Daniel 5:1--6:28
Konteks5:1 King Belshazzar 1 prepared a great banquet 2 for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in front of 3 them all. 4 5:2 While under the influence 5 of the wine, Belshazzar issued an order to bring in the gold and silver vessels – the ones that Nebuchadnezzar his father 6 had confiscated 7 from the temple in Jerusalem 8 – so that the king and his nobles, together with his wives and his concubines, could drink from them. 9 5:3 So they brought the gold and silver 10 vessels that had been confiscated from the temple, the house of God 11 in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, together with his wives and concubines, drank from them. 5:4 As they drank wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5:5 At that very moment the fingers of a human hand appeared 12 and wrote on the plaster of the royal palace wall, opposite the lampstand. 13 The king was watching the back 14 of the hand that was writing. 5:6 Then all the color drained from the king’s face 15 and he became alarmed. 16 The joints of his hips gave way, 17 and his knees began knocking together. 5:7 The king called out loudly 18 to summon 19 the astrologers, wise men, and diviners. The king proclaimed 20 to the wise men of Babylon that anyone who could read this inscription and disclose its interpretation would be clothed in purple 21 and have a golden collar 22 placed on his neck and be third ruler in the kingdom.
5:8 So all the king’s wise men came in, but they were unable to read the writing or to make known its 23 interpretation to the king. 5:9 Then King Belshazzar was very terrified, and he was visibly shaken. 24 His nobles were completely dumbfounded.
5:10 Due to the noise 25 caused by the king and his nobles, the queen mother 26 then entered the banquet room. She 27 said, “O king, live forever! Don’t be alarmed! Don’t be shaken! 5:11 There is a man in your kingdom who has within him a spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, he proved to have 28 insight, discernment, and wisdom like that 29 of the gods. 30 King Nebuchadnezzar your father appointed him chief of the magicians, astrologers, wise men, and diviners. 31 5:12 Thus there was found in this man Daniel, whom the king renamed Belteshazzar, an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, and skill to interpret 32 dreams, solve riddles, and decipher knotty problems. 33 Now summon 34 Daniel, and he will disclose the interpretation.”
5:13 So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the captives of Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? 5:14 I have heard about you, how there is a spirit of the gods in you, and how you have 35 insight, discernment, and extraordinary wisdom. 5:15 Now the wise men and 36 astrologers were brought before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation. But they were unable to disclose the interpretation of the message. 5:16 However, I have heard 37 that you are able to provide interpretations and to decipher knotty problems. Now if you are able to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, you will wear purple and have a golden collar around your neck and be third 38 ruler in the kingdom.”
5:17 But Daniel replied to the king, “Keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else! However, I will read the writing for the king and make known its 39 interpretation. 5:18 As for you, O king, the most high God bestowed on your father Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, greatness, honor, and majesty. 40 5:19 Due to the greatness that he bestowed on him, all peoples, nations, and language groups were trembling with fear 41 before him. He killed whom he wished, he spared 42 whom he wished, he exalted whom he wished, and he brought low whom he wished. 5:20 And when his mind 43 became arrogant 44 and his spirit filled with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and his honor was removed from him. 5:21 He was driven from human society, his mind 45 was changed to that of an animal, he lived 46 with the wild donkeys, he was fed grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until he came to understand that the most high God rules over human kingdoms, and he appoints over them whomever he wishes.
5:22 “But you, his son 47 Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, 48 although you knew all this. 5:23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. You brought before you the vessels from his temple, and you and your nobles, together with your wives and concubines, drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone – gods 49 that cannot see or hear or comprehend! But you have not glorified the God who has in his control 50 your very breath and all your ways! 5:24 Therefore the palm of a hand was sent from him, and this writing was inscribed.
5:25 “This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, 51 TEQEL, and PHARSIN. 52 5:26 This is the interpretation of the words: 53 As for mene 54 – God has numbered your kingdom’s days and brought it to an end. 5:27 As for teqel – you are weighed on the balances and found to be lacking. 5:28 As for peres 55 – your kingdom is divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”
5:29 Then, on Belshazzar’s orders, 56 Daniel was clothed in purple, a golden collar was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed third ruler in the kingdom. 5:30 And in that very night Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, 57 was killed. 58 5:31 (6:1) 59 So Darius the Mede took control of the kingdom when he was about sixty-two years old.
6:1 It seemed like a good idea to Darius 60 to appoint over the kingdom 120 satraps 61 who would be in charge of the entire kingdom. 6:2 Over them would be three supervisors, one of whom was Daniel. These satraps were accountable 62 to them, so that the king’s interests might not incur damage. 6:3 Now this Daniel was distinguishing himself above the other supervisors and the satraps, for he had an extraordinary spirit. In fact, the king intended to appoint him over the entire kingdom. 6:4 Consequently the supervisors and satraps were trying to find 63 some pretext against Daniel in connection with administrative matters. 64 But they were unable to find any such damaging evidence, 65 because he was trustworthy and guilty of no negligence or corruption. 66 6:5 So these men concluded, 67 “We won’t find any pretext against this man Daniel unless it is 68 in connection with the law of his God.”
6:6 So these supervisors and satraps came by collusion 69 to the king and said 70 to him, “O King Darius, live forever! 6:7 To all the supervisors of the kingdom, the prefects, satraps, counselors, and governors it seemed like a good idea for a royal edict to be issued and an interdict to be enforced. For the next thirty days anyone who prays 71 to any god or human other than you, O king, should be thrown into a den of lions. 6:8 Now let the king issue a written interdict 72 so that it cannot be altered, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed. 73 6:9 So King Darius issued the written interdict.
6:10 When Daniel realized 74 that a written decree had been issued, he entered his home, where the windows 75 in his upper room opened toward Jerusalem. 76 Three 77 times daily he was 78 kneeling 79 and offering prayers and thanks to his God just as he had been accustomed to do previously. 6:11 Then those officials who had gone to the king 80 came by collusion and found Daniel praying and asking for help before his God. 6:12 So they approached the king and said to him, 81 “Did you not issue an edict to the effect that for the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human other than to you, O king, would be thrown into a den of lions?” The king replied, “That is correct, 82 according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed.” 6:13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the captives 83 from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the edict that you issued. Three times daily he offers his prayer.” 84
6:14 When the king heard this, 85 he was very upset and began thinking about 86 how he might rescue Daniel. Until late afternoon 87 he was struggling to find a way to rescue him. 6:15 Then those men came by collusion to the king and 88 said to him, 89 “Recall, 90 O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no edict or decree that the king issues can be changed.” 6:16 So the king gave the order, 91 and Daniel was brought and thrown into a den 92 of lions. The king consoled 93 Daniel by saying, “Your God whom you continually serve will rescue you!” 6:17 Then a stone was brought and placed over the opening 94 to the den. The king sealed 95 it with his signet ring and with those 96 of his nobles so that nothing could be changed with regard to Daniel. 6:18 Then the king departed to his palace. But he spent the night without eating, and no diversions 97 were brought to him. He was unable to sleep. 98
6:19 In the morning, at the earliest sign of daylight, the king got up and rushed to the lions’ den. 6:20 As he approached the den, he called out to Daniel in a worried voice, 99 “Daniel, servant of the living God, was your God whom you continually serve able to rescue you from the lions?”
6:21 Then Daniel spoke to 100 the king, “O king, live forever! 6:22 My God sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths so that they have not harmed me, because I was found to be innocent before him. Nor have I done any harm to you, O king.”
6:23 Then the king was delighted and gave an order to haul Daniel up from the den. So Daniel was hauled up out of the den. He had no injury of any kind, because he had trusted in his God. 6:24 The king gave another order, 101 and those men who had maliciously accused 102 Daniel were brought and thrown 103 into the lions’ den – they, their children, and their wives. 104 They did not even reach the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
6:25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and language groups who were living in all the land: “Peace and prosperity! 105 6:26 I have issued an edict that throughout all the dominion of my kingdom people are to revere and fear the God of Daniel.
“For he is the living God;
he endures forever.
His kingdom will not be destroyed;
his authority is forever. 106
6:27 He rescues and delivers
and performs signs and wonders
in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel from the power 107 of the lions!”
6:28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and 108 the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
[5:1] 1 sn As is clear from the extra-biblical records, it was actually Nabonidus (ca. 556-539
[5:1] 2 sn This scene of a Babylonian banquet calls to mind a similar grandiose event recorded in Esth 1:3-8. Persian kings were also renowned in the ancient Near Eastern world for their lavish banquets.
[5:1] 3 sn The king probably sat at an elevated head table.
[5:1] 4 tn Aram “the thousand.”
[5:2] 5 tn Or perhaps, “when he had tasted” (cf. NASB) in the sense of officially initiating the commencement of the banquet. The translation above seems preferable, however, given the clear evidence of inebriation in the context (cf. also CEV “he got drunk and ordered”).
[5:2] 6 tn Or “ancestor”; or “predecessor” (also in vv. 11, 13, 18). The Aramaic word translated “father” can on occasion denote these other relationships.
[5:2] 8 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[5:2] 9 sn Making use of sacred temple vessels for an occasion of reveling and drunkenness such as this would have been a religious affront of shocking proportions to the Jewish captives.
[5:3] 10 tc The present translation reads וְכַסְפָּא (vÿkhaspa’, “and the silver”) with Theodotion and the Vulgate. Cf. v. 2. The form was probably accidentally dropped from the Aramaic text by homoioteleuton.
[5:3] 11 tn Aram “the temple of the house of God.” The phrase seems rather awkward. The Vulgate lacks “of the house of God,” while Theodotion and the Syriac lack “the house.”
[5:5] 12 tn Aram “came forth.”
[5:5] 13 sn The mention of the lampstand in this context is of interest because it suggests that the writing was in clear view.
[5:5] 14 tn While Aramaic פַּס (pas) can mean the palm of the hand, here it seems to be the back of the hand that is intended.
[5:6] 15 tn Aram “[the king’s] brightness changed for him.”
[5:6] 16 tn Aram “his thoughts were alarming him.”
[5:6] 17 tn Aram “his loins went slack.”
[5:7] 18 tn Aram “in strength.”
[5:7] 19 tn Aram “cause to enter.”
[5:7] 20 tn Aram “answered and said.”
[5:7] 21 sn Purple was a color associated with royalty in the ancient world.
[5:7] 22 tn The term translated “golden collar” here probably refers to something more substantial than merely a gold chain (cf. NIV, NCV, NRSV, NLT) or necklace (cf. NASB).
[5:8] 23 tc Read וּפִשְׁרֵהּ (ufishreh) with the Qere rather than וּפִשְׁרָא (ufishra’) of the Kethib.
[5:9] 24 tn Aram “his visage altered upon him.” So also in v. 10.
[5:10] 25 tn Aram “words of the king.”
[5:10] 26 tn Aram “the queen” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV). In the following discourse this woman is able to recall things about Daniel that go back to the days of Nebuchadnezzar, things that Belshazzar does not seem to recollect. It is likely that she was the wife not of Belshazzar but of Nabonidus or perhaps even Nebuchadnezzar. In that case, “queen” here means “queen mother” (cf. NCV “the king’s mother”).
[5:10] 27 tn Aram “The queen.” The translation has used the pronoun “she” instead because repetition of the noun here would be redundant in terms of English style.
[5:11] 28 tn Aram “[there were] discovered to be in him.”
[5:11] 29 tn Aram “wisdom like the wisdom.” This would be redundant in terms of English style.
[5:11] 30 tc Theodotion lacks the phrase “and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods.”
[5:11] 31 tc The MT includes a redundant reference to “your father the king” at the end of v. 11. None of the attempts to explain this phrase as original are very convincing. The present translation deletes the phrase, following Theodotion and the Syriac.
[5:12] 32 tc The translation reads מִפְשַׁר (mifshar) rather than the MT מְפַשַּׁר (mÿfashar) and later in the verse reads וּמִשְׁרֵא (mishre’) rather than the MT וּמְשָׁרֵא (mÿshare’). The Masoretes have understood these Aramaic forms to be participles, but they are more likely to be vocalized as infinitives. As such, they have an epexegetical function in the syntax of their clause.
[5:12] 33 tn Aram “to loose knots.”
[5:12] 34 tn Aram “let [Daniel] be summoned.”
[5:14] 35 tn Aram “there has been found in you.”
[5:15] 36 tn The Aramaic text does not have “and.” The term “astrologers” is either an appositive for “wise men” (cf. KJV, NKJV, ASV, RSV, NRSV), or the construction is to be understood as asyndetic (so the translation above).
[5:16] 37 tn The Aramaic text has also the words “about you.”
[5:16] 38 tn Or perhaps “one of three rulers,” in the sense of becoming part of a triumvir. So also v. 29.
[5:18] 40 tn Or “royal greatness and majestic honor,” if the four terms are understood as a double hendiadys.
[5:19] 41 tn Aram “were trembling and fearing.” This can be treated as a hendiadys, “were trembling with fear.”
[5:19] 42 tn Aram “let live.” This Aramaic form is the aphel participle of חַיָה(khayah, “to live”). Theodotion and the Vulgate mistakenly take the form to be from מְחָא (mÿkha’, “to smite”).
[5:20] 44 sn The point of describing Nebuchadnezzar as arrogant is that he had usurped divine prerogatives, and because of his immense arrogance God had dealt decisively with him.
[5:21] 46 tn Aram “his dwelling.”
[5:22] 47 tn Or “descendant”; or “successor.”
[5:22] 48 tn Aram “your heart.”
[5:23] 50 tn Aram “in whose hand [are].”
[5:25] 51 tc The Greek version of Theodotion lacks the repetition of מְנֵא (mÿne’, cf. NAB).
[5:25] 52 tc The Aramaic word is plural. Theodotion has the singular (cf. NAB “
[5:26] 53 tn Or “word” or “event.” See HALOT 1915 s.v. מִלָּה.
[5:26] 54 tn The Aramaic term מְנֵא (mÿne’) is a noun referring to a measure of weight. The linkage here to the verb “to number” (Aram. מְנָה, mÿnah) is a case of paronomasia rather than strict etymology. So also with תְּקֵל (tÿqel) and פַרְסִין (farsin). In the latter case there is an obvious wordplay with the name “Persian.”
[5:28] 55 sn Peres (פְּרֵס) is the singular form of פַרְסִין (pharsin) in v. 25.
[5:29] 56 tn Aram “Belshazzar spoke.”
[5:30] 57 tn Aram “king of the Chaldeans.”
[5:30] 58 sn The year was 539
[5:31] 59 sn Beginning with 5:31, the verse numbers through 6:28 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Aramaic text (BHS), with 5:31 ET = 6:1 AT, 6:1 ET = 6:2 AT, 6:2 ET = 6:3 AT, 6:3 ET = 6:4 AT, etc., through 6:28 ET = 6:29 AT. Beginning with 7:1 the verse numbers in the English Bible and the Aramaic text are again the same.
[6:1] 60 tn Aram “It was pleasing before Darius.”
[6:1] 61 tn This is a technical term for an official placed in charge of a region of the empire (cf. KJV, NLT “prince[s]”; NCV, TEV “governors”). These satraps were answerable to a supervisor, who in turn answered to Darius.
[6:2] 62 tn Aram “giving an account.”
[6:4] 63 tn Aram “looking to find.”
[6:4] 64 tn Aram “from the side of the kingdom.”
[6:4] 65 tn Aram “pretext and corruption.”
[6:4] 66 tn Aram “no negligence or corruption was found in him.” The Greek version of Theodotion lacks the phrase “and no negligence or corruption was found in him.”
[6:5] 67 tn Aram “were saying.”
[6:5] 68 tn Aram “unless we find [it] against him.”
[6:6] 69 tn The Aramaic verb רְגַשׁ (rÿgash) occurs three times in this chapter (vv. 7, 12, 16). Its meaning is widely disputed by commentators, and the versions vary considerably in how they render the word. The suggestion that it means “to come thronging” (BDB 1112 s.v.; cf. NAB) seems inappropriate, since it is unlikely that subordinates would enter a royal court in such a reckless fashion. The ancient versions struggled with the word and are not in agreement in their understanding of its meaning. In this chapter the word apparently means to act in agreement with other parties in the pursuit of a duplicitous goal, namely the entrapment of Daniel. Cf. NIV, NCV “went as a group”; NRSV “conspired and came to the king.”
[6:6] 70 tn Aram “thus they were saying.”
[6:7] 71 tn Aram “prays a prayer.”
[6:8] 72 tn Aram “establish a written interdict and inscribe a written decree.”
[6:10] 75 sn In later rabbinic thought this verse was sometimes cited as a proof text for the notion that one should pray only in a house with windows. See b. Berakhot 34b.
[6:10] 76 map For the location of Jerusalem see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[6:10] 77 sn This is apparently the only specific mention in the OT of prayer being regularly offered three times a day. The practice was probably not unique to Daniel, however.
[6:10] 78 tc Read with several medieval Hebrew
[6:10] 79 tn Aram “kneeling on his knees” (so NASB).
[6:10] sn No specific posture for offering prayers is prescribed in the OT. Kneeling, as here, and standing were both practiced.
[6:11] 80 tn Aram “those men”; the referent (the administrative officials who had earlier approached the king about the edict) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[6:12] 81 tc The MT also has “about the edict of the king,” but this phrase is absent in the LXX and the Syriac. The present translation deletes the expression.
[6:12] tn Aram “before the king.”
[6:12] 82 tn Aram “the word is true.”
[6:13] 83 tn Aram “from the sons of the captivity [of].”
[6:13] 84 tn Aram “prays his prayer.”
[6:14] 86 tn Aram “placed his mind on.”
[6:14] 87 tn Aram “the entrances of the sun.”
[6:15] 88 tc Theodotion lacks the words “came by collusion to the king and.”
[6:15] 90 tn Aram “know”; NAB “Keep in mind”; NASB “Recognize”; NIV, NCV “Remember.”
[6:16] 91 tn Aram “said.” So also in vv. 24, 25.
[6:16] 92 sn The den was perhaps a pit below ground level which could be safely observed from above.
[6:16] 93 tn Aram “answered and said [to Daniel].”
[6:17] 95 sn The purpose of the den being sealed was to prevent unauthorized tampering with the opening of the den. Any disturbance of the seal would immediately alert the officials to improper activity of this sort.
[6:17] 96 tn Aram “the signet rings.”
[6:18] 97 tn The meaning of Aramaic דַּחֲוָה (dakhavah) is a crux interpretum. Suggestions include “music,” “dancing girls,” “concubines,” “table,” “food” – all of which are uncertain. The translation employed here, suggested by earlier scholars, is deliberately vague. A number of recent English versions follow a similar approach with “entertainment” (e.g., NASB, NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT). On this word see further, HALOT 1849-50 s.v.; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 37.
[6:18] 98 tn Aram “his sleep fled from him.”
[6:20] 99 tn Aram “The king answered and said to Daniel.” This phrase has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons; it is redundant in English.
[6:24] 102 tn Aram “had eaten the pieces of.” The Aramaic expression is ironic, in that the accusers who had figuratively “eaten the pieces of Daniel” are themselves literally devoured by the lions.
[6:24] 103 tn The Aramaic active impersonal verb is often used as a substitute for the passive.
[6:24] 104 tc The LXX specifies only the two overseers, together with their families, as those who were cast into the lions’ den.
[6:25] 105 tn Aram “May your peace be increased!”
[6:26] 106 tn Aram “until the end.”
[6:28] 108 tn Or perhaps “in the reign of Darius, even in the reign of Cyrus.” The identity of this Darius is disputed. Some take the name to be referring to Cyrus, understanding the following vav (ו, “and”) in an epexegetical sense (“even”). Others identify Darius with a governor of Babylon known from extra-biblical records as Gubaru, or with Cambyses, son of Cyrus. Many scholars maintain that the reference is historically inaccurate.
