Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

DANIEL 5:1KJV
Know the Bible

Daniel 5:1 (KJV)

What does Daniel 5:1 mean?

Daniel 5:1 describes King Belshazzar hosting a huge banquet for a thousand of his nobles, where he drinks wine in front of them. The verse sets the scene for a lavish royal celebration, emphasizing the king’s public display and the scale of the gathering.

This verse opens a new episode in the book of Daniel, shifting the focus to Belshazzar, a Babylonian king. The setting is a grand feast, likely held in the palace, with many high-ranking officials present. The detail that Belshazzar drinks wine before the thousand suggests he is leading the festivities, which hints at both his authority and the tone of the event.

The Aramaic behind Daniel 5:1

  • בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר (Belsha’tzar, "Belshazzar"): This name identifies the king at the center of the story, marking a shift from earlier Babylonian rulers mentioned in Daniel.
  • מַלְכָּא (malka, "king"): The use of this word highlights Belshazzar’s royal status and authority over the gathering.
  • לְרַבְרְבָנֵהּ (rabrəvanēh, "his lords"): This term refers to the top officials or nobles, emphasizing the importance and exclusivity of the feast.
  • אֲלַף (’alaf, "thousand"): The specific mention of a thousand guests stresses the extravagance and scale of the event, not just a small private dinner.

Why Daniel 5:1 matters

  • Daniel 5:1 sets the stage for the dramatic events that follow, including the famous "writing on the wall" episode, by showing the king in a moment of pride and excess.
  • The verse highlights the contrast between royal confidence and the vulnerability that will soon be revealed, as the story unfolds during this very feast.
  • Understanding the public and extravagant nature of the banquet helps explain the shock and fear that later grip Belshazzar and his guests when the supernatural message appears.

Where else these words appear

“thousand” Hebrew H506 · used in 2 verses

  • Daniel 7:10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

“drank” Hebrew H8355 · used in 5 verses

  • Daniel 5:2 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.
  • Daniel 5:3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.
  • Daniel 5:4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

“wine” Hebrew H2562 · used in 6 verses

  • Ezra 6:9 And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail:
  • Ezra 7:22 Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
  • Daniel 5:4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

“Belshazzar” Hebrew H1113 · used in 7 verses

  • Daniel 5:2 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.
  • Daniel 5:22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
  • Daniel 5:30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.