iron, wood, and stone": Refers to the other parts of the dream-statue, representing the Greek and Roman empires. The inclusion of "wood and stone" extends the indictment to simpler, ubiquitous idol forms. This enumeration reinforces the idea that these are products of human craft, utterly dependent on earthly materials, inert and powerless. This is a direct biblical polemic against the supposed power or divine nature of idols. They are depicted as lifeless creations, unable to hear, speak, or save, in contrast to the living God (Ps 115).
• Word-Group Analysis:
  • "They drank wine and praised...": This combination reveals the nature of the celebration – not merely a banquet but an idolatrous ritual marked by drunkenness, setting a tone of spiritual depravity and rebellion against the sanctity of divine worship. The feasting facilitates the open desecration.
  • "the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone": This phrase functions as a litany of pagan deities, revealing their material and man-made composition. It emphasizes their common characteristics—earthly, fragile, and utterly devoid of life or power. By specifying these materials, the text implies that their "gods" are as impermanent as the kingdoms they symbolize in Daniel 2, contrasting sharply with the eternal kingdom of God.

Daniel 5 4 Bonus section

• Heightened Guilt: Belshazzar's sin was aggravated because he intentionally chose to use the sacred temple vessels. These were not just any drinking cups; they were implements dedicated for divine service in the house of Yahweh. His choice elevates his action from mere idolatry to calculated blasphemy, aiming to denigrate the true God.
• Symbolic Paralysis: The listing of materials – gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone – serves to underline the intrinsic powerlessness and lifelessness of these false gods. In the midst of the lively, drunken feast, these deities remain mute, sightless, and unmoving, a stark contrast to the living God who hears, sees, and acts decisively.
• Precedent of the Plunder: The background to the vessels' presence is critical. They were taken during the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Chr 36:18; Dan 1:2). Their original purpose was holy, making their profanation by Belshazzar a deeply offensive act against God's covenant people and sanctuary. Nebuchadnezzar, in his ignorance, might have stored them; Belshazzar, with knowledge of Yahweh, brazenly abused them.

Daniel 5 4 Commentary

Daniel 5:4 encapsulates Belshazzar's ultimate act of hubris and sacrilege, sealing his fate. It's a precise inventory of his transgressions: profaning sacred temple vessels by using them in a drunken revel, and directing worship, through these desecrated objects, towards pagan deities fashioned from inanimate materials. This isn't merely idolatry born of ignorance, but an intentional insult to Yahweh, performed despite Belshazzar's full knowledge of God's power as revealed to his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar. The description of idols by their component materials—gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—serves as a poignant reminder of the temporary nature of human empires and their manufactured gods, directly referencing the impermanence described in Daniel 2. By "praising" these inert images, Belshazzar implicitly declared them superior to the God whose vessels he so boldly defiled. This overt challenge to divine authority triggered the immediate judgment of the true God, manifesting as the "writing on the wall" and leading to the king's demise and the fall of Babylon that very night. This verse therefore is a pivotal moment, showcasing the climax of human defiance against divine sovereignty and the swift, undeniable consequences.