Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Daniel 5
Daniel 5:5Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote.
The sudden appearance of a human hand writing on the wall shows that God can break into our reality at any moment to deliver a message.Daniel 5:23but 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 boldly points out that while the king praised lifeless idols, he failed to honor the God who holds his very breath in His hand.Daniel 5:27Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting.
The term 'weighed in the balances' explains that God examines our hearts and actions to see if they carry the weight of true righteousness.
Historical & Cultural Context
A Defiant Feast and a Sacred Insult
The chapter opens with King Belshazzar throwing a massive party for a thousand of his nobles, likely as a show of strength while the Persian army was outside the city walls. In a moment of drunken arrogance, he orders the sacred gold and silver cups taken from the Temple in Jerusalem to be used for his feast. By drinking from these vessels while praising man-made idols, he was intentionally insulting the God of Israel. This act of defiance sets the stage for a divine intervention that would change the course of history.
The Terrifying Message and the Search for Truth
As the king and his guests are celebrating, the fingers of a human hand suddenly appear and begin writing on the plaster of the wall. The king is so terrified that his face turns pale and his knees literally knock together in fear. When his own magicians and wise men are unable to read or explain the writing, the queen enters and reminds him of Daniel. She describes Daniel as a man filled with the spirit of the holy gods and exceptional wisdom, who had served the king's predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar.
The Fall of Babylon and the Judgment of a King
In Daniel 5:1-31, we witness a transition of power from the Babylonians to the Medes and Persians. The scene moves from a rowdy, disrespectful banquet hall to a somber moment of divine reckoning as Daniel interprets the final sentence for a prideful empire.
The Height of Human Arrogance (Daniel 5:1-4)
1 King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.
2 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.
3 Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them.
4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
Commentary:
King Belshazzar insults God by using sacred Temple cups to worship idols during a massive feast.
The Supernatural Interruption (Daniel 5:5-12)
5 Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote.
6 Then the king's color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.
7 The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
8 Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation.
9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his lords were perplexed.
10 The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, “O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you or your color change.
11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father - your father the king - made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers,
12 because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation."
Commentary:
A mysterious hand writes on the wall, terrifying the king and prompting a search for Daniel.
Daniel's Bold Rebuke (Daniel 5:13-24)
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, "You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah.
14 I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.
15 And now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter.
16 And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed in purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, "Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation.
18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty.
19 And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled.
20 But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him.
21 And he was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will.
22 And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this,
23 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.
24 "Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed."
Commentary:
Daniel confronts the king's pride and reminds him that God is the one who gives and takes away power.
The Meaning and the End (Daniel 5:25-31)
25 “And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin.
26 This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end;
27 Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting.
28 Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
30 That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed.
31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
Commentary:
Daniel interprets the message of judgment, and the kingdom falls to the Persians that same night.
Spiritual Lessons from the Palace Wall
The Sovereignty of God
This chapter emphasizes that God is the 'Most High' who rules over the kingdoms of men. He is the one who sets up kings and brings them down, proving that no human power is absolute or permanent.
Accountability for Knowledge
Daniel points out that Belshazzar knew how God had humbled his father, yet he still chose to be proud. This reveals that God holds us responsible for the truth we have seen and the lessons we have been given.
The Folly of Idolatry
The text contrasts the 'gods of gold and silver' which cannot see or hear, with the living God who holds our very breath. It mocks the idea of putting trust in things we have made rather than the One who made us.
Applying the Lessons of Daniel 5 to Your Life
It teaches you that God takes holiness seriously and that you should approach Him and His things with deep respect. Just as Belshazzar faced judgment for mocking the Temple vessels in verses 2-3, you are encouraged to honor God in your worship and daily life.
You can stay humble by remembering that every talent, breath, and success you have is a gift from God, as Daniel explains in verse 23. Regularly acknowledging that God is the source of your strength helps keep your heart from becoming hardened by self-importance.
It means that God looks past your outward appearance or social status to see the actual substance of your character. In light of verse 27, this should motivate you to seek a life of integrity and faith that has real weight and value in God's eyes.
God Holds the Final Word
Daniel 5 declares that no human authority is beyond the reach of God's justice. While we may see leaders act with arrogance or disrespect, this chapter assures us that God is watching and that He will eventually set all things right. The message is a call to live with a healthy fear of the Lord, recognizing that our lives are a gift from Him. It invites us to find our security in the eternal Kingdom of God rather than the temporary empires of this world.
What This Means for Us Today
The story of the writing on the wall is an invitation to examine our own hearts before the 'weighing' happens. It calls us to turn away from the idols of success and pride and to honor the God who sustains us. By choosing humility today, we respond to God's grace and avoid the tragic end of those who refuse to listen.
- Is there an area of your life where you have been taking credit for what God has actually provided?
- How can you show more respect for the things of God in your daily routine?
- What 'lessons from the past' is God trying to teach you right now?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
Connections Across Scripture
A prophetic lament and judgment against Babylon that mirrors the themes of pride and sudden downfall found in Daniel 5.
Jesus's parable of the rich fool echoes the theme of a man who builds his own kingdom but forgets that God holds his life in His hands.
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think Belshazzar chose to use the Temple vessels specifically, and what does that say about his heart?
- Daniel refused the king's rewards before giving the interpretation. Why is it important for a person of God to be independent of worldly bribes?
- In what ways do people today 'praise the gods of silver and gold' instead of honoring the God who gives them breath?