When the Medes and Persians under Cyrus Because of the variety of words that could be identified merely by the consonants, another suggestion has been made. [30] Though it is clear that Belshazzar during his father's absence assumed many responsibilities typically only held by the king,[22] several prerogatives were also kept solely by Nabonidus. Belshazzar (prince of Bel), the last king of Babylon.In ( Daniel 5:2) Nebuchadnezzar is called the father of Belshazzar.This, of course, need only mean grandfather or ancestor. In many respects, modern civilization is much like ancient Babylon, resplendent with its monuments of architectural triumph, as secure as human hands and ingenuity could make it, and yet defenseless against the judgment of God at the proper hour. 9. After a decisive victory at the battle of Opis, the Persian army, on 12 October,[48] led by Ugbaru, entered Babylon without a fight. [26] The purpose for this prolonged stay, effectively self-exile, in Tayma are unclear and debated. . Some have found, in the six materials mentioned, a typical reference to the number of the world amenable to judgment because of its hostility to God.264 In the original, the gods of gold and silver are separated by the conjunction and, not true of the listing of the gods of brass, iron, wood, and stone, as if there were two classes of deities. Nabonidus also had certain inscriptions made during the period of the regency edited to add prayers urging Belshazzar and the people of Babylonia to accept and receive Sn's blessing. Was Nebuchadnezzar a believer? One preserved document, which regards the granting of the privilege to cultivate a tract of land belonging to the Eanna temple in Uruk, is virtually identical to similar privileges issued by Nabonidus, though it is specified to have been issued by Belshazzar. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. The Cross And Christs Suffering For Sins (1 Peter 3:18-22), 6. Although there are alternative explanations and some dates vary, this succession of kings and identification of characters seems to have reasonable justification. This page was last edited on 31 March 2023, at 23:09. 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. The Medes and Persians managed to slip into the city secretly while all the Babylonians feasted. 3 . Daniel 5:1-4, A handwriting appears on the wall and Belshazzar calls for Daniel who interprets it as a judgement from God. There was, however, nothing insolent or discourteous in Daniels address to the king; and the charges were stated in a factual and objective way. King Belshazzar wanted his royal people, his wives . He was 62 years old. As mentioned before, Belshazzar was the grandson of King Nebuchadnezzar. 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. Corrections? Daniel as the prophet of God is the channel through which divine revelation would come, and Belshazzar in his extremity was willing to listen. The inability of the wise men to decipher the writing only increased the concern of Belshazzar. 117-20. He believed that Babylon was safe. This would involve the premise that Nabonidus, although usually living at Teima, had returned to Babylon for a visit just prior to the siege of Babylon, had gone out to battle before Babylon was actually surrounded, and then was defeated, thereby permitting the Persians to besiege Babylon itself. Nebuchadnezzars humiliating experience in chapter 4 had been followed by his death in 562 b.c. [50], In the Book of Daniel, Belshazzar (Hebrew: , Blaar)[1] plays a significant role in the tale of Belshazzar's feast, a variation on the story of Nebuchadnezzar's madness showing what happens when a king does not repent. Daniel 4:27-37. Even while Daniel was interpreting the writing on the wall, the prophecy was being fulfilled as the Medes and the Persians poured into the city. As he could lease out temple land, this suggests that Belshazzar, in administrative matters, could act with full royal power. What Daniel is saying is that he will give an unprejudiced interpretation with no attempt to seek favor from the king. 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. In some cases, such as a ritual performed at the tempel of Bunene in Sippar, inscriptions attribute it to Nabonidus while surviving letters prove that Belshazzar was responsible. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. In his reign the walls of Babylon abutting on the river were magnificently built with baked brick and bitumen. Instead, in verse 18 he recognizes him as king but then immediately delivers his prophetic message of condemnation. Keil, pp. 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. John F. Walvoord, long-time president of Dallas Theological Seminary, was one of the most prominent evangelical scholars of his generation. The word MENE means numbered, and Daniel interprets this in verse 26 as indicating God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. It is in keeping with the idea that mans days are numbered, and the repetition of the word twice is probably for emphasis. But the Babylonians, having taken the field, awaited his coming; and when he had advanced near the city, the Babylonians gave battle, and, being defeated, were shut up in the city. Then the kings countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. Belshazzar is not mentioned in building inscriptions, which usually mention the king responsible. He knew for instance that Daniel was of the captivity of Judah and that he was one of the captives which Nebuchadnezzar had brought out of Jerusalem. : heart) (and therefore) ordered him to march against his city Babylon He made him set out on the road to Babylon going at his side like a real friend. Herodotus gives a glowing account of Babylon as a monument to the genius of Nebuchadnezzar and undoubtedly a source of much pride to all the Babylonians. One can well imagine the tense moment as these ringing words reached every ear in the vast hall in the deathlike silence that greeted Daniels prophetic utterance. 89-93. According to Daniel, his countenance changed, that is, changed color and became pale. The implication in the clause whiles he tasted the wine is that Belshazzar in his right mind probably would not have committed this sacrilegious act. Hearing the unusual clamor at the banquet and learning of the distress of her son, because of her position she was able to enter the banquet hall freely and speak to the king. 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. At Daniel's request, his three countrymen were also placed in positions of authority as administrators of Babylon. [25] October 543 BC is the return date most supported by surviving Babylonian documentation. While the feast was in progress with its drinking of wine and shouting of praises to the gods of Babylon, suddenly there appeared the fingers of a mans hand which wrote on the plastered wall of the palace. [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. Nabonidus was absent from Babylon from 553 BC to 543 or 542 BC, in self-imposed "exile" at Tayma in Arabia, for unknown reasons. E. J. 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.). How old was Daniel when Belshazzar was king? [10] It is alternatively possible that later traditions of Belshazzar being a descendant of Nebuchadnezzar are derived from royal propaganda, and that there was no connection to the previous ruling Chaldean dynasty. 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. 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. Although such ancient records are notoriously inaccurate and at best are fragmentary, the argument of the critics was that Belshazzar never existed because his name did not appear in any of the ancient records. The information embodied in these two visions, insofar as Daniel understood it, therefore was known to Daniel before the event of chapter 5 which chronologically came after chapters 7 and 8. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. 67-68. A. v. 29-30 Belshazzar Died A Sudden Death - "In that night" - While Belshazzar partied, his enemies were encamped around Babylon. There are various theories concerning Nabonidus's origins, and in turn what claim he had to the throne, since it is not made clear in any contemporary sources. There Nabonnedus spent the remainder of his life, and there he died^ Flavius Josephus. 257 Montgomery mentions a marriage feast of Alexander with 10,000 guests (Montgomery, p. 250). Here was Daniel, an old man well in his eighties, with the marks of godly living evident in his bearingin sharp contrast to the wine-flushed faces of the crowd. In beginning his explanation of the handwriting on the wall, Daniel first of all reads the writing; and for the first time, the words are introduced into the text of this chapter. This is the first point at which this ch. Because he could hardly proclaim himself as king while his father was still alive, Belshazzar proclaimed Nabonidus as king. How old was Daniel when Belshazzar was king? Although the size of the banquet is not amazing, the situation was most unusual. Although the precise identity of Belshazzar may continue to be debated, available facts support accepting Daniels designation of Belshazzar as king. That means Daniel was 36 years old when Jerusalem and Solomon's temple were destroyed. 5:31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. On the other hand, such a careful scholar as Edward J. 271 F. Rosenthal, A Grammar of Biblical Aramaic, p. 71. [12][29] Though this period has often been dubbed a "co-regency", Belshazzar never assumed an official title. So broad and strong were the walls that chariots four abreast could parade around its top. Young suggests, after some of the rabbis, that the characters may have been written vertically,281 and in that case in the Aramaic order they would have appeared as follows: If, in addition to the complications of the Aramaic, a language which was known, some unfamiliar form of their characters was used, it would indeed have required divine revelation to give a suitable explanation and interpretation, and may account for the difficulty in reading the writing. Her address is courteous, O king, live for ever, but directly to the point. [8], Belshazzar was the son of Nabonidus,[9] an elderly courtier who would rise to become the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. . Nebuchadnezzar dies and is replaced by a succession of short-lived kings. Daniel 2:26-45, Nebuchadnezzar begins siege of Jerusalem. 246 Eusebius, Praeper. Only Babylon with its massive walls and fortifications remained intact. Daniel 6:26-27, Daniel prays and fasts about what lies ahead and the Jewish peoples indifference to their captivity. He was instead filled with terror to the point that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. In his excitement, he no longer could sit down but hardly had the strength to stand. Much speculation has arisen concerning the expression that he offered them the position of being the third ruler in the kingdom. There is some question as to whether the Aramaic indicates specifically the third ruler. The ordinal numeral would be tlitay (as in Dan 2:39) whereas the Aramaic here is actually talti. "That two deserters, Gadatas and Gobryas, having assisted some of the Persian army to kill the guards, and seize upon . 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. [56], The broad consensus among scholars is that the Book of Daniel was compiled shortly after the Maccabean Revolt in the 160s BC. . In any case, the king was in no position to dispute with Daniel, even though Daniels words brought even greater fear and apprehension to his heart. In any event, there is no proof for the suggestion discussed by Keil that the classification of wise men mentioned purposely excluded Daniel. This distinction is supported by Keil.265, Their pride in their deities may have been bolstered by the magnificence of the city of Babylon itself, interpreted as an evidence of the power of their gods. Archeological research is complicated by a change in the course of the Euphrates River and a higher water level, but more than 10,000 inscribed texts have been discovered. 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. It would have been quite improper for the entire company to keep on talking, especially in these dramatic circumstances, when Daniel was reporting to the king. 249 According to J. 248 James A. Montgomery, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Daniel, p. 249. Apprised of his coming, Nabonnedus led his army to meet him, fought and was defeated, whereupon he fled with a few followers and shut himself up in the town of Borsippa. The prophet Daniel, interpreting the handwriting on the wall as God's judgment on the king, foretold the imminent destruction of the city. [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. 184-85. This article is about the Babylonian prince. This explains why Belshazzar in the lineal descent from Nebuchadnezzar was honored as a coruler under Nabonidus. The Babylonian chronicles describe the actions and conquests of Cyrus in detail throughout Belshazzar's regency. Ezra 6:14-18. Montgomery, p. 253, citing Koldewey, Das wieder erstehende Babylon; and E. G. Kraeling, Rand McNally Bible Atlas, p. 327. What do I do about calling a priest father at my Catholic University? 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. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. He delivered into his (1:e., Cyrus) hands Nabonidus, the king who did not worship him (i.e., Marduk).287. Now these holy vessels are distributed among the crowd and used as vessels from which to drink wine. Nebuchadnezzar II, also spelled Nebuchadrezzar II, (born c. 630died c. 561 bce), second and greatest king of the Chaldean dynasty of Babylonia (reigned c. 605-c. 561 bce). For discussion of Josephus account, see Keil, pp. 5:30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. Daniel 6:1-6, The administrators who are envious of Daniel tricks Darius to issue a decree prohibiting anyone to worship in the next thirty days or be thrown to the lions den. His concern was shared by the entire assembly. There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation. He knew Daniel and knew the history of Nebuchadnezzars experience with Gods chastening. 283 Ibid., p. 126; cf. 245 The actual text of Berosus is as follows: After beginning the wall of which I have spoken, Nabuchodonosor fell sick and died, after a reign of forty-three years, and the realm passed to his son Evilmaraduch. [54] Belshazzar is killed that night, and Darius the Mede takes the kingdom. The chronology of the three Babylonian kings is given in the Talmud as follows: Nebuchadnezzar reigned forty-five years, Evil-merodach twenty-three, and Belshazzar was monarch of Babylonia for two years, being killed at the beginning of the third year on the fatal night of the fall of Babylon (Meg. If, however, the Babylonians had been aware of it beforehand, or had known what Cyrus was about, they would not have suffered the Persians to enter the city, but would have utterly destroyed them; for, having shut all the little gates that lead to the river, and mounting the walls that extend along the banks of the river, they would have caught them as in a net; whereas the Persians came upon them by surprise. The outer wall seems to have been only seventeen miles in circumference, instead of about fifty-six as Herodotus claimed, with much fewer towers and gates; and probably even the towers were not more than 100 feet tall. 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. The text is definitely from the sixth century B.C. 268 Cf. His widespread troopstheir number, like that of the water of a river, could not be establishedstrolled along, their weapons packed away. A voice tells him the meaning of the vision, and Daniel lies exhausted by the vision for many days after. 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. The queen urged, however, that now he be brought in to solve the present problem. Isaiah 14:22, "And I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of hosts, and cut off from Babylon name and remnant and son and grandchild, saith the Lord", is applied to the trio: "Name" to Nebuchadnezzar, "remnant" to Amel-Marduk, "son" to Belshazzar, and "grandchild" Vashti (ib.). [42], It is possible that a noteworthy return to orthodox Babylonian religion, following early attempts by Nabonidus to exalt the moon god Sn over the traditional Babylonian supreme deity Marduk, can be attributed to Belshazzar. When Nebuchadnezzar's son King Belshazzar uses the vessels from the Jewish temple for his feast, a hand appears and writes a mysterious . Daniel had a reputation among the Babylonian courts. During his coregency Belshazzar administered the government, his own estates, and those of his father, though, according to the Book of Daniel, famine and economic setbacks occurred late in his rule. Daniel experiences a vision of the four terrifying beasts but kept the vision to himself. Belshazzar also lacked many of the prerogatives of kingship, most importantly he was not allowed to preside over and officiate the Babylonian New Year's festival, which was the exclusive right of the king himself. 288 John C. Whitcomb, Jr., Darius the Mede, p. 73. - Daniel 5:30 . [5][6][7] Daniel's Belshazzar is not malevolent (he, for instance, rewards Daniel for his interpretation of "the writing on the wall"), but in later Jewish tradition Belshazzar was presented as a tyrant who oppresses the Jewish people. 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. Daniel first reminds Belshazzar that God gave Nebuchadnezzar his great kingdom and the honor that went with it. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. [15] Belshazzar's father came to the throne as a result of a conspiracy that saw the deposition and murder of the previous king, Labashi-Marduk. Nabonidus left Babylon in May 553 BC to campaign in the west. The long chapter devoted to this incident which brought the Babylonian Empire to its close is undoubtedly recorded in the Word of God not only for its historic fulfillment of the prophecies relative to the Babylonian Empire but also as an illustration of divine dealing with a wicked world. In vain did he pled that he was the king. 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 Verse Account of Nabonidus states that Nabonidus campaigned in Arabia with the "army of Akkad" (possibly referring to troops of Babylonian origin) whereas Belshazzar was entrusted at home with the "army of all the lands" (possibly referring to troops of foreign origin). This would be understandable if she was elderly and the widow of Nebuchadnezzar. As in the previous instances in Daniel 2 and 4, the wisdom of the world is demonstrated to be totally unable to solve its major problems and to understand either the present or the future. 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. Nebuchadnezzar II was the eldest son and successor of Nabopolassar, founder of the Chaldean empire. [24] Nabonidus made Tayma his provisional seat and he would stay there for about a decade, not returning to Babylon until September or October of 543 or 542 BC. All of this proved that God was greater than Nebuchadnezzar and held him responsible for his authority. For pictures and further details, see R. K. Harrison, Babylon, in The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary, pp. Nabonidus was allowed to live in Carmania until the time of his death, but he was not allowed to come to Babylonia.245, The account of Berosus preserved by Josephus is supported by other evidence such as the short fragment of Abydenus preserved by Eusebius.246, Until the discovery of the Nabonidus Cylinder, no mention of Belshazzar, whom Daniel declares to be king of Babylon, had been found in extrabiblical literature. Belshazzar then offers Daniel the same promise he made to the others of being clothed with scarlet and having a chain of gold and the privilege of being the third ruler in the kingdom, that is, the triumvir. See also Leupold, pp. If Belshazzar began his reign in 553 b.c, when Nabonidus went to Teima, the visions of chapters 7 and 8 actually occurred about twelve years before the events of chapter 5. Much has been made of the reference of Belshazzars relationship to Nebuchadnezzar, who is described as his father in verse 2; and even Keil is influenced by this to consider Belshazzar a literal son of Nebuchadnezzar.261 This is not entirely impossible, of course, for as Leupold shows,262 Nabonidus could have married a widow of Nebuchadnezzar who had a son by Nebuchadnezzar who then could be adopted by Nabonidus by way of strengthening his own hold upon the throne. [29][1] The Verse Account of Nabonidus, a biased[13] document probably written after Nabonidus was deposed by Cyrus the Great, states that Nabonidus entrusted Belshazzar with the kingship, but there are no records of Belshazzar assuming the royal title.
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