Daniel 2:31

2:31 “You, O king, were watching as a great statue – one ¹  of impressive size and extraordinary brightness – was standing before you. Its appearance caused alarm.

Daniel 4:3

4:3 “How great are his signs!

How mighty are his wonders!

His kingdom will last forever, ² 

and his authority continues from one generation to the next.”

Daniel 5:1

Belshazzar Sees Mysterious Handwriting on a Wall

5:1 King Belshazzar ³  prepared a great banquet ⁴  for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in front of ⁵  them all. ⁶ 

Daniel 7:2

7:2 Daniel explained: ⁷  “I was watching in my vision during the night as ⁸  the four winds of the sky ⁹  were stirring up the great sea. ¹⁰ 

Daniel 10:8

10:8 I alone was left to see this great vision. My strength drained from ¹¹  me, and my vigor disappeared; ¹²  I was without energy. ¹³ 

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¹ tn Aram “an image.”

² tn Aram “his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.”

³ sn 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.

⁴ sn 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.

⁵ sn The king probably sat at an elevated head table.

⁶ tn Aram “the thousand.”

⁷ tn Aram “answered and said.”

⁸ tn Aram “and behold.”

⁹ tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

¹⁰ sn The referent of the great sea is unclear. The common view that the expression refers to the Mediterranean Sea is conjectural.

¹¹ tn Heb “did not remain in.”

¹² tn Heb “was changed upon me for ruin.”

¹³ tn Heb “strength.”