New English Translation
Daniel 5:2
2While under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar issued an order to bring in the gold and silver vessels – the ones that Nebuchadnezzar his father had confiscated from the temple in Jerusalem – so that the king and his nobles, together with his wives and his concubines, could drink from them.
Daniel 5:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.
- New King James Version (NKJV)While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.
Context of Daniel 5:2
1King Belshazzar prepared a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in front of them all. While under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar issued an order to bring in the gold and silver vessels – the ones that Nebuchadnezzar his father had confiscated from the temple in Jerusalem – so that the king and his nobles, together with his wives and his concubines, could drink from them. 3So they brought the gold and silver vessels that had been confiscated from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, together with his wives and concubines, drank from them. 4As they drank wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
Read all of Daniel 5Daniel 5:2 word by word
בֵּלְשַׁאצַּ֞ר אֲמַ֣ר׀ בִּטְעֵ֣ם חַמְרָ֗א לְהַיְתָיָה֙ לְמָאנֵי֙ דַּהֲבָ֣א וְכַסְפָּ֔א דִּ֤י הַנְפֵּק֙ נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֣ר אֲב֔וּהִי מִן־הֵיכְלָ֖א דִּ֣י בִירוּשְׁלֶ֑ם וְיִשְׁתּ֣וֹן בְּה֗וֹן מַלְכָּא֙ וְרַבְרְבָנ֔וֹהִי שֵׁגְלָתֵ֖הּ וּלְחֵנָתֵֽהּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Belshazzarבֵּֽלְאשַׁצַּר, בֵּלְשַׁאצַּרbêlsha'tstsar · BelshazzarH1113
- whiles he tastedטְעֵםţe‛êm · commandH2942
- the wineחֲמַרchămar · wineH2562
- commandedאֲמַר'ămar · to sayH560
- to bringאֲתָה'âthâh 'âthâ' · to comeH858
- the goldenדְּהַבdehab · goldH1722
- and silverכְּסַףkesaph · silverH3702
- vesselsמָאןmâ'n · utensilH3984
- which his fatherאַב'ab · fatherH2
- Nebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר, נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּרnebûkkadnetstsar · NebuchadnezzarH5020
- had takenנְפַקnephaq · to go outH5312
- out ofמִן־min · fromH4481
- the templeהֵיכַלhêykal · templeH1965
- in Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlêm · JerusalemH3390
- that the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
- and his princesרַבְרְבָןrabrebân · nobleH7261
- his wivesשֵׁגָלshêgâl · consortH7695
- and his concubinesלְחֵנָהlechênâh · concubineH3904
- might drinkשְׁתָהshethâh · to drinkH8355
Cross-references for Daniel 5:2
- Daniel 1:2Now the Lord delivered King Jehoiakim of Judah into his power, along with some of the vessels of the temple of God. He brought them to the land of Babylonia to the temple of his god and put the vessels in the treasury of his god.
- 2 Kings 24:13Nebuchadnezzar took from there all the riches in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace. He removed all the gold items which King Solomon of Israel had made for the Lord’s temple, just as the Lord had warned.
- 2 Kings 25:15The captain of the royal guard took the golden and silver censers and basins.
- 2 Chronicles 36:10At the beginning of the year King Nebuchadnezzar ordered him to be brought to Babylon, along with the valuable items in the Lord’s temple. In his place he made his relative Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.
- Ezra 1:7Then King Cyrus brought out the vessels of the Lord’s temple which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and had displayed in the temple of his gods.
- Jeremiah 27:16I also told the priests and all the people, “The Lord says, ‘Do not listen to what your prophets are saying. They are prophesying to you that the valuable articles taken from the Lord’s temple will be brought back from Babylon very soon. But they are prophesying a lie to you.
- Jeremiah 52:19The captain of the royal guard took the gold and silver bowls, censers, basins, pots, lampstands, pans, and vessels.
- Daniel 5:11There is a man in your kingdom who has within him a spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, he proved to have insight, discernment, and wisdom like that of the gods. King Nebuchadnezzar your father appointed him chief of the magicians, astrologers, wise men, and diviners.
- 2 Samuel 9:7David said to him, “Don’t be afraid, because I will certainly extend kindness to you for the sake of Jonathan your father. You will be a regular guest at my table.”
- 2 Kings 8:25In the twelfth year of the reign of Israel’s King Joram, son of Ahab, Jehoram’s son Ahaziah became king over Judah.
- 2 Chronicles 11:20He later married Maacah the daughter of Absalom. She bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
- 2 Chronicles 15:16King Asa also removed Maacah his grandmother from her position as queen mother because she had made a loathsome Asherah pole. Asa cut down her Asherah pole and crushed and burned it in the Kidron Valley.
- Jeremiah 27:7All nations must serve him and his son and grandson until the time comes for his own nation to fall. Then many nations and great kings will in turn subjugate Babylon.
- Daniel 5:4As they drank wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
Commentaries on Daniel 5:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Whiles he tasted the wine - He relished it, got heated by it, and when Wine got fully in, Wit went wholly out; and in consequence he acted the profane part of which we immediately read.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine - As the effect of tasting the wine - stating a fact which is illustrated in every age and land, that men, under the influence of intoxicating drinks, will do what they would not do when sober. In his sober moments it would seem probable that he would have respected the vessels consecrated to the service of religion, and would not have treated them with dishonor by introducing them for purposes of revelry. Commanded to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-4The gold and silver cups from the temple in Jerusalem were taken along with the people (Daniel 1:2), but earlier Babylonian kings did not misuse them. They were eventually returned to Jerusalem (Ezra 1:7–11). father: Belshazzar was Nabonidus's oldest son; his connection to Nebuchadnezzar is unclear. As they drank the wine, they praised their gods: If Belshazzar ever knew about the respect Nebuchadnezzar showed the Most High God decades earlier (Daniuel…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. whiles he tasted the wine--While under the effects of wine, men will do what they dare not do when sober. his father Nebuchadnezzar--that is, his forefather. So "Jesus ... the son of David, the son of Abraham" (Mt 1:1). Daniel does not say that the other kings mentioned in other writers did not reign between Belshazzar and Nebuchadnezzar, namely, Evil-merodach (Jr 52:31), Neriglissar, his brother-in-law, and Laborasoarchod (nine months). Berosus makes…Read the comment
Topics related to Daniel 5:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Daniel 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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Commentaries