The Beginning:
Belshazzar, ruler in Babylon, holds a great feast and drinks wine with his nobles. In a display of arrogance, he orders the gold and silver vessels taken from the Jerusalem temple to be brought in. He and his guests drink from them while praising their gods.
The Middle:
Suddenly, fingers of a human hand appear and write on the palace wall, and the king is terrified. Belshazzar calls for the wise men to read and interpret the writing, offering honor and high rank, but none can explain it. The queen advises Belshazzar to summon Daniel, known for insight and wisdom. Daniel refuses the king’s gifts, reminds him how God humbled Nebuchadnezzar, and rebukes Belshazzar for not honoring “the God in whose hand is your breath,” especially by profaning the temple vessels.
The End:
Daniel reads and interprets the message as God’s judgment: Belshazzar’s days are numbered, his kingdom is found wanting, and it will be divided and given to the Medes and Persians. Belshazzar still commands that Daniel be honored as promised. That same night, Belshazzar is killed, and Darius the Mede receives the kingdom.
This account emphasizes God’s sovereignty over kings and empires and his authority to judge human pride and sacrilege. The profaning of the temple vessels highlights that Israel’s God is not defeated by exile; his holiness remains, and misuse of what is devoted to him brings accountability. The story also presents God as the one who “weighs” rulers and nations, revealing that political power does not override divine justice. In exile and restoration themes, Daniel stands as a faithful witness: God preserves his people and speaks his verdict even within foreign courts.
Royal banquets in the ancient Near East often served political and religious purposes, displaying power and honoring patron deities. The use of captured temple vessels in such feasts functioned as a public claim that the conqueror’s gods had triumphed. Daniel 5 reverses that symbolism by portraying the God of Israel as the true judge of Babylon’s rulers and the one who determines the transfer of kingdoms.
“The God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.” — Daniel 5:23
Answer the questions below. When you choose an option, you will see the result and an explanation.
1. What did Belshazzar order to be brought in during his feast?
2. What happened that same night after Daniel interpreted the writing on the wall?