Daniel 5.18-Daniel Reminds Belshazzar That The Most High God Gave His Great-Grandfather Nebuchadnezzar A Great Kingdom As Well As Great Honor
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday January 9, 2013
Daniel: Daniel 5:18-Daniel Reminds Belshazzar That The Most High God Gave His Great-Grandfather Nebuchadnezzar A Great Kingdom As Well As Great Honor
Lesson # 159
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 5:1.
Daniel 5:1 King Belshazzar threw an enormous banquet for a thousand of his nobles. He even drank wine excessively directly in front of the thousand. 2 Belshazzar issued an order while under the influence of the wine causing the gold and silver articles to be brought in which Nebuchadnezzar, his great-grandfather caused to be confiscated from the temple, which was in Jerusalem, in order that the king, his nobles as well as his wives and in addition his concubines could drink with them. 3 Therefore, the gold and silver articles were brought in, which were confiscated from the temple, which was God’s house, which was in Jerusalem so that the king, his nobles as well as his wives and in addition his concubines could drink with them. 4 They drank wine while they praised gods composed of gold as well as silver, bronze, iron, wood and in addition stone. 5 During this time, the fingers of a human hand appeared while writing on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, directly in front of the lampstand so that the king observed the palm of the hand which was writing. 6 Then the king, his countenance was changed for him. Also, his thoughts caused him to be terrified so that his hip joints gave way resulting in his knees knocking together, one against the other. 7 The king authoritatively shouted out an order for the purpose of causing the necromancers, astrologers as well as diviners to be brought in. He declared to the city of Babylon’s wise men, “Any person who can read aloud as well as can make known its interpretation to me will be clothed with a purple robe as well as a golden chain around his neck. Indeed, they will rule as third in the kingdom.” 8 Therefore, each and every one of the king’s wise men came in but they were totally unable to read or cause the interpretation to be made known to the king. 9 Thus causing the king to be extremely terrified so that his countenance was changed on him as well as causing his nobles to be perplexed. 10 The queen entered the banquet hall because of the king’s words as well as his nobles. The queen responded and said, “O king, live forever! Please, by no means let your thoughts cause you to be terrified so that they by no means cause your countenance to be changed! 11 There is a man in your kingdom who possesses God’s Holy Spirit in him. Specifically, during the days of your great-grandfather, illumination, discernment as well as wisdom in accordance with God’s wisdom were observed in him. Indeed, King Nebuchadnezzar, your great-grandfather, your great-grandfather the king, promoted him to be commander over the occult priests, necromancers, astrologers and diviners 12 because in him, in Daniel whom the king assigned him the name Belteshazzar, was found an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, discernment interpreting dreams, explaining riddles as well as solving difficult problems. Please summon Daniel right now in order to cause the interpretation to be known.” 13 Consequently, Daniel was ordered to enter the king’s presence. The king asked a question and said to Daniel, “Are you Daniel, who is one of the deported people from Judah whom my great-grandfather the king ordered to be brought from Judah? 14 Likewise I heard concerning you that God’s Spirit is in you so that illumination, discernment as well as extraordinary wisdom were observed in you. 15 Now at this time, the wise men, the necromancers were ordered to enter my presence in order that they could read aloud as well as to make known to me its interpretation. However, they were totally unable to cause the message’s interpretation to be made known to me. 16 But I myself personally heard concerning you that you are able to provide interpretations as well as solve difficult problems. Now, if you are able to read aloud the inscription as well as cause its interpretation to be made known to me, you will be clothed with a purple robe as well as a golden chain around you neck. Indeed, you will rule as third over the kingdom. 17 Then Daniel responded and said, “Please, keep your gifts for yourself or please give your rewards for another. However, I will read aloud to the king as well as cause the interpretation to be made known to him.” (My translation)
Daniel 5:18 “O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty, grandeur, glory and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father.” (NASB95)
Not translated is the second person masculine singular form of the personal pronoun ʾǎnt (אַנְתְּ) (ant), which is functions as a nominative absolute, emphasizing Belshazzar was very familiar with the Most High God dealing with his great-grandfather Nebuchadnezzar during his reign.
“The Most High God” is composed of the masculine singular form of the noun ʾělāh (אֱלָהּ) (el-aw´), “the God” which is followed by the masculine singular adjective ʿil∙lāy (עִלָּי) (il-lah´ee), “Most High.”
The noun ʾělāh appears in the singular form and means “God” referring to the God of Israel.
This noun is modified by the adjective ʿil∙lāy, which means “Most High” which means that Daniel is declaring to Belshazzar that the God of Israel is superior to the gods he and other pagans worshipped.
“Sovereignty, grandeur” is composed of the feminine singular construct form of the noun mǎl∙ḵûṯ (מַלְכוּת) (mal-kooth), “a kingdom” and then we have the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” which is followed by the feminine singular construct form of the noun reḇû (רְבוּ) (reb-oo´), “grandeur.”
The noun mǎl∙ḵûṯ means “kingdom” and denotes the sphere of Nebuchadnezzar’s authority or control.
The Holy Spirit through the prophet Jeremiah warned the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon that the Father had given Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty over the entire earth (Jeremiah 27:6-7, 14).
The noun reḇû means “greatness” in the sense that Nebuchadnezzar and his kingdom had become distinguished and eminent throughout the earth so that it stood above all the other kingdoms of the earth.
The conjunction wa is used to join these two words in order to communicate one idea, which is called “hendiadys.”
Therefore, these two words express one idea, namely that the Most High God gave to Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, yes, a great kingdom.
So this figure of hendiadys emphasizes the impressiveness of this kingdom that the Most High God gave to Nebuchadnezzar.
“Glory and majesty” is composed of the masculine singular form of the noun yeqār (יְקָר) (yek-awr´), “glory” and then once again we have the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” which is followed by the masculine singular form of the noun hǎḏǎr (הֲדַר) (had-ar´), “majesty.”
The noun yeqār means “honor” and denotes public recognition.
The word refers to the honor in the sense of public recognition that Nebuchadnezzar received from men as a result of his power over them which was given to him by the Most High God.
It means “honor” in the sense of demonstrating respect toward Nebuchadnezzar.
To respect someone in our context is to esteem the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or trait or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or trait.
Here it denotes the respect paid to Nebuchadnezzar by those individuals under his authority in the sense that they esteemed him because of his ability to impose his will on them because of his great military and governmental power.
The noun hǎḏǎr means “majesty” or “greatness” and is used with reference of course to Nebuchadnezzar.
This word denotes the state of being preeminent over others indicating that God gave Nebuchadnezzar honor more than any other king on earth so that he was distinguished above his peers.
The conjunction wa is used to join these two words in order to communicate one idea, which again is called “hendiadys.”
Here Daniel 5:18, the noun hǎḏǎr intensifies the meaning of the noun yeqār.
Therefore, these two words express one idea, namely that the Most High God gave to Nebuchadnezzar honor, yes, great honor. So this figure of hendiadys emphasizes this.
“Your father” is composed of the masculine singular construct form of the noun ʾǎḇ (אַב) (ab), “father” which is modified by the second person masculine singular pronominal suffix -ḵ (־ךְ), “your.”
The noun ʾǎḇ means “great-grandfather” which is indicated by the text of Jeremiah 27:7 and what we know from history.
This indicates that Nebuchadnezzar was Belshazzar’s great-grandfather and Nabonidus’ grandfather.
Daniel 5:18 “As for you, O king, the Most High God gave to Nebuchadnezzar, your great-grandfather a kingdom, yes a great kingdom as well as honor, yes, great honor.” (My translation)
Before Daniel reads and interprets the mysterious inscription for Belshazzar, he will first rebuke the king.
In Daniel 5:18-23, he gives a stern rebuke to Belshazzar for becoming arrogant before God and not humbling himself even though he was well aware of how God dealt with his great-grandfather Nebuchadnezzar.
In verse 18, Daniel is reminding Belshazzar that God gave his great-grandfather a great kingdom as well as great honor.
Thus, he was attributing Nebuchadnezzar’s great kingdom and honor to God.
He was attributing Nebuchadnezzar’s sovereignty as directly originating from God.
Daniel was reminding Belshazzar that the Most High God was sovereign over his great-grandfather.
The obvious implication for Belshazzar is that God is sovereign over him too.
God punished Nebuchadnezzar for his great pride and arrogance and lack of respect for God.
So Belshazzar can expect to be punished severely by God for his great pride and arrogance and lack of respect for God.