translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: DAN

label: NET study note

text: As is clear from the extra-biblical records, it was actually Nabonidus (ca. 556-539 B.C. ) who was king of Babylon at this time. However, Nabonidus spent long periods of time at Teima, and during those times Belshazzar his son was de facto king of Babylon. This arrangement may help to explain why later in this chapter Belshazzar promises that the successful interpreter of the handwriting on the wall will be made third ruler in the kingdom. If Belshazzar was in effect second ruler in the kingdom, this would be the highest honor he could grant.


text: This scene of a Babylonian banquet calls to mind a similar grandiose event recorded in Esth 1:3-8 . Persian kings were also renowned in the ancient Near Eastern world for their lavish banquets.


text: The king probably sat at an elevated head table.


text: Making use of sacred temple vessels for an occasion of reveling and drunkenness such as this would have been a religious affront of shocking proportions to the Jewish captives.


text: The mention of the lampstand in this context is of interest because it suggests that the writing was in clear view.


text: Purple was a color associated with royalty in the ancient world.


text: The point of describing Nebuchadnezzar as arrogant is that he had usurped divine prerogatives, and because of his immense arrogance God had dealt decisively with him.


text: Peres ( פְּרֵס ) is the singular form of פַרְסִין ( pharsin ) in v. 25 .


text: The year was 539 B.C . At this time Daniel would have been approximately eighty-one years old. The relevant extra-biblical records describing the fall of Babylon include portions of Herodotus, Xenophon, Berossus (cited in Josephus), the Cyrus Cylinder, and the Babylonian Chronicle.


text: Beginning with 5:31 , the verse numbers through 6:28 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Aramaic text ( BHS ), with 5:31 ET = 6:1 AT, 6:1 ET = 6:2 AT, 6:2 ET = 6:3 AT, 6:3 ET = 6:4 AT, etc., through 6:28 ET = 6:29 AT. Beginning with 7:1 the verse numbers in the English Bible and the Aramaic text are again the same.