Daniel 5:2 - Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded that the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem be brought to him; that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink from them.
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What does "Daniel 5:2" mean?
This verse sets the scene for the dramatic events that unfold in Daniel chapter 5. Let's break it down:
"Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine...": Belshazzar was the acting king of Babylon. He was indulging in a feast, likely a lavish and drunken one. "While he tasted the wine" emphasizes the revelry and the fact that his judgement was likely impaired.
"...commanded that the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem be brought to him...": Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar's predecessor (although the term "father" can also mean ancestor), had conquered Jerusalem and looted the Temple. These vessels were sacred items used in the worship of God.
"...that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink from them.": Belshazzar's motivation was not just to use the vessels, but to desecrate them. He wanted to show off his power and mock the God of Israel by using these holy objects for common, profane purposes within a drunken feast. This was a deliberate act of sacrilege.
In essence, this verse shows Belshazzar's arrogance, recklessness, and disrespect for the God of Israel. This act of defiance is the catalyst for the divine judgment that immediately follows, where a mysterious hand appears and writes on the wall, predicting Belshazzar's downfall.
Daniel 5:2 - Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded that the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem be brought to him; that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink from them.
What does "Daniel 5:2" mean?
This verse sets the scene for the dramatic events that unfold in Daniel chapter 5. Let's break it down:
"Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine...": Belshazzar was the acting king of Babylon. He was indulging in a feast, likely a lavish and drunken one. "While he tasted the wine" emphasizes the revelry and the fact that his judgement was likely impaired.
"...commanded that the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem be brought to him...": Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar's predecessor (although the term "father" can also mean ancestor), had conquered Jerusalem and looted the Temple. These vessels were sacred items used in the worship of God.
"...that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink from them.": Belshazzar's motivation was not just to use the vessels, but to desecrate them. He wanted to show off his power and mock the God of Israel by using these holy objects for common, profane purposes within a drunken feast. This was a deliberate act of sacrilege.
In essence, this verse shows Belshazzar's arrogance, recklessness, and disrespect for the God of Israel. This act of defiance is the catalyst for the divine judgment that immediately follows, where a mysterious hand appears and writes on the wall, predicting Belshazzar's downfall.