1., and Xenophon, inform us. Not only the record in Daniel but also the external evidence is now sufficient to support the conclusion that Belshazzars coregency is almost beyond question. when conquered by the Medes. [44] Upon Nabonidus's return to Babylon, Belshazzar was demoted from his administrative responsibilities and officials he had appointed were dismissed. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Belshazzar, How Stuff Works - History - Biography of Belshazzar. As soon as a suitable number of the wise men had assembled, the king addressed them offering the reward that, if one of them could read the writing and show the interpretation, he would be clothed with scarlet and have a chain of gold about his neck and become third ruler in the kingdom. When Nabonidus went into exile (550), he entrusted Belshazzar with the throne and the major part of his army. No documents are dated to the "reign of Belshazzar", and no documents mention both Belshazzar and Nabonidus as if there was a formal co-regency. [5][6][7] Daniel's Belshazzar is not malevolent (he, for instance, rewards Daniel for his interpretation of "the writing on the wall"), but in later Jewish tradition Belshazzar was presented as a tyrant who oppresses the Jewish people. The king was drinking wine with them. Merrill F. Unger, Ungers Bible Dictionary, pp. Daniel, in his condemnation of Belshazzar before interpreting the handwriting on the wall, honors King Nebuchadnezzar . In the Neo-Babylonian Empire, oaths were typically sworn by the king, and several gods, by individuals who were going to conduct various services. The identity of this conqueror, unknown outside the Bible by this name, has touched off endless controversy and discussion which will be considered in the next chapter. Daniel read the writing and Belshazzar made him the third ruler in the kingdom. He was 62 years old. Keil, pp. Daniel 12:13, Cyrus allows the Jews to return to Judea and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. the interesting discussion of Belshazzar by C. Boutflower, In and Around the Book of Daniel, pp. A great bridge spanned the Euphrates River, connecting the eastern section and the western or new section of the city. Only Babylon with its massive walls and fortifications remained intact. 279 In the end, even the critics accept either the interpretation of Daniel (mene, numbered; tekel, weighed; peres, divided); or the reading, a maneh, a maneh, a shekel, and a half-maneh, see exposition. Although the author of the Book of Daniel describes Belshazzar as the son and successor of Nebuchadnezzar as king of Babylon, Belshazzar was, in fact, neither. The text is definitely from the sixth century B.C. There may have been a division of the Babylonian army. This text indicates that a person known as Bel-sarra-usur was a res sarri, an officer of the king, under Neriglissar who came to the throne in 560 B.C., as had been earlier pointed out in a text YBC 3765:2 published by R. P. Dougherty in 1929 in Nabonidus and Belshazzar, pp. The word MENE means numbered, and Daniel interprets this in verse 26 as indicating God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. It is in keeping with the idea that mans days are numbered, and the repetition of the word twice is probably for emphasis. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. 271 F. Rosenthal, A Grammar of Biblical Aramaic, p. 71. E. J. Darius notes Daniels good qualities and plans to elevate him to the highest administrative position. The inability of the wise men to decipher the writing only increased the concern of Belshazzar. [45] Otherwise his status and position after Nabonidus's return is never made clear. 184-85. Prior to and after Belshazzar's regency, surviving texts only contain references to offerings to the king (i.e. Nabonidus), but during the period of the regency there are references to both "offerings to the king" and "offerings to the son of the king". As Young points out, however, the very character of this absolute authority delegated to Nebuchadnezzar by God also made Nebuchadnezzar responsible.277 This is demonstrated and supported by Nebuchadnezzars experience of insanity in Daniel 4 when, as Daniel expresses it, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. Daniel then itemizes in detail the characteristics of Nebuchadnezzars insanity, how he lived with the wild beasts, ate grass like the ox, and was wet with the dew of heaven. In spite of the problem in the word, it is probable that the offer of honor was that of being the third ruler. Man may have the first word, but God will have the last word. Even while Daniel was interpreting the writing on the wall, the prophecy was being fulfilled as the Medes and the Persians poured into the city. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. Daniel 3:12, Nebuchadnezzar confronts Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego about their disobedience. . This same son of the king is most probably mentioned . After a decisive victory at the battle of Opis, the Persian army, on 12 October,[48] led by Ugbaru, entered Babylon without a fight. Transliterated into English, they are given as MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. There has been almost endless critical discussion as to what the meaning of this inscription is, and the interpretation is complicated by a number of factors.279 In the book of Daniel the words are given in Aramaic, but some have questioned this.280 If it was written in Aramaic script, however, only the consonants may have appeared. 5:17-23 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. Belshazzar is not mentioned in building inscriptions, which usually mention the king responsible. For the duration of the decade-long absence of his father, Belshazzar served as regent in Babylon. Here was Daniel, an old man well in his eighties, with the marks of godly living evident in his bearingin sharp contrast to the wine-flushed faces of the crowd. 251 H. H. Rowley, The Historicity of the Fifth Chapter of Daniel, Journal of Theological Studies 32:12. 538), using the sacred vessels of the temple, which Nebuchadnezzer had brought from Jerusalem. D. N. Freedman (Prayer of Nabonidus, Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 145 [1957]: 32) identifies the three kings as Nebuchadnezzar, Nabonidus and Belshazzar. According to Berosus, Nebuchadnezzar died after a reign of 43 years and was followed by his son Evil-Merodach. Cyrus, emperor of Persia, captures Babylon. Some of these prophecies may have their ultimate fulfillment in the future (Rev 17-18). He knew Daniel and knew the history of Nebuchadnezzars experience with Gods chastening. The bridge was later supplemented by a tunnel mentioned by Diodorus. A parallel is found in Daniel 2:27, where Daniel addresses Nebuchadnezzar without formal greeting, and in Daniel 4:19, where Daniel replies to Nebuchadnezzar simply with the expression, My lord. This was hardly a time in any case for Daniel to greet Belshazzar with such an expression as he gave to Darius, O king, live for ever, when as a matter of fact, Belshazzars hours were numbered. [50], In the Book of Daniel, Belshazzar (Hebrew: , Blaar)[1] plays a significant role in the tale of Belshazzar's feast, a variation on the story of Nebuchadnezzar's madness showing what happens when a king does not repent. 164-71. Corrections? Also known as: Baltasar, Balthasar, Bel-shar-usur. If the scene can be reconstructed, it is probable that the banquet was illuminated by torches which not only produced smoke but fitful light that would only partially illuminate the great hall. Under this interpretation, the writing would read, A maneh, a marieh, a shekel, and a half-maneh. Having arrived at this conclusion, however, it still remains to be determined what it means. The reference to Nebuchadnezzar as the father of Belshazzar, as previously indicated, should probably be either grandfather or greatgrandfather as the same term would be used for any of these designations. And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. [43] Belshazzar appears to have worked to restore Marduk's status in his father's absence. All 66 books; Old Testament books; . [41] As Nabonidus's stay in Tayma continued, Belshazzar as became acutely aware of the threat presented by the Achaemenids, as he is recorded as having expended resources at projects in Sippar and nearby defenses. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Belshazzar (Balthazar), on the other hand, disappeared from history around 540 BC, when Darius the Great would have been roughly ten years of age. Daniel 3:13-15, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego continue to refuse to worship Nebuchadnezzars golden statue. Keil and Leupold both consider her to be a wife of Nebuchadnezzar and the mother of Belshazzar.273 As the wives of the lords and the king himself had earlier been declared to be at the banquet (v. 3) one who had the role of queen would most probably be Belshazzars mother. Daniel Timeline - The Prophet Daniel in Biblical History (30-31) The death of Belshazzar and the rise of Darius the Mede. As he could lease out temple land, this suggests that Belshazzar, in administrative matters, could act with full royal power. exhibits its remarkable accuracy.249 The controversy over Belshazzar, because of the extensive investigation and great variety of findings, has become one of the most complicated problems in the entire book, but the problem itself is comparatively simple. That means Daniel was 36 years old when Jerusalem and Solomon's temple were destroyed. Daniel is clothed with scarlet, a chain of gold put about his neck, and a proclamation issued that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. He is considered perhaps the world's foremost interpreter of biblical prophecy.John is perhaps best known for his bestselling work on Bible prophecy, Armageddon More. Now Belshazzar was all too eager to have the gifts of this man exercised to interpret the writing. But we have to acknowledge that this is speculation. In the interpretation of the image in chapter 2, Daniel had predicted to Nebuchadnezzar, After thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee (Dan 2:39). Problems of his relationship will be considered at the proper place in the exposition, including the possibility that Belshazzars mother was a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar and thus in the royal line, whereas Nabonidus was not. 407-15. Daniel 5:2 Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to A Summary and Analysis of the Writing on the Wall at Belshazzar's Feast And thus Babylon was taken for the first time.285, Keil discusses at length both Herodotus account and that of Xenophon in his Cyropaedia, which is similar, and summarizes the arguments of Kranichfeld discounting these records. Belshazzar was not even the first ruler in the kingdom and was humiliated by the fact that Babylon was besieged and had already lost its power over the provinces surrounding the city. One preserved document, which regards the granting of the privilege to cultivate a tract of land belonging to the Eanna temple in Uruk, is virtually identical to similar privileges issued by Nabonidus, though it is specified to have been issued by Belshazzar. Cyrus, emperor of Persia, appoints Darius the Mede as viceroy in Babylon. [21] Belshazzar is recorded as owning lands throughout Babylonia, for instance owning an agricultural settlement near Uruk. [30] Though it is clear that Belshazzar during his father's absence assumed many responsibilities typically only held by the king,[22] several prerogatives were also kept solely by Nabonidus. His thin courage, bolstered by wine drunk from vessels which Nebuchadnezzar had plundered and were seemingly a symbol of the power of the gods of Babylon, now deserted him. These facts are pertinent to Belshazzars situation as they were well known by everyone as Daniel expresses it in verse 22, And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this. The contrast between the supreme power of Nebuchadnezzar and the very limited power of Belshazzar is also evident. Daniel 6:26-27, Daniel prays and fasts about what lies ahead and the Jewish peoples indifference to their captivity. The new Persian-Median empire succeeds the old Persian Empire which had recently been ruled by Belshazzar, who is familiar to us from the Book of Daniel. Midway in the long wall opposite the entrance there was a niche in front of which the king may well have been seated. PERES means divided, and is merely another form for UPHARSIN as in verse 25 having the u, which is equivalent to the English and, with PHARSIN being the plural of PERES. Cf. That would make him about 85 to ninety years old at his death. TEQEL means weighed, with the thought that Belshazzar has been put into the balances and found wanting, that is, short of true weight. Belshazzar was entrusted with many typically royal prerogatives, such as granting privileges, commanding portions of the army, and receiving offerings and oaths, though he continued to be styled as the crown prince (mr arri, literally meaning "son of the king"), never assuming the title of king (arru). The solution to the problem which the queen suggested was that they invite Daniel the prophet, who had been discovered as a man of wisdom by Nebuchadnezzar, to interpret the writing. In some cases, such as a ritual performed at the tempel of Bunene in Sippar, inscriptions attribute it to Nabonidus while surviving letters prove that Belshazzar was responsible. But for Belshazzar, Daniel immediately speaks out and delivers the cold hard facts. In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain He and all his nobles were slain together, in the midst of their feasting and revelling, as Herodotus, lib. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old. Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied. In vain did he pled that he was the king. Belshazzar is made to understand that Babylon will be given to the Medes and the Persians. He eventually led his forces into Arabia, conquering several cities, including the city of Tayma. In many respects, modern civilization is much like ancient Babylon, resplendent with its monuments of architectural triumph, as secure as human hands and ingenuity could make it, and yet defenseless against the judgment of God at the proper hour. Norman Porteous, for instance, writes, On the other hand it is known that Belshazzar was a historical person, the son of the last Babylonian king Nabonidus, who acted as regent of Babylon for several years before its fall, while his father was absent at the oasis of Teima in Arabia.252 This would begin Belshazzars regency about 553 B.C., when Nabonidus went to Teima. The Writing on the Wall Like the other words, it is a passive participle. The latter relates the story thus, Cyropd., lib. The next four years Neriglisar occupied the throne. It would have been quite improper for the entire company to keep on talking, especially in these dramatic circumstances, when Daniel was reporting to the king. 315-16. and reigned until 539 b.c. Daniel 1:3-7, Daniel and his friends complete their three years of learning. Daniel proclaims to Darius that God had sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions. 115-19; Keil, pp. This would be understandable if she was elderly and the widow of Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar died in the year 3364 (397 BCE) and was succeeded by his son Evil [pronounced eh-vil] Merodach whose reign extended for 23 years. 283 Ibid., p. 126; cf. The situation before Belshazzar had all the elements of a great drama. PDF Interesting Facts About Daniel - Bible Charts The temple in Jerusalem is completed. [35] These include: The events that transpired in Babylonia during Belshazzar's regency are not well known, owing to a lack of surviving sources. 252 N. W. Porteous, Daniel: A Commentary, p. 76. King Belshazzar gave a big party for 1000 of his officials. The Revised Standard Version, following the Vulgate, adds in verse 3 and silver vessels. This act of sacrilege was an intentioned religious gesture in praise of the gods of Babylon mentioned in descending order of importance as gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. That Belshazzar well knew the blasphemous character of his act is evident from Daniel 5:13, 22. [31] These include: Though Belshazzar's authority was thus limited, he also was allowed, and assumed, certain royal responsibilities. This would mean right about the time of his death, around 490-485 BC, since he was born around 550 BC, and lived for about 65 years. A solution of the problem has depended largely on the premises of the scholars dealing with it. Some have denied his historicity The kings name, however, has now appeared upon the cuneiform documents, so that there can be no question as to his historicity. 5:24-28 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. Daniel 5:5-29, Belshazzar is killed when Cyrus of Persia invades Babylon. MENE could be considered equivalent to the maneh of Ezekiel 45:12; Ezra 2:69. 9:41, cited by C. F. Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Daniel, p. 164. [45], Belshazzar partook in Babylon's defense against the invasion by Cyrus the Great in 539 BC. In the midst of this atmosphere of consternation, apprehension, and fear, Daniels countenance alone reflected the deep peace of God founded on confidence in God and His divine revelation. Although the size of the banquet is not amazing, the situation was most unusual. Drinking bouts such as characterized Babylon were also common among other peoples, such as the Persians. Athenaeus quotes Heracleides of Cumae, the author of Persian History, in describing in detail the custom of drinking to excess after dinner.259 The luxury of both the drinking and the eating is also illustrated in Athenaeus in describing dinners among the Persians of high station as follows: For one thousand animals are slaughtered daily for the king; these comprise horses, camels, oxen, asses, deer, and most of the smaller animals; many birds also are consumed, including Arabian ostrichesand the creature is largegeese, and cocks.260. Because his rule was arbitrary and licentious, he was assassinated by Neriglisar after he had reigned only two years. According to Daniel, his countenance changed, that is, changed color and became pale. In any case Daniel read the writing as Aramaic, and the suggestion of puns in the language (see later discussion) depends upon the Aramaic. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. For other uses, see, List of biblical figures identified in extra-biblical sources, "Nabonidus, Belshazzar, and the Book of Daniel: an Update", Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Belshazzar&oldid=1147589796, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia without a Wikisource reference, Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, Wikipedia pending changes protected pages, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages with numeric Bible version references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Belshazzar never assumed, and was not allowed to use, the title of king (. This is the first point at which this ch. A plausible account of Berosus, in his third book, found in a fragment preserved by Josephus summarizes the history between Nebuchadnezzars death in 562 B.C. Much speculation has arisen concerning the expression that he offered them the position of being the third ruler in the kingdom. There is some question as to whether the Aramaic indicates specifically the third ruler. The ordinal numeral would be tlitay (as in Dan 2:39) whereas the Aramaic here is actually talti. For pictures and further details, see R. K. Harrison, Babylon, in The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary, pp. Not only would such a connection explain Nabonidus's rise to the throne (due to his being a member of the royal family), but it would also explain later historical traditions in which Belshazzar is described as Nebuchadnezzar's descendant. [55] Daniel tells Belshazzar that because he has not given honor to God, his kingdom will be given to the Medes and Persians. Interestingly, the wall behind the niche was covered with white plaster as described by Daniel, which would make an excellent background for such a writing.268. There are actually so many plausible possibilities in Daniels account, supported by the evidence cited, that the storm of objections can hardly be taken seriously.254. Babylonian chronicles refer to the crown prince being stationed at home in Babylonia with "his army". 2 Kings 25:1-3, Jerusalems wall breaks and the Babylonians destroy Jerusalem, setting fire to the temple and the palace. What do I do about calling a priest father at my Catholic University? Montgomery, pp. Belshazzar's fate is not known, since none of the sources record it. Daniel 3:1-6, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuses to pay homage to Nebuchadnezzars golden statue. Belshazzars predicament is another illustration of the insecurity and powerlessness of the rulers of this world when confronted by the power and wisdom of God. Now, in chapter 5, this prophecy is about to be fulfilled. [49][51][52] He may have alternatively been killed already at the battle of Opis,[1] captured and executed, or exiled together with his father. Daniel 5 says Belshazzar was king, and was making a great feast when (famously) a hand appeared and wrote a message of judgment on the wall. Ezra 6:14-18. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. . After his murder the conspirators held a meeting, and by common consent conferred the kingdom upon Nabonnedus, a Babylonian and one of their gang. 247 See Raymond P. Dougherty, Nabonidus and Belshazzar. [20] This is supported by documents describing business transactions of Belshazzar mentioning the same locations, and even the same household and servants, as similar earlier documents of Neriglissar. The battle probably took place much as Herodotus records it.286. Daniel 1:1-2, Jeremiah 25:1), Jehoiakim died, and his son Jehoiachin became king (2 Kings 24:6).
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