Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version 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. New Living Translation While Belshazzar was drinking the wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver cups that his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem. He wanted to drink from them with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. English Standard Version 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. Berean Standard Bible Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. King James Bible 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 King James Version 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. New American Standard Bible While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines could drink out of them. NASB 1995 When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. NASB 1977 When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, in order that the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. Legacy Standard Bible When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he said to bring the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. Amplified Bible Belshazzar, as he tasted the wine, gave a command to bring in the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. Christian Standard Bible Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that his predecessor Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines could drink from them. Holman Christian Standard Bible Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that his predecessor Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines could drink from them. American Standard Version Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink therefrom. Contemporary English Version He got drunk and ordered his servants to bring in the gold and silver cups his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem. Belshazzar wanted the cups, so that he and all his wives and officials could drink from them. English Revised Version Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink therein. GOD'S WORD® Translation As they were tasting the wine, Belshazzar ordered that the gold and silver utensils which his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem be brought to him. He wanted to drink from them with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. Good News Translation While they were drinking, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver cups and bowls which his father Nebuchadnezzar had carried off from the Temple in Jerusalem. The king sent for them so that he, his noblemen, his wives, and his concubines could drink out of them. International Standard Version Under the influence of wine, Belshazzar ordered that the gold and silver vessels his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem be brought in so the king, his officials, his wives, and his mistresses could drink from them. Majority Standard Bible Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. NET Bible 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. New Heart English Bible Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his lords, his wives and his secondary wives, might drink from them. Webster's Bible Translation Belshazzar, while 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 in them. World English Bible Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded that the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem be brought to him, that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink from them. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionBelshazzar has said—while tasting the wine—to bring in the vessels of gold and of silver that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple that [is] in Jerusalem, that the king may drink with them, and his great men, his wives, and his concubines. Young's Literal Translation Belshazzar hath said -- while tasting the wine -- to bring in the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple that is in Jerusalem, that drink with them may the king, and his great men, his wives, and his concubines. Smith's Literal Translation Belshazzar said, in tasting the wine, to bring in for the vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father brought forth from the temple that was in Jerusalem; and in them the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines, will drink. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd being now drunk he commanded that they should bring the vessels of gold and silver which Nabuchodonosor his father had brought away out of the temple, that was in Jerusalem, that the king and his nobles, and his wives and his concubines, might drink in them. Catholic Public Domain Version And so, when they were drunk, he instructed that the vessels of gold and silver should be brought, which Nebuchadnezzar, his father, had carried away from the temple, which was in Jerusalem, so that the king, and his nobles, and his wives, and the concubines, might drink from them. New American Bible Under the influence of the wine, he ordered the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar, his father, had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, to be brought in so that the king, his nobles, his consorts, and his concubines might drink from them. New Revised Standard Version Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar commanded that they bring in the vessels of gold and silver that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd Belshazzar, while 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 out of them. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And Beltshatsar said, while tasting his wine, to bring the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebukadnetsar his father had brought forth from the temple of God that is in Jerusalem, that the King and his Princes and his wives and his concubines would drink with them OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his lords, his consorts and his concubines, might drink therein. Brenton Septuagint Translation And Baltasar drinking gave orders as he tasted the wine that they should bring the gold and silver vessels, which Nabuchodonosor his father had brought forth from the temple in Jerusalem; that the king, and his nobles, and his mistresses, and his concubines, should drink out of them. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Belshazzar's Impious Feast1Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. 2Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. 3Thus they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king drank from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.… Cross References Daniel 1:2 And the Lord delivered into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with some of the articles from the house of God. He carried these off to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, where he put them in the treasury of his god. 2 Kings 24:13 As the LORD had declared, Nebuchadnezzar also carried off all the treasures from the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and he cut into pieces all the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD. 2 Chronicles 36:7 Nebuchadnezzar also took to Babylon some of the articles from the house of the LORD, and he put them in his temple in Babylon. Jeremiah 27:16 Then I said to the priests and to all this people, “This is what the LORD says: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, ‘Look, very soon now the articles from the house of the LORD will be brought back from Babylon.’ They are prophesying to you a lie. Jeremiah 28:3 Within two years I will restore to this place all the articles of the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and carried to Babylon. Jeremiah 52:17-19 Moreover, the Chaldeans broke up the bronze pillars and stands and the bronze Sea in the house of the LORD, and they carried all the bronze to Babylon. / They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes, and all the articles of bronze used in the temple service. / The captain of the guard also took away the basins, censers, sprinkling bowls, pots, lampstands, pans, and drink offering bowls—anything made of pure gold or fine silver. Ezra 1:7-11 King Cyrus also brought out the articles belonging to the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the temple of his gods. / Cyrus king of Persia had them brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. / This was the inventory: 30 gold dishes, 1,000 silver dishes, 29 silver utensils, ... Isaiah 39:6-7 The time will surely come when everything in your palace and all that your fathers have stored up until this day will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD. / And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood, will be taken away to be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” Revelation 17:4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. Revelation 18:16 saying: “Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! 2 Timothy 2:20 A large house contains not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay. Some indeed are for honorable use, but others are for common use. 2 Chronicles 36:18 who carried off everything to Babylon—all the articles of the house of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king and his officials. Jeremiah 50:2 “Announce and declare to the nations; lift up a banner and proclaim it; hold nothing back when you say, ‘Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is shattered, her images are disgraced, her idols are broken in pieces.’ Jeremiah 51:11 Sharpen the arrows! Fill the quivers! The LORD has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His plan is aimed at Babylon to destroy her, for it is the vengeance of the LORD—vengeance for His temple. Jeremiah 51:44 I will punish Bel in Babylon. I will make him spew out what he swallowed. The nations will no longer stream to him; even the wall of Babylon will fall. Treasury of Scripture 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. Belshazzar. the golden. Daniel 1:2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. 2 Kings 24:13 And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said. 2 Kings 25:15 And the firepans, and the bowls, and such things as were of gold, in gold, and of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away. father. Daniel 5:11,13,18 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; … 2 Samuel 9:7 And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. 2 Kings 8:25-27 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign… taken out. Daniel 5:4,23 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone… Jump to Previous Belshazzar Commanded Concubines Consorts Drink Golden Jerusalem Lords Nebuchadnezzar Orders Princes Silver Tasted Temple Therein Vessels Whiles Wine WivesJump to Next Belshazzar Commanded Concubines Consorts Drink Golden Jerusalem Lords Nebuchadnezzar Orders Princes Silver Tasted Temple Therein Vessels Whiles Wine WivesDaniel 5 1. Belshazzar's impious feast.5. A hand-writing unknown to the magicians, troubles the king. 10. At the commendation of the queen Daniel is brought. 17. He, reproving the king of pride and idolatry, 25. reads and interprets the writing. 30. The monarchy is translated to the Medes Under the influence of the wine This phrase indicates a state of impaired judgment due to intoxication. In biblical times, wine was a common beverage, but excessive consumption often led to poor decision-making. Proverbs 20:1 warns against the mockery and brawling that wine can cause, highlighting the dangers of drunkenness. This sets the stage for Belshazzar's reckless actions, contrasting with the wisdom and sobriety expected of a ruler. Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem so that the king could drink from them along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines Persons / Places / Events 1. BelshazzarThe king of Babylon during the time of this event. He is known for his pride and sacrilegious actions, which ultimately lead to his downfall. 2. Babylon The city where this event takes place, known for its grandeur and as a center of power and idolatry in the ancient world. 3. The Temple Vessels Sacred items taken from the temple in Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar's predecessor. These vessels were meant for worship in the temple and were desecrated by being used in a pagan feast. 4. Nebuchadnezzar The former king of Babylon who had conquered Jerusalem and taken the temple vessels. His actions set the stage for the events in Daniel 5. 5. The Feast A lavish banquet hosted by Belshazzar, during which he orders the use of the temple vessels, demonstrating his disregard for the God of Israel. Teaching Points Reverence for the SacredBelshazzar's actions remind us of the importance of treating what is holy with respect. In our lives, this means honoring God in our worship, our bodies, and our possessions. The Consequences of Pride Belshazzar's pride led to his downfall. We are called to humility, recognizing that all we have is from God and should be used for His glory. God’s Sovereignty Despite the apparent power of earthly kingdoms, God is sovereign and will not be mocked. This encourages us to trust in His ultimate authority and justice. The Importance of History Belshazzar ignored the lessons from Nebuchadnezzar’s life. We should learn from biblical history and the experiences of others to avoid repeating their mistakes. The Call to Holiness Just as the temple vessels were set apart for God, we are called to live lives that are holy and pleasing to Him, avoiding the corruption of the world.(2) Whiles he tasted--i.e., while he was enjoying the wine. The sacred vessels were brought out of the temple of Merodach, and profaned in this manner for the purpose of defying Jehovah. But it may be reasonably asked, What led him to think of Jehovah in the midst of the revelry? It may have been that some drunken fancy seized him. It may have been that he had been warned that the prophets of Jehovah had foretold the overthrow of Babylon by Cyrus, whose armies were now in the neighbourhood. Whatever the true explanation may be, there can be no doubt, from Daniel's language (Daniel 5:23), and from the way in which Belshazzar's gods are mentioned (Daniel 5:4), that the whole act was one of defiance of Jehovah.Verse 2. - 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. The Septuagint has included the last clause of the Massoretic recension of the first verse, "And he drank wine, and his heart was lifted up, and he commanded to bring the vessels of gold and of silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar his father had brought from Jerusalem, and to pour out wine in them for those companions of his (ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἑταίροις)." The translator seems to have regarded the first syllable of the name Belshazzar as a separate word, and has translated it according to the meaning the word has in Eastern Aramaic, "heart" (Exodus 12:23, Peshitta). After this initial mistake - if mistake it was - the remaining change was easy. The syntax here, according to the Massoretic text, is different from what we should expect. אמר ('amar), "to say," is translated "command" in eight cases in this book, and in every other case it is followed immediately by the infinitive' of the action commanded. Hence we are inclined, with the LXX., to omit "whiles he tasted the wine." While the LXX. Aramaic seems to have בהין, "in them," it has not had "king," "wives," or "concubines." As the Septuagint is the shorter, on the whole, we prefer it, though we maintain the Massoretic reading of "in them," referring to the vessels. Theodotion and the Peshitta follow the Massoretic reading. Whether or not the libation offered to the gods was in the mind of the writer, the mere fact that the sacred vessels were used for the purposes of a common feast was desecration. The addition of the "wives" and "concubines" adds at once to the degradation in the eyes of an Eastern, and to the stately rhetorical cadence of the verse. This renders all the stronger the suspicion engendered by the omission of these features in the Septuagint. It is to be observed that the Septuagint translator must have had an Eastern Aramaic manuscript before him, or he could never have translated bal "heart." At the same time, the presence of women at Babylonian feasts was not so uncommon as it was in the rest of the East, as we learn from the Ninevite remains. Certainly Quintus Curtius mentions this in connection with Alexander's visit to Babylon (v. 1). But was an obscure Jew likely to know this in Palestine? It is very difficult for a person writing in a different age to keep strictly to verisimilitude in these matters. Even a contemporary may make a blunder in writing, not a novel, but a biography, as Froude, in his 'Life of Carlyle,' declares he was "quietly married in the parish church of Temple." To be quietly married in a parish church in any part of Scotland, in the early years of this century, would be a contradiction in terms. Yet Froude had often been in Scotland, and knew Carlyle well. Could a Jew living in Palestine have all his wits about him so as to note every varying feature which distinguished the habits of Babylon from those of the rest of the East? The question may be asked why were the vessels of the Lord in Jerusalem singled out to be desecrated by a common use? It might, of course, be that the sacred vessels of the temples of the gods of all conquered nationalities were brought in, and thus that the singling out of the Jewish sacred vessels was due, not to the preference of the Babylonian monarch, but to the Jew, who saw only those. We think this can scarcely be. It was certainly the policy of Nabunahid to draw all worship to Babylon (Annals of Nabunahid, col. 3. line 20, "The gods of Akkad, which Nabunabid had brought to Babylon, were carried back to their city"). But this would lead him to avoid anything that would savour of disrespect to these gods whom he had brought to dwell in Babylon. We do not think it would have been merely the beauty of those vessels that led to their desecration, for the temple at Jerusalem had suffered several plunderings before the capture of the city, and the period between the age of Hezekiah and Zedekiah was not one in which wealth and artistic talent were likely to increase. Some suspicion must have reached the court of Babylon that the Jews were in league with Cyrus; perhaps the contents of the second Isaiah had reached the knowledge of the Babylonian police. If so, the act of Belshazzar was an act of defiance against Jehovah of Israel. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Under the influence of the wine,חַמְרָ֗א (ḥam·rā) Noun - masculine singular determinate Strong's 2562: Wine Belshazzar בֵּלְשַׁאצַּ֞ר (bê·lə·šaṣ·ṣar) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 1113: Belshazzar -- a Babylonian king gave orders אֲמַ֣ר ׀ (’ă·mar) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 560: To say, tell, command to bring לְהַיְתָיָה֙ (lə·hay·ṯā·yāh) Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct Strong's 858: To arrive in the gold דַּהֲבָ֣א (da·hă·ḇā) Noun - masculine singular determinate Strong's 1722: Gold and silver וְכַסְפָּ֔א (wə·ḵas·pā) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular determinate Strong's 3702: Silver, money vessels לְמָאנֵי֙ (lə·mā·nê) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 3984: Vessel, utensil that דִּ֤י (dî) Pronoun - relative Strong's 1768: Who, which, that, because Nebuchadnezzar נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֣ר (nə·ḇū·ḵaḏ·neṣ·ṣar) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 5020: Nebuchadnezzar -- a Babylonian king his father אֲב֔וּהִי (’ă·ḇū·hî) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 2: Father had taken הַנְפֵּק֙ (han·pêq) Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5312: To go or come out or forth from מִן־ (min-) Preposition Strong's 4481: From, out of, by, by reason of, at, more than the temple הֵיכְלָ֖א (hê·ḵə·lā) Noun - masculine singular determinate Strong's 1965: A large public building, palace, temple in Jerusalem, בִירוּשְׁלֶ֑ם (ḇî·rū·šə·lem) Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 3390: Jerusalem -- the capital city of all Israel so that the king מַלְכָּא֙ (mal·kā) Noun - masculine singular determinate Strong's 4430: A king could drink וְיִשְׁתּ֣וֹן (wə·yiš·tō·wn) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 8355: To imbibe from them, בְּה֗וֹן (bə·hō·wn) Preposition | third person masculine plural Strong's Hebrew along with his nobles, וְרַבְרְבָנ֔וֹהִי (wə·raḇ·rə·ḇā·nō·w·hî) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 7261: Lord, noble his wives, שֵׁגְלָתֵ֖הּ (šê·ḡə·lā·ṯêh) Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 7695: (royal) consort and his concubines. וּלְחֵנָתֵֽהּ׃ (ū·lə·ḥê·nā·ṯêh) Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 3904: A concubine Links Daniel 5:2 NIVDaniel 5:2 NLT Daniel 5:2 ESV Daniel 5:2 NASB Daniel 5:2 KJV Daniel 5:2 BibleApps.com Daniel 5:2 Biblia Paralela Daniel 5:2 Chinese Bible Daniel 5:2 French Bible Daniel 5:2 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Daniel 5:2 Belshazzar while he tasted the wine commanded (Dan. 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