Belshazzar — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Babylonian king who was co-regent with Nabonidus in the final days of the Babylonian Empire. His name means “Bel protect the king.” Daniel identifies him as the son of Nebuchadnezzar (Dn 5:2, 11, 13, 18 OET DAN 5:2 · OET DAN 5:11 · OET DAN 5:13 · OET DAN 5:18), though in fact he was the natural son of Nabunaid (Nabonidus). The seeming discrepancy arises from the fact that in Hebrew literature “father” may signify “ancestor” or “predecessor,” and “son” may designate “descendant” or “successor in office.” Some have concluded that Belshazzar’s mother was a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar and that Belshazzar was therefore the grandson of the great Babylonian. Clearly his father, Nabunaid, was the son of a nobleman and the high priestess of the moon god at Haran. Nabunaid had usurped the throne in 555 BC.

Show passage in OET: DAN 5:2; DAN 5:11; DAN 5:13; DAN 5:18

OET-RV DAN 5:2

2 As Belshatsar was drinking the wine, he remembered the gold and silver cups that his father Nevukadnetsar (Nebuchadnezzar) had taken from the temple in Yerushalem (Jerusalem), and ordered that they be brought in so that the king and his leading citizens, and his wives and his concubines, could drink from them.

OET-RV DAN 5:11

11 There’s a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father, this man has illumination and insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your father King Nevukadnetsar (Nebuchadnezzar) appointed him chief of the magicians, sorcerers, Kasdim, and astrologers,

OET-RV DAN 5:13

13 So Daniyel was brought in to the king who said to him, “So, you’re that Daniyel—one of the exiles that my father the king brought from Yehudah (Judah).

OET-RV DAN 5:18

18 “As for you, your majesty, the highest god gave the kingship, power, honour, and majesty, to your father Nevukadnetsar (Nebuchadnezzar).

OET-LV DAN 5:2

2 Bēləshaʼʦʦar he _said in_the _taste _of the _wine to_bring DOM_the_vessels _of (the)_gold and_(the)_silver which Nəⱱūkadneʦʦar father _of_his he _had _brought _out from the_temple which was_in_Yərūshelēm/(Jerusalem) so_that _they _may _drink with_them Oh/the_king and_nobles _of_his wives _of_his and_concubines _of_his.

OET-LV DAN 5:11

11 There is_a _man in_kingdom _of_your who a _spirit _of gods holy is_in_him and_in_the _days _of your _father illumination and_insight and_wisdom like_the_wisdom _of gods it _was _found in_him and_the_king Nəⱱūkadneʦʦar father _of_your chief _of the_magicians conjurers ones_from _Kasdiy astrologers he_appointed _him father _of_your Oh/the_king.

OET-LV DAN 5:13

13 In_then Dāniyy^ʼēl he _was _brought before Oh/the_king Oh/the_king was_replying and_saying(ms) to/for_Dāniyy^ʼēl you(sg) he are_Dāniyy^ʼēl who is_one _of the _sons _of the _exile of Yəhūdāh/(Judah) whom Oh/the_king father _of_my he _brought from Yəhūdāh.

OET-LV DAN 5:18

18 You(sg) Oh/the_king the_god mmm the_kingdom and_the_greatness and_the_honour and_the_majesty he _gave to_Nəⱱūkadneʦʦar father _of_your.

Jump to OET DAN 5:2 section. · OET DAN 5:11 section. · OET DAN 5:13 section. · OET DAN 5:18 section.

A greater difficulty in the biblical text is the fact that Daniel presents Belshazzar as the king of Babylon when it fell to the Persians, whereas secular historical records picture Nabunaid as the last king of the Babylonian Empire. Critical scholars have therefore questioned Daniel’s accuracy. Inscriptions have now been found, however, which make it clear that Belshazzar’s father entrusted the rule of the capital to him and was out of the city for over 10 years campaigning in Arabia. Religious concerns also took Nabunaid out of Babylon during part of his reign. When Cyrus invaded the Babylonian Empire, Nabunaid marched east to meet him but fled before Cyrus’s advancing armies. Later he returned to Babylon and surrendered to the Persians after the city had already fallen to Cyrus. Thus he was out of the city when the Persians overcame the royal forces there under the command of Belshazzar, the crown prince and co-regent.

While Nabunaid’s armies were being routed by the Persians, Belshazzar was giving a sensual feast for the leaders of Babylonian society. Half drunk, he called for the gold and silver vessels from the Jerusalem temple to be brought in for use in a deliberate act of sacrilege. Immediately handwriting appeared on the wall, his doom was announced, and Persian armies entered the city without a fight (October 12, 539 BC). They did so by diverting the waters of the Euphrates so the river would no longer serve as a moat around the city and its defenses could be easily breached. See Daniel, Book of; Babylon, Babylonia.