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Commentaries
5:1 - 6:1
The Banquet of Belshazzar.
In reality, Belshazzar was not Nebuchadnezzar’s son but his grandson, and he was never king; instead, he served as regent for his father, Nabonidus, after Nabonidus retired to the desert. This shows that the Bible is not a book of absolute historical facts. What is important is God’s message: The three words written on the wall are measures of weight and signify that the days of Belshazzar’s reign, who had desecrated the sacred vessels, are numbered. One does not trifle with the “Most High God” (21-22).
6:2 - 6:29
Daniel in the Lions’ Den.
The final part of the first section of the book (chapters 1-6) is set during the reign of a specific Median king, Darius. In fact, the conqueror of Babylon was Cyrus of Persia (Is 45:1). In this book, the sequence of peoples who ruled Israel is: Babylon, Media, Persia, and Greece. The author’s primary focus is on the situation of religious persecution during the rule of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164 B.C.). Throughout all these stories, the core message remains the same: the Lord is the only king who holds dominion and wisdom. Although the Jews have lost their land, their temple, and their monarchy, they can still trust in their God.
Commentaries
The Banquet of Belshazzar.
In reality, Belshazzar was not Nebuchadnezzar’s son but his grandson, and he was never king; instead, he served as regent for his father, Nabonidus, after Nabonidus retired to the desert. This shows that the Bible is not a book of absolute historical facts. What is important is God’s message: The three words written on the wall are measures of weight and signify that the days of Belshazzar’s reign, who had desecrated the sacred vessels, are numbered. One does not trifle with the “Most High God” (21-22).
Daniel in the Lions’ Den.
The final part of the first section of the book (chapters 1-6) is set during the reign of a specific Median king, Darius. In fact, the conqueror of Babylon was Cyrus of Persia (Is 45:1). In this book, the sequence of peoples who ruled Israel is: Babylon, Media, Persia, and Greece. The author’s primary focus is on the situation of religious persecution during the rule of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164 B.C.). Throughout all these stories, the core message remains the same: the Lord is the only king who holds dominion and wisdom. Although the Jews have lost their land, their temple, and their monarchy, they can still trust in their God.