Daniel 5:2

ESV 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.

NIV While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them.

NASB While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines could drink out of them.

CSB Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that his predecessor Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines could drink from them.

NLT While Belshazzar was drinking the wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver cups that his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem. He wanted to drink from them with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.

KJV Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

NKJV While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.

What does Daniel 5:2 mean?

Daniel made a point of mentioning Belshazzar's drinking when introducing this incident (Daniel 5:1). Here, he includes descriptions of blasphemy. Belshazzar disrespects captured Jewish artifacts (Daniel 1:2) by using them as drinking cups while committing idolatry (Daniel 5:4). He demonstrates a total lack of disregard for God, who had commanded the consecration of those objects (Exodus 30:22–29). Nebuchadnezzar, a prior king, had come to respect the One True God (Daniel 4:34). Later kings sought to strengthen Babylon's commitment to their traditional deities. It's possible Belshazzar's choice was calculated: a way of desecrating and dismissing the Hebrew religion. However, the tone of the passage suggests this was simply a crude, alcohol-fueled act of ignorance.

Belshazzar's desecration foreshadows what will happen in the tribulation period. Revelation 17:1–4 describes the final apostasy as featuring prostitution, sexual immorality, drunkenness, and blasphemy. A proximity exists between what characterized the early years of the "times of the Gentiles," including the rule of nations such as Babylon, and what will mark history's closing days.

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Context Summary
Daniel 5:1–9 portrays Babylon's king, Belshazzar, as both proud and profane. During a wine-laden, idol-worshipping celebration, the king uses captured Jewish religious articles as drinking cups. A disembodied hand suddenly appears and writes on the wall. This terrifies Belshazzar, even more so when his wise men cannot explain what has happened. What follows is Daniel's explanation, predicting God's judgment of Belshazzar.

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Chapter Summary
After Nebuchadnezzar's humiliation, a succeeding ruler, Belshazzar, fails to learn the proper lesson. During a drunken party, he brings out Jewish objects to use in idolatry. The celebration is interrupted by disembodied fingers leaving strange markings on the wall. Daniel is summoned when no one else can read or interpret these. After boldly rebuking Belshazzar's immorality, Daniel explains the event as a prophecy of doom. That same night, Belshazzar dies, and the kingdom eventually comes under a new leader.

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