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King James Version
Daniel 5:31
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and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
Daryavesh the Madian received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
So Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.
So Darius the Mede became the new king when he was sixty-two years old.
So Darius the Mede received the kingdom; he was about the age of sixty-two.
And Darius of the Medes tooke the kingdome, being threescore and two yeere olde.
So Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.
and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
Then Darius the Mede, who was sixty-two years old, took over his kingdom.
Belshatzar the king gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords, and in the presence of the thousand he was drinking wine. While tasting the wine, Belshatzar ordered that the gold and silver vessels which his father N'vukhadnetzar had removed from the temple in Yerushalayim be brought; so that the king, his lords, his wives and his concubines could drink from them. So they brought the gold vessels which had been removed from the sanctuary of the house of God in Yerushalayim; and the king, his lords, his wives and his concubines drank from them. They drank their wine and praised their gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone. Suddenly, the fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the palace wall by the lampstand. When the king saw the palm of the hand that was writing, the king's face took on a different look. As frightening thoughts rose up within him, his hip joints gave way and his knees started knocking together. The king cried out to bring in the exorcists, astrologers and diviners. The king said to the sages of Bavel, "Whoever can read this inscription and tell me what it means will be dressed in royal purple, wear a gold chain around his neck and be one of the three men ruling the kingdom." But although all the king's sages came in, none could read the inscription or tell the king what it meant. Then King Belshatzar became terrified; his face turned pale, and his lords were thrown into confusion. At this point the queen mother, because of what the king and his lords were saying, entered the banquet hall. The queen mother said, "May the king live forever! Don't be scared by your thoughts or let your face be so pale. There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, he was found to have light, discernment and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. King N'vukhadnetzar your father — the king, your father — made him chief of the magicians, exorcists, astrologers and diviners; because he was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, discernment, and the ability to interpret dreams, unlock mysteries and solve knotty problems. He is called Dani'el, but the king gave him the name Belt'shatzar. Now have Dani'el summoned, and he will tell you what this means." Dani'el was brought into the king's presence. The king said to Dani'el, "Are you Dani'el, one of the exiles from Y'hudah whom the king my father brought out of Y'hudah? I've heard about you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have been found to have light, discernment and extraordinary wisdom. Now the sages, the exorcists, were brought in to me so that they could read this inscription and tell me what it means, but they couldn't interpret it for me. However, I've heard that you can give interpretations and solve knotty problems. Now if you can read the inscription and tell me what it means, you will be dressed in royal purple, wear a gold chain around your neck and be one of the three men ruling the kingdom." Dani'el answered the king, "Keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else. However, I will read the inscription to the king and tell him what it means. Your majesty, the Most High God gave N'vukhadnetzar your father the kingdom, as well as greatness, glory and majesty. Because of the greatness he gave him, all the peoples, nations and languages trembled with fear before him. Anyone he wanted to, he put to death; anyone he wanted to, he kept alive; anyone he wanted to, he advanced; and anyone he wanted to, he humbled. But when he grew proud and his spirit became hard, he began treating people arrogantly, so he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken away from him. He was driven from human society, his heart was made like that of an animal, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed with grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky; until he learned that the Most High God rules in the human kingdom and sets up over it whomever he pleases. But, Belshatzar, you, his son, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this. Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven by having them bring you the vessels from his house; and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them; then you offered praise to your gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood and stone, which can't see, hear or know anything. Meanwhile, God, who holds your very breath in his hands, and to whom belongs everything you do, you have not glorified. This is why he sent the hand to write this inscription; and the inscription says, ‘M'ne! M'ne! T'kel ufarsin.' This is what it means: ‘M'ne!' — God has counted up your kingdom and brought it to an end. ‘T'kel' — you are weighed on the balance-scale and come up short. ‘P'res' — your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians." Then Belshatzar gave the order; and they clothed Dani'el in royal purple, put a gold chain around his neck and proclaimed of him that he was to be one of the three men ruling the kingdom. That very night Belshatzar, the king of the Kasdim, was killed.
And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, [being] about sixty-two years old.
A man named Darius the Mede became the new king. Darius was about 62 years old.
And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
and Darius the Mede, who was then sixty-two years old, seized the royal power.
And Darius the Mede received the kingdom when he was about sixty-two years old.
And Darius the Mede took the kingdom, being a son of sixty two years.
and Darius out of Media toke in the kyngdome, beynge lxij. yeare off age.
And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.
And Darius the Mede took the kingdom, being then about sixty-two years old.
span data-lang="eng" data-trans="jps" data-ref="dan.5.1" class="versetxt"> Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his lords, his consorts and his concubines, might drink therein. 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 lords, his consorts and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. 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 palm of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was changed in him, and his thoughts affrighted him; and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon: 'Whosoever shall read this writing, and declare unto me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall rule as one of three in the kingdom.' Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation. Then was king Belshazzar greatly affrighted, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed. Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house; the queen spoke and said: 'O king, live for ever! let not thy thoughts affright thee, nor let thy countenance be changed; 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; and the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers; forasmuch as a surpassing spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and declaring of riddles, and loosing of knots, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will declare the interpretation.' Then was Daniel brought in before the king. The king spoke and said unto Daniel: 'Art thou Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah? I have heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and surpassing wisdom is found in thee. And now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof; but they could not declare the interpretation of the thing. But I have heard of thee, that thou canst give interpretations, and loose knots; now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt rule as one of three in the kingdom.' Then Daniel answered and said before the king: 'Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; nevertheless I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. O thou king, God Most High gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty; and because of the greatness that He gave him, all the peoples, 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 raised up, and whom he would he put down. But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him; 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; he was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; until he knew that God Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and that He setteth up over it whomsoever He will. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thy heart, though thou knewest all this; 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 consorts 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; then was the palm of the hand sent from before Him, and this writing was inscribed. And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE MENE, TEKEL UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE, God hath numbered thy kingdom, and brought it to an end. TEKEL, Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. PERES, thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.' Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him, that he should rule as one of three in the kingdom. In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain.
And Darius the Median tooke the kingdome, being about threescore and two yeere old.
And Darius of the Medes toke the kingdome, being threescore & two yeres of age.
And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, being sixty-two years old.
And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.
Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
and Daryus of Medei was successour in to the rewme, and he was two and sixti yeer eld.
And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.
And Darius the Median took the kingdom, [being] about sixty and two years old.
So Darius the Mede took control of the kingdom when he was about sixty-two years old.
And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
And Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
So Darius the Mede became the king when he was sixty-two years old.
And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
And, Darius the Mede, received the kingdom, - when about sixty-two years of age.
And Darius, the Mede, succeeded to the kingdom, being threescore and two years old.
And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
and Darius the Mede hath received the kingdom, when a son of sixty and two years.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Darius: This was Cyaxares, son of Astyages, king of Media, and maternal uncle to Cyrus, who allowed him the title of his conquests, as long as he lived. Daniel 6:1, Daniel 9:1
being: Chal, he as the son of, etc
about: or, now
Reciprocal: Jeremiah 25:13 - hath Jeremiah 50:24 - and thou wast Jeremiah 51:8 - howl Jeremiah 51:44 - the nations Jeremiah 51:52 - the wounded Jeremiah 51:57 - I will Daniel 2:9 - the time Daniel 5:28 - Thy Daniel 8:3 - one Daniel 11:1 - in the
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And Darius the Median took the kingdom,.... This was Cyaxares the son of Astyages, and uncle of Cyrus; he is called the Median, to distinguish him from another Darius the Persian, that came after, Ezra 4:5, the same took the kingdom of Babylon from Cyrus who conquered it; he took it with his consent, being the senior prince and his uncle. Darius reigned not long, but two years; and not alone, but Cyrus with him, though he is only mentioned. Xenophon k says, that Cyrus, after he took Babylon, set out for Persia, and took Media on his way; and, saluting Cyaxares or Darius, said that there was a choice house and court for him in Babylon, where he might go and live as in his own:
being about threescore and two years old; and so was born in the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar, the year in which Jechoniah was carried captive, 2 Kings 24:12, thus God in his counsels and providence took care that a deliverer of his people should be raised up and provided against the appointed time. Darius was older than Cyrus, as appears by several passages in Xenophon; in one place l Cyaxares or Darius says,
"since I am present, and am "elder" than Cyrus, it is fit that I should speak first;''
and in another place m, Cyrus, writing to him, says,
"I give thee counsel, though I am the younger''
and by comparing this account of the age of Darius with a passage in Cicero, which gives the age of Cyrus, we learn how much older than he Darius was; for, out of the books of Dionysius the Persian, he relates n, that Cyrus dreaming he saw the sun at his feet, which he three times endeavoured to catch and lay hold upon, but in vain, it sliding from him; this, the Magi said, portended that he should reign thirty years, and so he did; for he lived to be seventy years of age, and began to reign when he was forty; which, if reckoned from his reigning with his uncle, then he must be twenty two years younger; or if from the time of his being sole monarch, then the difference of age between them must be twenty four years; though it should be observed that those that make him to reign thirty years begin his reign from the time of his being appointed commander-in-chief of the Medes and Persians by Cyaxares o, which was twenty three years before he reigned alone, which was but seven years p; and this account makes but very little difference in their age; and indeed some q have taken them to be one and the same, their descent, age, and succession in the Babylonian empire, agreeing.
k Cyropaedia, l. 8. c. 36. l lbid. l. 6. c. 2. m lbid. l. 4. c. 21. n De Divinatione, l. 1. o See the Universal History, vol. 5. p. 181. and vol. 21. p. 64, 65. p Xenophon, Cyropaedia, l. 8. c. 45. q Nicol. Abrami Pharus Vet. Test. l. 12. c. 24. p. 338. Pererius in ib, Graeci Patres apud Theodoret. Orat. 6. in Daniel.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
And Darius the Median took the kingdom - The city and kingdom were actually taken by Cyrus, though acting in the name and by the authority of Darius, or Cyaxares, who was his uncle. For a full explanation of the conquests of Cyrus, and of the reason why the city is said to have been taken by Darius, see the notes at Isaiah 41:2. In regard to the question who Darius the Median was, see the Introduction to Daniel 6:0, section II. The name Darius - דריושׁ dâreyâvêsh, is the name under which the three Medo-Persian kings are mentioned in the Old Testament. There is some difference of opinion as to its meaning. Herodotus (vi. 98) says, that it is equivalent to ἑρξίης herxiēs, “one who restrains,” but Hesychius says that it is the same as φρόνιμος phronimos - “prudent.” Grotefend, who has found it in the cuneiform inscriptions at Persepolis, as Darheush, or Darjeush (“Heeren’s Ideen,” i. 2, p. 350), makes it to be a compound word, the first part being an abbreviation of Dara, “Lord,” and the latter portion coming from kshah, “king.” Martin reads the name Dareiousch Vyschtasponea on the Persepolitan inscriptions; that is, Darius, son of Vishtaspo. Lassen, however, gives Darhawus Vistaspaha, the latter word being equivalent to the Gustasp of the modern Persian, and meaning “one whose employment is about horses.” See Anthon’s “Class. Dict.,” and Kitto’s “Cyclo.,” art. “Darius.” Compare Niehbuhr, “Reisebeschr.,” Part II. Tab. 24, G. and B. Gesenius, “Lex.” This Darius is supposed to be Cyaxares II. (Introduction to Daniel 6:0 Section II.), the son and successor of Astyages, the uncle and father-in-law of Cyrus, who held the empire of Media between Astyages and Cyrus, 569-536 b.c.
Being - Margin, “He as son of.” The marginal reading is in accordance with the Chaldee - כבר kebar. It is not unusual in the language of the Orientals to denote the age of anyone by saying that he is the son of so many years.
About - Margin, “or, now.” The word, both in the text and the margin, is designed to express the supposed sense of his “being the son of sixty years.” The language of the original would, however, be accurately expressed by saying that he was then sixty years old. Though Cyrus was the active agent in taking Babylon, yet it was done in the name and by the authority of Cyaxares or Darius; and as he was the actual sovereign, the name of his general - Cyrus - is not mentioned here, though he was in fact the most important agent in taking the city, and became ultimately much more celebrated than Darius was.
This portion of history, the closing scene in the reign of a mighty monarch, and the closing scene in the independent existence of one of the most powerful kingdoms that has ever existed on the earth, is full of instructive lessons; and in view of the chapter as thus explained, we may make the following remarks.
Remarks
(1) We have here an impressive illustration of the sin of sacrilege Daniel 5:2-3. In all ages, and among all people, this has been regarded as a sin of peculiar enormity, and it is quite evident that God in this solemn scene meant to confirm the general judgment of mankind on the subject. Among all people, where any kind of religion has prevailed, there are places and objects which are regarded as set apart to sacred use, and which are not to be employed for common and profane purposes. Though in themselves - in the gold and silver, the wood and stone of which they are made - there is no essential holiness, yet they derive a sacredness from being set apart to Divine purposes, and it has always been held to be a high crime to treat them with indignity or contempt - to rob altars, or to desecrate holy places. This general impression of mankind it was clearly the design of God to confirm in the case before us, when the sacred vessels of the temple - vessels consecrated in the most solemn manner to the worship of Jehovah - were profanely employed for the purposes of carousal. God had borne it patiently when those vessels had been removed from the temple at Jerusalem, and when they had been laid up among the spoils of victory in the temples of Babylon; but when they were profaned for purposes of revelry - when they were brought forth to grace a pagan festival, and to be employed in the midst of scenes of riot and dissipation, it was time for him to interpose, and to show to these profane revellers that there is a God in heaven.
(2) We may see the peril of such festivals as that celebrated by Belshazzar and his lords, Daniel 5:1 following. It is by no means probable that when the feast was contemplated and arranged, anything was designed like what occurred in the progress of the affair. It was not a matter of set purpose to introduce the females of the harem to this scene of carousal, and still less to make use of the sacred vessels dedicated to the worship of Jehovah, to grace the midnight revelry. It is not improbable that they would have been at first shocked at such an outrage on what was regarded as propriety, or what would have been deemed sacred by all people. It was only when the king had “tasted the wine” that these things were proposed; and none who attend on such a banquet as this, none who come together for purposes of drinking and feasting, can foretell what they may be led to do under the influence of wine and strong drink. No man is certain of not doing foolish and wicked things who gives himself up to such indulgences; no man knows what he may do that may be the cause of bitter regret and painful mortification in the recollection.
(3) God has the means of access to the consciences of men Daniel 5:5. In this case it was by writing on the wall with his own fingers certain mysterious words which none could interpret, but which no one doubted were of fearful import. No one present, it would appear, had any doubt that somehow what was written was connected with some awful judgment, and the fearfulness of what they dreaded arose manifestly from the consciousness of their own guilt. It is not often that God comes forth in this way to alarm the guilty; but he has a thousand methods of doing it, and no one can be sure that in an instant he will not summon all the sins of his past life to remembrance. He “could” write our guilt in letters of light before us - in the chamber where we sleep; in the hall where we engage in revelry; on the face of the sky at night; or he can make it as plain to our minds “as if” it were thus written out. To Belshazzar, in his palace, surrounded by his lords, he showed this; to us in society or solitude he can do the same thing. No sinner can have any security that he may not in a moment be overwhelmed with the conviction of his own depravity, and with dreadful apprehension of the wrath to come.
(4) We have in this chapter Daniel 5:6 a striking illustration of the effects of a sudden alarm to the guilty. The countenance of the monarch was changed; his thoughts troubled him; the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote together. Such effects are not uncommon when a sinner is made to feel that he is in the presence of God, and when his thoughts are led along to the future world. The human frame is so made that these changes occur as indicative of the troubles which the mind experiences, and the fact that it is thus agitated shows the power which God has over us. No guilty man can be secure that he will “not” thus be alarmed when he comes to contemplate the possibility that he may soon be called before his Maker, and the fact that he “may” thus be alarmed should be one of the considerations bearing on his mind to lead him to a course of virtue and religion. Such terror is proof of conscious guilt, for the innocent have nothing to dread; and if a man is sure that he is prepared to appear before God, he is “not” alarmed at the prospect. They who live in sin; they who indulge in revelry; they who are profane and sacrilegious; they who abuse the mercies of God, and live to deride sacred things, can never be certain that in a moment, by the revelation of their guilt to their own souls, and by a sudden message from the eternal world, they may not be overwhelmed with the deepest consternation. Their countenances may become deadly pale, their joints may be loosed, and their limbs tremble. It is only the righteous who can look calmly at the judgment.
(5) We may see from this chapter one of the effects of the terror of a guilty conscience. It is not said, indeed, that the mysterious fingers on the wall recorded the “guilt” of the monarch. But they recorded “something;” they were making some record that manifestly pertained to him. How natural was it to suppose that it was a record of his guilt! And who is there that could bear a record made in that manner of his own thoughts and purposes; of his desires and feelings; of what he is conscious is passing within the chambers of his own soul? There is no one who would not turn pale if he saw a mysterious hand writing all his thoughts and purposes - all the deeds of his past life - on the wall of his chamber at night, and bringing at once all his concealed thoughts and all his forgotten deeds before his mind. And if this is so, how will the sinner bear the disclosures that will be made at the day of judgment?
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Daniel 5:31. Darius the Median took the kingdom — This is supposed to be the same as Cyaxares, son of Astyages and maternal uncle of Cyrus, to whom he gave the throne of Babylon, after himself had had the honour of taking the city.
Daniel speaks nothing of the war that raged between the Babylonians and the Medes; but Isaiah speaks particularly of it, Isaiah 13:0, Isaiah 14:0, Isaiah 45:0, Isaiah 46:0, Isaiah 47:0; and so does Jeremiah, Jeremiah 50:0, Jeremiah 51:0. I need not add, that it is largely spoken of by profane authors. The Medes and Persians were confederates in the war; the former under Darius, the latter under Cyrus. Both princes are supposed to have been present at the taking of this city. Mandane, daughter of Astyages, was mother of Cyrus, and sister to Cyaxares.
