Daniel 5.9-Belshazzar Is Extremely Terrified And His Countenance Changed On Him And His Nobles Were Perplexed Because Wise Men Could Not Read Or Interpret Inscription
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday December 4, 2012
Daniel: Daniel 5:9- Belshazzar Is Extremely Terrified So That His Countenance Changed On Him And His Nobles Were Perplexed As A Result Of Wise Men Being Unable To Read Or Interpret Inscription
Lesson # 150
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. (My translation)
Daniel 5:9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, his face grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed. (NASB95)
“Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed” presents the result of the previous statement in verse 8 that Belshazzar’s wise men were totally unable to read or cause the interpretation of the inscription on the wall to be made known to the king.
Therefore, this statement in verse 9 denotes that “as a result of” his wise men being totally unable to read or interpret the inscription on the wall, Belshazzar was extremely terrified.
“Was greatly alarmed” is composed of the masculine singular adjective śǎg∙gî(ʾ) (שַׂגִּיא) (sag-ghee´), “greatly” which is modifying the third person masculine plural hitpaʿʿal (Hebrew: piel) active participle form of the verb behǎl (בְּהַל) (bĕ-hal´), “was alarmed.”
The verb behǎl means “to cause one to be terrified” and denotes that Belshazzar’s thoughts “caused him to be terrified” as a result of contemplating the meaning and significance of the unattached hand writing on one of the walls in the banquet hall as well as the meaning of what this hand wrote.
The hitpaʿʿal (Hebrew: piel) stem of the verb denotes that Belshazzar’s wise men’s inability to read or interpret the inscription caused him to enter into the state of being greatly terrified.
The adjective śǎg∙gî(ʾ) is modifying the verb behǎl and means “extremely, very” referring to a very great degree on a scale.
Here it describes Belshazzar as becoming “extremely” terrified as a result of his wise men’s inability to read or interpret the inscription on the wall for him.
“His face grew even paler” presents the result of the previous statement that the wise men’s inability to read or interpret the inscription caused Belshazzar to be extremely terrified.
Thus this statement denotes that “as a result of” being extremely terrified, Belshazzar’s countenance changed on him.
“His face” is composed of the masculine singular construct form of the noun zîw (זִיו) (zeev), “face” which is modified by the third person masculine singular pronominal suffix hû(ʾ) (הוּא) (who), “his.”
The noun zîw means “countenance” since it refers to the appearance of one’s face.
Here it is used of Belshazzar’s countenance.
“Grew even paler” is the masculine plural peʿal (Hebrew: qal) active participle form of the verb šenā(h) (שְׁנָה) (shen-aw´), which means “to change” and its subject is Belshazzar’s countenance or facial appearance.
Thus, it refers to his facial appearance or countenance “changing” as a result of being extremely terrified because his wise men were totally unable to read or interpret the inscription on the wall.
“And his nobles were perplexed” presents an additional result of Belshazzar’s wise men being totally unable to read or interpret the inscription on the wall behind the lampstand.
“His nobles” is composed of the masculine plural construct form of the noun rǎḇ∙reḇā∙nîn (רַבְרְבָנִין) (rab-reb-awn´), “nobles” which is modified by the third person masculine singular pronominal suffix hû(ʾ) (הוּא) (who), “his.”
The noun rǎḇ∙reḇā∙nîn means “nobles” referring to persons in Belshazzar’s kingdom who were associated with the ruling class in his kingdom.
They refer to the various dignitaries mentioned in Daniel chapter three, which were ordered to attend the dedication of the gold statue Nebuchadnezzar made of himself.
We noted that these were the satraps, military commanders, governors, advisers, treasurers, lawyers, judges from the provinces of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom.
Therefore, satraps, military commanders, governors, advisers, treasurers, lawyers and judges from the city of Babylon attended to this great banquet.
“Were perplexed” is the masculine plural hitpaʿʿal (Hebrew: piel) middle participle form of the verb šeḇǎš (שְׁבַשׁ) (sheb-ash´), which means “to be perplexed” and is used of course with Belshazzar’s nobles as its subject.
The word denotes that as a result of the wise men being totally unable to read or interpret the inscription, Belshazzar’s nobles were perplexed in the sense that they were puzzled, bewildered or confused over the inscription because they did not understand it.
The hitpaʿʿal (Hebrew: piel) stem of the verb denotes that the wise men’s inability to read or interpret the inscription caused Belshazzar’s nobles to enter into the state of being perplexed.
Daniel 5:9 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. (My translation)
Daniel 5:9 presents to the reader two results that occurred as a result of Belshazzar’s wise men being totally unable to read or interpret the inscription which an unattached hand wrote on one of the walls in the banquet hall behind the lampstand.
The first was that the king was extremely terrified.
This in turn resulted in the king’s countenance once again changing on him.
The second result was that his nobles were perplexed.
The fact that his wise men were totally unable to read or interpret the inscription made the inscription more ominous to Belshazzar.
Coupled with the Medes and Persians outside the city walls and maybe guilt over using the sacred articles from the temple in Jerusalem, the wise men’s inability to read or interpret the inscription made this handwriting appear as a harbinger of defeat for the king and his nation.
The perplexity of the king’s nobles along with the king’s extreme terror resulted in chaos and confusion in the banquet hall.
Fear is an attitude of anxiety or distress, caused by concern over a threat to one’s future.
The Bible provides numerous examples of situations in which fear is experienced.
It declares, however, that God alone is to be feared, and moments of human fear can be opportunities for deepening faith in Him.
The Scriptures teach that one should have a reverent fear of God, which is commended by God (Proverbs 1:7; cf. Deuteronomy 6:13; 31:12-13; Joshua 4:24; 24:14; 1 Samuel 12:24; Psalm 2:11; 34:7-9; Proverbs 15:33; Ecclesiastes 12:13; Isaiah 33:6; Revelation 14:7).
In Scripture there is the fear of natural phenomena (Psalm 91:5; Jonah 1:4-5; cf. Genesis 19:30; Job 5:22; Ecclesiastes 12:5; Isaiah 7:25; Matthew 8:26; Revelation 11:13) and fear of the unnatural.
There is fear of thoughts and visions (Daniel 4:5; Acts 10:4; cf. 1 Samuel 3:15; Job 4:13-15; Isaiah 21:4; Daniel 8:17; 10:11-12; Matthew 1:20; 28:4; Luke 1:12-13, 29-30; 2:9-10).
There is the fear of the unknown or the abnormal (Matthew 14:26-27; Mark 6:50; John 6:19-20; Acts 5:5; cf. Exodus 20:18; 34:30).
Scripture records those who possess fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15; cf. Psalm 55:4-5; Mark 5:36; Luke 8:50; Acts 23:10) as well as fear of people such as enemies (Exodus 14:10; 1 Samuel 7:7; cf. Numbers 22:3; Judges 7:3; 1 Samuel 17:24,11; 2 Samuel 10:19; 2 Chronicles 12:5; Psalm 27:1-3; 56:1-4; Isaiah 20:5; 41:5; Jeremiah 22:25; 41:18; Obadiah 9).
The Scriptures also record the fear of judgment (Ezekiel 11:8; Acts 24:25; cf. 1 Samuel 28:20; 1 Chronicles 21:30; Isaiah 33:14; Jeremiah 17:18; 30:5; 42:15-16; Ezekiel 12:18; 27:35; Zechariah 9:5).
1 John 4:18 teaches Christians that the assurance of God’s love results in no longer having a fear judgment.
Fear can also be an opportunity to exercise faith in the Lord (Deuteronomy 1:21; Psalm 23:4; Proverbs 3:25-26; Matthew 10:29-31; cf. Exodus 14:13; Deuteronomy 1:29; 7:18-21; 31:6; Joshua 11:6; Nehemiah 4:14; Psalm 3:6; 34:4; 49:5; 56:3; Isaiah 10:24; 35:3-4; 41:14; 43:5; 44:8; 51:12; Jeremiah 1:8,17; 30:10; 42:11; 46:27; Ezekiel 2:6; 3:9; Daniel 10:19; Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:40; Luke 8:25; Mark 6:49-51; John 14:27).