Vashti: The Forgotten Queen of Persia | My Jewish Learning 263-64. Montgomery, p. 253, citing Koldewey, Das wieder erstehende Babylon; and E. G. Kraeling, Rand McNally Bible Atlas, p. 327. This same son of the king is most probably mentioned . Belshazzar, Neo-Babylonian Bel-shar-usur, Greek Baltasar, or Balthasar, (died c. 539 bc), coregent of Babylon who was killed at the capture of the city by the Persians. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. About seventy years had elapsed since the capture of Jerusalem recorded in Daniel 1. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Belshazzar, How Stuff Works - History - Biography of Belshazzar. Contemporary civilization is similar to ancient Babylon in that it has much to foster human pride but little to provide human security. Through his mother, he might have been a grandson of Nebuchadnezzar II (r.605562 BC), though this is not certain and the claims to kinship with Nebuchadnezzar may have originated from royal propaganda. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this: But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: Daniels reply to the king is properly called a sermon, and as King says, What a great sermon it is!276 Daniel begins by disavowing any interest in the gifts or rewards which the king offered. According to Herodotus, Babylon was about fourteen miles square, with great outer walls 87 feet thick and 350 feet high, with a hundred great bronze gates in the walls. [43] Belshazzar appears to have worked to restore Marduk's status in his father's absence. 57-59; cf. What happened to King Belshazzar in the book of Daniel? But as they had been long aware of the restless spirit of Cyrus, and saw that he attacked all nations alike, they had laid up provisions for many years, and therefore were under no apprehensions about a siege. 5:31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. Daniel 2:26-45, Nebuchadnezzar begins siege of Jerusalem. Much as Babylon fell on that sixteenth day of Tishri (Oc. The queen uses the very words which presumably she had heard Nebuchadnezzar express (Dan 4:8, 9, 18). That very night Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed. Under these circumstances, Belshazzar would indeed be king of Babylon in the absence of his father. This explains why Belshazzar in the lineal descent from Nebuchadnezzar was honored as a coruler under Nabonidus. Having stationed the bulk of his army near the passage of the river where it enters Babylon, and again having stationed another division beyond the city, where the river makes its exit, he gave order to his forces to enter the city as soon as they should see the stream fordable. But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. He was clearly the highest legal authority in Babylonia during Nabonidus's absence. 24-26) as holding that only three kings are referred to, viz., Nebuchadnezzar, Evil-Merodach and Belshazzar. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 257 Montgomery mentions a marriage feast of Alexander with 10,000 guests (Montgomery, p. 250). 1., and Xenophon, inform us. Before morning they killed Belshazzar and took over his kingdom (v 31). 248 James A. Montgomery, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Daniel, p. 249. Daniel 5:18-21 . Belshazzar's feast: analysis. Most expositors disagree with Keil, who identifies Belshazzar with Evil-Merodach, preferring the identification of a son of Nabonidus, based on later evidence not available to Keil.255 The identifications of Leupold are more satisfactory.256. They were said to have had enough food stored up for 20 years. Under the stimulus of wine, the thought occurred to Belshazzar to bring in the gold and silver vessels taken from the temple in Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar almost seventy years before. He was given a Babylonian name - Belteshazzar, meaning "Bel Protect his Life." 9 out of the 12 chapters in Daniel revolve around dreams. - Daniel 5:5-29: Belshazzar is killed when Cyrus of Persia invades Babylon. In addressing the king, Daniel does not begin with a formal salutation as he does for instance in connection with Darius in Daniel 6:21 where he says, O king, live for ever. No doubt Daniel holds Belshazzar in contempt for his desecration of the sacred vessels. Leupold cites the ancient historian Ktesias to the effect that Persian monarchs frequently were known to dine daily with 15,000 people.257 M. E. 50:Mallowan mentions the great feast that Ashusnasirpal II gave to 69,574 guests when he dedicated his new capital city of Calah (Nimrud) in 879 b.c.258. Cf. He's also one of the most well-known Old Testament villains. Having stationed his forces and given these directions, he himself marched away with the ineffective part of his army; and having come to the lake, Cyrus did the same with respect to the river and the lake as the queen of the Babylonians had done; for having diverted the river, by means of a canal, into the lake, which was before a swamp, he made the ancient channel fordable by the sinking of the river. They would naturally want to hear what he had to say. In one case, sacred garments that Belshazzar ordered to be granted to a temple in Uruk were held back because Nabonidus had given a contrary order before departing for Tayma. After his murder the conspirators held a meeting, and by common consent conferred the kingdom upon Nabonnedus, a Babylonian and one of their gang. She had not attended the banquet. . 114 ff. However, the narration here must be considered in the form of a condensation; and probably Daniel addressed the king in a formal way. In the Neo-Babylonian Empire, oaths were typically sworn by the king, and several gods, by individuals who were going to conduct various services. B. Pritchard, ed., Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, pp. Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. His son, Laborosoardoch, a mere boy, occupied it for nine months, when, owing to the depraved disposition which he showed, a conspiracy was formed against him, and he was beaten to death by his friends. 5:30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. . The fall of Lydia in 546 BC meant that the Neo-Babylonian Empire was now effectively encircled by a stronger kingdom which had nearly unlimited resources at its disposal. [13], Belshazzar's father was proclaimed as king in May 556 BC,[14] and by the end of June, tablets recognising Nabonidus are known from across Babylonia. 251 H. H. Rowley, The Historicity of the Fifth Chapter of Daniel, Journal of Theological Studies 32:12. 266 Herodotus, History of the Persian Wars, 1:178-83. Daniel (biblical figure) - Wikipedia Now, in chapter 5, this prophecy is about to be fulfilled. The command given to Abraham to cut in pieces three heifers (Genesis 15:9) as a part of the covenant established between him and his God was thus elucidated as symbolizing Babylonia, which gave rise to three kings, Nebuchadnezzar, Amel-Marduk, and Belshazzar, whose doom is prefigured by this act of "cutting to pieces" (Midrash Genesis Rabbah xliv.). Instead, documents from the period in which Belshazzar was regent continued to be dated after the years of Nabonidus's reign. Belshazzar (Balthazar), on the other hand, disappeared from history around 540 BC, when Darius the Great would have been roughly ten years of age. It was hard for the Babylonians to believe that even the Medes and the Persians who had surrounded their beloved city could possibly breach the fortifications or exhaust their supplies which were intended to be ample for a siege of many years. See J. T. Milik, Priere de Nabonide et autres ecrits dun cycle de Daniel, Revue Biblique 63:407-15. 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. [54] Belshazzar is killed that night, and Darius the Mede takes the kingdom. The situation before Belshazzar had all the elements of a great drama. The large reward that was offered, however, was to no avail, for the wise men who assembled could not read the writing nor interpret it. When Daniel was brought before the king, he addressed a natural question to reassure himself of the identity of Daniel. 115-19; Keil, pp. 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". They said, "Has not the king ordered us to put to death anyone who attempts to enter the palace, though he claims to be the king himself?" He knew Daniel and knew the history of Nebuchadnezzars experience with Gods chastening. Although the size of the banquet is not amazing, the situation was most unusual. Nebuchadnezzar II | Biography, Accomplishments, & Facts 7:1; 8:1). Daniel read the writing and Belshazzar made him the third ruler in the kingdom. His concern was shared by the entire assembly. Daniel as the prophet of God is the channel through which divine revelation would come, and Belshazzar in his extremity was willing to listen. This page was last edited on 31 March 2023, at 23:09. The prophet Daniel, interpreting the handwriting on the wall as God's judgment on the king, foretold the imminent destruction of the city. Her address is courteous, O king, live for ever, but directly to the point. More specifically of the invasion of the Medes, Isaiah writes, Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media (Is 21:2), and continues, after describing their dismay, My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me. That would make him about 85 to ninety years old at his death. His grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken these cups from the Temple in Jerusalem. Daniel does not explain the difficulty in reading the writing on the wall, but the problem apparently was not that it was a strange language but rather what the words signified prophetically. Jeremiah is explicit, And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts. - Daniel 5:30 . Daniel 1:18-20, Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzars dream about a statue made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and clay. 275 Arthur Jeffery, The Book of Daniel, Introduction and Exegesis, in The Interpreters Bible, 6:426. It is possible in the decline of the Babylonian Empire that the number of the wise men was far more limited at this point in history than it was under Nebuchadnezzars reign. 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. O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. Although it is possible to question the historicity of portions of the Prayer of Nabonidus, as it is undoubtedly apocryphal, the consensus of both liberal and conservative scholarship seems to take the account as repeating in the main a true story. Darius notes Daniels good qualities and plans to elevate him to the highest administrative position. It seems clear that Belshazzar knew something of Daniel, for his form of address in verse 13 goes beyond the information supplied by his mother. Charles, for instance, suggests that the writing was in unfamiliar ideograms.272 This, however, is mere conjecture. 208-14. When Nebuchadnezzar died, Daniel was one of the most powerful men in Babylon and doubtless had his own house and was well provisioned for retirement. 253 The new evidence confirming the theory that Nabonidus was absent is found in the statement in the Prayer of Nabonidus that Nabonidus was at the oasis of Teima in Arabia at this time. Daniel dies at 84 years old. Leupold suggests that PHARSIN could be understood by changing the vowels to be Persians284 and might have a double meaning as indicated by Daniels explanation given to the Medes and Persians. A pun may be intended on this third word. Whether, therefore, someone else made the suggestion to him in his perplexity, or whether he himself devised the plan, he had recourse to the following stratagem. All 66 books; Old Testament books; . the interesting discussion of Belshazzar by C. Boutflower, In and Around the Book of Daniel, pp. Old Testament Table of Contents Belshazzar's Impious Feast 1 Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. The Cross And Christs Suffering For Sins (1 Peter 3:18-22), 6. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. For pictures and further details, see R. K. Harrison, Babylon, in The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary, pp. MENE could be considered equivalent to the maneh of Ezekiel 45:12; Ezra 2:69. [57], In the Book of Daniel, Belshazzar is not malevolent (he rewards Daniel and raises him to high office). TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. Belshazzar, being greatly alarmed at the mysterious handwriting on the wall, and apprehending that someone in disguise might enter the palace with murderous intent, ordered his doorkeepers to behead anyone who attempted to force an entrance that night, even though such person should claim to be the king himself. feast at which the writing appeared on the wall, Belshazzar was killed and Darius the Mede took over Babylon (Daniel 5:30). This is the first point at which this ch. 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. I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. 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. 00:00. The first is the Babylonian king whom Daniel records was feasting when Babylon fell (Dan. This article is about the Babylonian prince. Critics, having to recede from their former position that no such person existed, have since centered their attack on the fact that the word king does not occur in connection with Belshazzar on any extant Babylonian records.250 The establishment of Nabonidus as the father of Belshazzar, or at least his stepfather, nullifies most of the critical objections, although Rowley in an extensive discussion maintains stoutly that to call Belshazzar a king must still be pronounced a grave historical error.251, Since Rowley, however, even liberal scholars have tended to accept the explanation that Belshazzar acted as a regent under his father, Nabonidus. As mentioned before, Belshazzar was the grandson of King Nebuchadnezzar. "Belshazzar". [17] After the accession of his father, Belshazzar emerges in the sources as a prominent businessman and the head of a wealthy household, a role that was typically not picked up by members of the royal family in the Neo-Babylonian period. There Nabonnedus spent the remainder of his life, and there he died^ Flavius Josephus. Since there is little change in the prominent members of Neriglissar's and Labashi-Marduk's former household under Belshazzar, it is probable that Belshazzar becoming the master of the household was met with relatively little opposition. 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. 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. [46][47] The sources also do not make Belshazzar's location clear, but it appears that he was stationed some distance away from Babylon, but that he also was no longer in Sippar, where he had stationed himself in 546 BC out of fear of Cyrus. As the writing according to Daniel was written over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the kings palace, it may have appeared in an area of greater illumination than the rest of the room and thus also have attracted more attention. When Nabonidus went into exile (550), he entrusted Belshazzar with the throne and the major part of his army. Their confidence in their gods was bolstered by their confidence in their city. 11 b ). Though oaths for most of the regency only refer to Nabonidus, some oaths from late in the regency were sworn by "the majesty of Nabonidus, king of Babylon, and Belshazzar, his son", or even by "the majesty of Nabonidus and Belshazzar". Belshazzar's fate is not known, since none of the sources record it. Home; Blog; Bible survey. Belshazzar informs Daniel of the inability of all the wise men either to read or to interpret the writing. For discussion of Josephus account, see Keil, pp. Daniel 12:13, Cyrus allows the Jews to return to Judea and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. One possibility, suggested by Paul-Alain Beaulieu, is that Belshazzar was put in charge of Babylonia's defense and was moving with the army along the northern and eastern border. Herodotus's description of Nitocris contains a wealth of legendary material that makes it difficult to determine whether he uses the name to refer to Nabonidus's wife or mother, but William H. Shea proposed in 1982 that Nitocris may tentatively be identified as the name of Nabonidus's wife and Belshazzar's mother. [25] In 546 BC, Cyrus the Great crossed the Tigris to invade Lydia, ostensibly a Babylonian ally, and though Belshazzar took up a defensive position with his army, perhaps expecting a sudden Persian attack against Babylonia itself, no aid was sent to the Lydians, who were swiftly conquered by Cyrus. - Daniel 12:13: 538 BC: Cyrus allows the Jews to return to Judea and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem . Too often the world, like Belshazzar, is not willing to seek the wisdom of God until its own bankruptcy becomes evident. As Keil expresses it, It is not quite certain what the princely situation is which was promised to the interpreter of the writing That it is not the ordinale of the number third, is, since Havernick, now generally acknowledged.270 However, recent scholarship has tended to confirm the translation the third ruler. Franz Rosenthal, for instance, confidently translates the term one-third (ruler), triumvir.271. Daniel had a reputation among the Babylonian courts. Daniel read the writing and Belshazzar made him the third ruler in the kingdom. Only Babylon with its massive walls and fortifications remained intact. Although the Scriptures do not state so expressly, it is probable that the message of Daniel to the king was heard by the entire company. The effect upon the king and his associates was immediate. "That two deserters, Gadatas and Gobryas, having assisted some of the Persian army to kill the guards, and seize upon . . 5:1-30) and during whose reign he received two visions (Dan. And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. On his death Neriglisar, his murderer, succeeded to the throne and reigned four years. It is related by the people who inhabited this city, that, by reason of its great extent, when they who were at the extremities were taken, those of the Babylonians who inhabited the centre knew nothing of the capture (for it happened to be a festival); but they were dancing at the time, and enjoying themselves, till they received certain information of the truth. Belshazzar goes on in verse 14 to repeat what his mother had said concerning Daniels wisdom. Nebuchadnezzars humiliating experience in chapter 4 had been followed by his death in 562 b.c. 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. If she were the wife of Nabonidus who was in captivity she probably would not have desired to come alone. Daniel 6:21-22, Darius orders Daniel to be freed out of the lions den and have the administrators thrown in instead, along with their wives and children. In his reign the walls of Babylon abutting on the river were magnificently built with baked brick and bitumen. As Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he ordered his servants to bring the gold and silver cups. A. Brinkman, Probably the first recorded mention of Belshazzar, Prince of Babylonia under Nabonnedus is in a cuneiform text 135 in a collection at the Archaeological Museum in Florence published in 1958-60 by Professor Karl Ober-huber of the University of Innsbruck. It may well be that because of awareness of his ancestry and religious convictions that Daniel had been demoted by Belshazzar himself. Later, King Nebuchadnezzar had another dream, and again Daniel was able to interpret it. The famed hanging gardens of Babylon were large enough to support trees. Daniel 5:1-25 King Belshazzar gave a big party for 1000 of his - Bible Belshazzar Bible Story - Deadly Mistakes & History - Crosswalk.com (30-31) The death of Belshazzar and the rise of Darius the Mede. 315-16. Belshazzar Babylonian King - Amazing Bible Timeline When the Medes and Persians under Cyrus The Cross And Unjust Suffering (1 Peter 2:19-25). Belshazzar died after Babylon fell to the Persian general Gobyras without resistance on Oct. 12, 539, and probably before the Persian king Cyrus II entered the city 17 days later. I Keep Smelling Perm Solution, Can Ninebark Be Divided, Trio Community Meals Locations, Obgyn That Accepts Soonercare In Tulsa, Ok, List Of Funerals At Maidstone Crematorium, Articles H
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