Daniel 5:18-23

Daniel Interprets the Handwriting

18 O king, the r Most High God s gave t Nebuchadnezzar your father u kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. 19 And because of the greatness that he gave him, v all peoples, nations, and languages w trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. 20 But x when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, y he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. 21 z He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, z until he knew that the r Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. 22 And you his son, 1 a Belshazzar, b have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, 23 but you have lifted up yourself against c the Lord of heaven. And d the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. e And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, f but the God in whose hand is your breath, and g whose are all your ways, h you have not honored.

  1. Cross References
    Daniel 3:26
    Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!" Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.
    Daniel 4:2
    It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.
  2. Cross References
    Daniel 2:37
    You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory.
    Daniel 4:22
    It is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth.
  3. Cross References
    Daniel 5:2
    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.
  4. Cross References
    Daniel 4:36
    At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me.
  5. Cross References
    Daniel 3:4
    And the herald proclaimed aloud, "You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages.
  6. Cross References
    Daniel 6:26
    I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end.
  7. Cross References
    Daniel 4:30 - 31
    And the king answered and said, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?
    Ezekiel 31:10 - 11
    Therefore thus says the Lord God : Because it towered high and set its top among the clouds, and its heart was proud of its height.
  8. Cross References
    Daniel 2:21
    He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.
  9. Cross References
    Daniel 4:25
    That you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.
    Daniel 4:32
    And you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.
  10. Cross References
    Daniel 4:25
    That you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.
    Daniel 4:32
    And you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.
  11. Cross References
    Daniel 5:18
    O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty.
  12. Cross References
    Daniel 5:1
    King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.
  13. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 33:23
    And he did not humble himself before the Lord, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself, but this Amon incurred guilt more and more.
  14. Cross References
    Daniel 4:37
    Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
  15. Cross References
    Daniel 5:3
    Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them.
    Daniel 1:2
    And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god.
  16. Cross References
    Daniel 5:4
    They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
  17. Cross References
    Job 12:10
    In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.
  18. Cross References
    Jeremiah 10:23
    I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
  19. Cross References
    Acts 12:23
    Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.
    Revelation 16:9
    They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.