Dan 5:1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
Dan 5:2 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.
Dan 5:3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which [was] at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.
Dan 5:4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

A disturbing message from God. Belshazzar's great, blasphemous feast. The chronology of the ancient historian Berosus: Nebuchadnezzar dies after a 43-year reign. His son, Evil-Merodach (described in 2 Kings 25:27-30 and Jeremiah 52:31-34) rules for only two years when he is assassinated by his brother-in-law Neriglassar, because his rule was arbitrary and licentious. Neriglassar (mentioned as Nergalsharezer in Jeremiah 39:3, 13) rules for four years until he dies a natural death.  His son, Laborosoarchod, only a child and of diminished mental capacity, rules for only nine months when he his beaten to death by a gang of conspirators. The conspirators appoint Nabonidus, one of their number, to be king. He rules until Cyrus the Persian conquers Babylon.

For a long time, historians and archaeologists knew that Nabonidus was said to be the last king of Babylon, not Belshazzar (who was Nabonidus' eldest son). The solution to this so-called discrepancy was apparent when evidence was uncovered not only indicating Belshazzar's association with Nabonidus on the throne, but also demonstrating that during the last part of his reign the latter resided in Arabia and left the conduct of the kingdom of Babylon to his eldest son Belshazzar. There was no additional mention of Belshazzar, the eldest son and co-regent with Nabonidus, until the Nabonidus Cylinder was discovered in this century (now in the British Museum). According to Babylonian records, Belshazzar became coregent in the third year of Nabonidus' reign (553 BC) and continued in that capacity till the fall of Babylon (539 BC).

It is most likely that at the time of Daniel 5, Nabonidus had gone out to fight the Medo-Persian army, and had been already captured. Those armies now surrounded Babylon, and were looking for a way into the strongly defended city. Belshazzar was not afraid; mostly because of Babylon's defenses and his supplies. Conservative dimensions of Babylon: outer walls seventeen miles long; 22 feet thick; 90 feet high, with guard towers another 100 feet high. The gates were made of bronze, and a system of inner and outer walls and moats made the city very secure. The scene of partying while a hostile army surrounds the city is reminiscent of the spirit of our age: "Two-thousand zero, zero, party's over, whoops out of time; so tonight I'm gonna party like its nineteen-ninety-nine." (Prince). God does not condemn having a good time; but can He be glorified in it? Can God be invited to your party?

Nebuchadnezzar was not the direct father of Belshazzar; either he was his grandfather through his mother's side, or he was his father in the sense of having previously occupied the throne Belshazzar now sat on. Either usage of the term "father" was customary in ancient times. Belshazzar was foolish enough to not only lose all semblance of self-control in this party, but also to openly mock God while doing it. This shows us God's opinion of the sin of sacrilege, something rarely spoken of today. Gathering the vessels from the Jewish temple served the purpose of reminding the partiers of a previous victory, and would hopefully (in Belshazzar's eyes) be a morale booster. In Babylon, a large court - 56 by 170 feet - has been unearthed, decorated with Greek columns. This is probably where the feast of Daniel 5 took place.

Dan 5:5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

A message from God is written on a wall. God can, and does communicate to man in unexpected (and even shocking) ways; here, a hand mysteriously appears and writes on the wall. This, of course, is where we get our proverbial phrase the writing on the wall.

Dan 5:6 Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
Dan 5:7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. [And] the king spoke, and said to the wise [men] of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and [have] a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Dan 5:8 Then came in all the king's wise [men]: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.
Dan 5:9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astounded.

Belshazzar's reaction to the message, and his call for someone to interpret it. "For the king the difficulty was not to give the 'dictionary definition' of the terms, but to see what significance they had for him."  Archaeologists have discovered why Daniel was offered the third place in the kingdom (Daniel 5:7) - The real king was Nabonidus, and his some Belshazzar ruled as second in the kingdom - Belshazzar couldn't give Daniel the second place in the kingdom, because he was the second in the kingdom at the time. The best he had to offer was the third place.

Dan 5:10 [Now] the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: [and] the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:
Dan 5:11 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;
Dan 5:12 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 shew the interpretation.

Daniel is recommended as an interpreter of the message.  This queen or queen mother is hard to identify with certainty; probably, it is Belshazzar's mother, the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar. It seems that Daniel was semi-retired; still holding a governmental post, yet "out of the loop". Notice that she refers to Daniel by his Jewish name; she respects his faith and background.

Dan 5:13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. [And] the king spake and said unto Daniel, [Art] thou that Daniel, which [art] of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?
Dan 5:14 I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods [is] in thee, and [that] light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.
Dan 5:15 And now the wise [men], the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:
Dan 5:16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and [have] a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Belshazzar asks Daniel to interpret the message.

Dan 5:17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
Dan 5:18 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:
Dan 5:19 And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.
Dan 5:20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
Dan 5:21 And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling [was] with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and [that] he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
Dan 5:22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
Dan 5:23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath [is], and whose [are] all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

What the message meant. Introduction: Daniel describes Belshazzar's sinful pride. Remember that Daniel was troubled when he had to give Nebuchadnezzar bad news; not so here with Belshazzar. Daniel is not impressed with him!

b. Why is Daniel so harsh? Because all men know of God through creation; and more through God's dealings with others; we are all responsible to honor God according to what revelation we have. "If God held Belshazzar responsible, my friend, for the ray of light which shone across his pathway, what will He say to men living in the blaze of light which illuminates the world today? Every unconverted man in this country has more light than Belshazzar had." (Talbot)

Dan 5:24 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.
Dan 5:25 And this [is] the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
Dan 5:26 This [is] the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
Dan 5:27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
Dan 5:28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

Daniel tells Belshazzar that God's judgment is at the door, and that he will be killed that night, and the kingdom will be given to the Medes and Persians. Daniel explained the reason why Belshazzar and his kingdom would be destroyed that night: they were found lacking in spiritual and moral value.

Herodotus relates that Cyrus conquered the city by diverting the flow of the Euphrates into a nearby swamp; thus lowering the level of the river so his troops could march through the water and under the river-gates. But they still would not have been able to enter, had not the bronze gates of the inner walls been left inexplicably unlocked. As God had predicted in Isaiah 44:28-45:7 and Jeremiah 51:57-58.  The revelry in the city of Babylon on the night of its capture is also well documented. The fall of mystery Babylon will be like the fall of real Babylon - sudden, sure, and in the midst of her worst blasphemies.  "Empires do not stand by human might, man-made machines and missiles. There is not a wall high enough nor thick enough to prevent a nation from falling when God pronounces that nation's doom." (Strauss)

Dan 5:29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and [put] a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Daniel is promoted. In rewarding Daniel for such harsh words immediately, either Belshazzar knew that Daniel was right, and was bravely trying to do the best under the inevitable circumstances; or, he disbelieved the whole thing and promoted Daniel in a display of big-hearted fun.

Dan 5:30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.
Dan 5:31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, [being] about threescore and two years old.

The death of Belshazzar and the rise of Darius the Mede. Darius was a sub-king under Cyrus the Persian, and is referred to in secular history as Gubaru.