Illustration created for this project.
Belshazzar
The Babylonian ruler at whose feast a hand wrote on the wall, and who fell that same night.
What we know — and how we know it
Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 1
Archaeology — physical evidence · 1
Ancient writers — non-biblical testimony · 1
Life, role & deeds
BibleAt his great feast a hand wrote on the wall, and Babylon fell to the Persians that same night.
Daniel 5:5, 30
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Babylon
Wikimedia Commons — Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
ArchaeologyLong doubted by critics, Belshazzar is confirmed by the Nabonidus Cylinder as son and co-regent of King Nabonidus — which explains why he could offer Daniel only 'third' place in the kingdom.
Nabonidus Cylinders from Ur (British Museum), naming Bēl-šar-uṣur (Belshazzar) as Nabonidus's eldest son; found at the ziggurat by J.G. Taylor, 1854; R.P. Dougherty, Nabonidus and Belshazzar (Yale Oriental Series 15, Yale University Press, 1929); cf. Daniel 5:16
Carole Raddato — CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Ancient writersXenophon tells how Babylon was taken by surprise during a night festival and its impious king killed — strikingly like the night of Daniel 5.
Xenophon, Cyropaedia 7.5.15–30 (Babylon taken by night during a festival, its king slain)
Where in scripture
DanielIn their own words — 2 recorded sayings
“The king, crying out with a loud voice, said that the users of secret arts, the Chaldaeans, and the readers of signs, were to be sent for. The king made answer and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever is able to make out this writing, and make clear to me the sense of it, will be clothed in purple and have a chain of gold round his neck, and will be a ruler of high authority in the kingdom.” — Daniel 5:7
“Then they took Daniel in before the king; the king made answer and said to Daniel, So you are that Daniel, of the prisoners of Judah, whom my father took out of Judah. And I have had news of you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and reason and special wisdom have been seen in you. And now the wise men, the users of secret arts, have been sent in before me for the purpose of reading this writing and making clear to me the sense of it: but they are not able to make clear the sense of the thing: And I have had news of you, that you have the power of making things clear, and…” — Daniel 5:13-16
Speaker attribution: Clear Bible MACULA (CC BY 4.0). Wording: Bible in Basic English (public domain).
Places in their life
Photo: David Stanley — CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
In art
