Daniel 5.3-Belshazzar, His Nobles And Wives And Concubines Drink From The Gold And Silver Vessels From The Temple In Jerusalem
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday November 13, 2012
Daniel: Daniel 5:3-Belshazzar, His Nobles, Wives And Concubines Drink From The Gold And Silver Vessels Confiscated From The Temple In Jerusalem
Lesson # 144
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 5:3.
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. (Author’s translation)
Daniel 5:3 Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. (NASB95)
“Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem” presents the result of Belshazzar issuing an order to bring to his banquet for his nobles the gold and silver articles, which were from the temple in Jerusalem.
The purpose of this order was so that the king, his nobles as well as his wives and in addition his concubines could drink with them.
“The gold vessels” is composed of the masculine plural construct form of the noun mā(ʾ)n (מָאן) (mawn), “the vessels” which is modified by the masculine singular noun dehǎḇ (דְּהַב) (deh-hab´), “gold.”
The noun mā(ʾ)n means “vessels” or “articles” and is used in the plural and refers to the various articles pertaining to the worship of the Lord in Solomon’s temple.
Thus, Nebuchadnezzar took the equipment in the temple which was symbolic of its owner and brought them to the temple of his god in Babylon.
These vessels obviously were cups or bowls because Belshazzar orders them to be brought to the banquet in order that he and his nobles, and his wives and concubines could drink from them.
2 Kings 24:1 records that Jehoiakim was forced to pay tribute to Nebuchadnezzar and as part of this tribute the latter took the gold articles of the temple and brought them to Babylon.
He placed them in the treasury of the temple of the god he worshipped, which cuneiform inscriptions reveal was Marduk.
These articles were made of gold, silver and bronze according to Daniel 5:2-3.
This tribute is also mentioned in 2 Chronicles 36:7, 10, 18.
These articles were restored seventy years later by Cyrus (Ezra 1:7).
Taking these gold, silver and bronze articles would have religious significance in Daniel’s day since removing them from Solomon’s temple would be a sign of victory of Nebuchadnezzar’s god over Yahweh, who was Jehoiakim’s God.
Wars were fought in a god’s name in the ancient world and thus the plunder from a victory belonged to the victorious god.
The temple articles are his booty.
Now, the NASB, ESV, NIV, and LEB omit the conjunction wa and the noun kesǎp̄ after the noun dehǎḇ whereas the NRSV, NET Bibles as well as Theodotion and the Latin Vulgate do not.
The latter are correct in inserting these two words after the word dehǎḇ since they were probably accidentally dropped from the Aramaic text by “homoioteleuton,” which means “same ending.”
This word describes probably the most common of all forms of scribal errors since almost all Hebrew and Greek manuscripts of the Bible contain at least a few instances of it.
“Homoioteleuton” occurs when two words, phrases or lines end with the same sequence of letters.
The scribe, having finished copying the first, skips to the second, omitting all intervening words.
“And the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them” presents the result of the gold and silver articles being brought to Belshazzar’s banquet per his orders.
Daniel 5:3 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. (My translation)
Daniel 5:3 records the execution of Belshazzar’s orders to bring to the enormous banquet he was throwing for his nobles the gold and silver articles from Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem which were confiscated by Nebuchadnezzar during his first invasion of Jerusalem in 605 B.C.
The purpose of this order according to Daniel 5:2 was so that the king and his nobles as well as his wives and concubines could drink their wine from them.
Here in verse 3, the king’s order is reported by Daniel in almost the exact words that were used in Belshazzar’s command in verse 2.
There is one slight addition, namely the phrase “God’s house” or “house of God.”
This addition serves to magnify the sin of the king.
It puts into perspective clearly the tremendous sacrilege and sin Belshazzar was committing by drinking wine from these sacred articles, which were used in the worship of Yahweh.
These gold and silver articles from Solomon’s temple were set apart to be used exclusively in the worship of the God of Israel.
Thus, Belshazzar’s actions as well as his nobles, wives and concubines were flagrant disrespect for the God of Israel.
The articles of the temple were sanctified meaning that they were to only be used when worshipping and serving God in the temple.
It means that they were set apart to be used exclusively for worshipping the Lord in the temple.
Belshazzar and his guests are guilty of blasphemy, which is the profaning or desecration of that which is used to worship Him.
It is also taking in vain the name of God, or the reviling of any of His works or deeds.
It is strongly forbidden by God as dishonoring His character and reputation.
Blasphemy is strongly forbidden (Exodus 20:7l; Deuteronomy 5:11; cf. Exodus 22:28; Leviticus 18:21; 19:12; 22:32; Numbers 15:30-31) and is punished by God (Leviticus 24:10-16,23; 2 Kings 19:20-37; cf. Isaiah 37:21-38).
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unpardonable (Mark 3:28-30; cf. Matthew 12:31-32; Luke 12:10; cf. Hebrews 10:29).
Defiling sacred things blasphemes God (Leviticus 22:1-2; Ezekiel 20:27-28; 22:26; Malachi 1:6-13).
Despising the poor blasphemes God (Proverbs 14:31; cf. Amos 2:7; James 2:5-7)
Speaking against God’s people blasphemes God (Zephaniah 2:8-11; Acts 9:4-5).
Slandering angels whether or elect and non-elect blasphemes God (2 Peter 2:10-12; Jude 8-10).
The sins of God’s people may cause others to blaspheme (Romans 2:28; Samuel 12:13-14).
God’s enemies blaspheme Him (Psalm 139:20; cf. 74:10-11, 18; Daniel 7:25; 11:36; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:5; 16:9, 11, 21; 17:3).
Jesus Christ was falsely accused of blasphemy (Mark 2:6-7; Matthew 9:3; Luke 5:21; cf. Matthew 26:65-66; Mark 14:63-64; John 10:33-36).
God’s servants have been falsely accused of blasphemy (1 Kings 21:9-13; Acts 6:11-14).