Daniel 5:30 (KJV)

What does Daniel 5:30 mean?

Daniel 5:30 reports that on the very night described in the chapter, Belshazzar, who was king of the Chaldeans (Babylonians), was killed. This verse marks the sudden and violent end of Belshazzar’s reign, fulfilling the warning given earlier in the chapter.

The verse comes at the climax of a dramatic scene: Belshazzar had held a feast using sacred vessels from the Jewish temple, and a mysterious hand wrote a message on the wall. Daniel interpreted the writing as a prophecy of Belshazzar’s downfall. The verse simply states the outcome—Belshazzar’s death—showing that the prophecy was fulfilled immediately and decisively.

The Aramaic behind Daniel 5:30

• לֵילְיָא (lelyāʾ, “night”): This word emphasizes that Belshazzar’s death happened suddenly, within the very night of the events described, not at some later time.
• בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר (bēlshaʾtzar, “Belshazzar”): Naming Belshazzar directly ties the prophecy and its fulfillment to this specific king, not just the Babylonian empire in general.
• מַלְכָּא (malkāʾ, “king”): The word for “king” underlines Belshazzar’s authority and the significance of his downfall.
• כַּשְׂדָּאֵי (kasdāʾei, “Chaldeans”): This term refers to the Babylonian people, connecting Belshazzar’s death to the fate of the whole empire.
• קְטִיל (qetil, “slain”): The word for “slain” is direct and final, stressing that Belshazzar’s end was not just a loss of power but a violent death.

Why Daniel 5:30 matters

• Daniel 5:30 clears up any uncertainty about the outcome of the mysterious writing on the wall by showing that the prophecy was fulfilled immediately and completely.
• The verse highlights the suddenness of Babylon’s fall, emphasizing that even the most powerful rulers can be brought down in an instant.
• By tying Belshazzar’s death to the events of that very night, the verse connects the story to the larger theme of divine judgment and the rise and fall of empires found throughout the book of Daniel.