“O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:”
My Notes
What Does Daniel 5:18 Mean?
Daniel speaks to King Belshazzar with a history lesson: the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom, majesty, glory, and honour. The emphasis: God gave. The kingdom was not earned. It was given.
The purpose of the history (v.19-21): Nebuchadnezzar received everything from God, became proud, was humbled through madness, and eventually acknowledged God's sovereignty. The story is told so Belshazzar will learn from it.
The implicit message: you are making the same mistake. You have not humbled your heart (v.22) though you knew all this. The information was available. The precedent was clear. And Belshazzar ignored it.
Daniel's speech is a warning through history: the God who humbled your father will humble you. The kingdom you enjoy was given — and the giver can take it back.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What does 'God gave' mean for everything Belshazzar treated as his own?
- 2.Why did Belshazzar fail to learn from Nebuchadnezzar's example?
- 3.What historical example of divine humbling should you learn from rather than repeat?
- 4.Where are you ignoring available knowledge about how God handles pride?
Devotional
The most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour. Gave. Every bit of it. The kingdom, the majesty, the glory, the honour — all gifts from the most high God. Not achievements. Gifts.
Daniel recounts the story Belshazzar already knows: Nebuchadnezzar received everything, became proud, was driven mad, and eventually learned that the most High rules in the kingdom of men. The precedent is on the record.
The implicit question to Belshazzar: did you learn? The answer (v.22-23): no. Thou hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this. The knowledge was available. The example was vivid. The lesson was ignored.
The pattern repeats in every generation: God gives. The recipient forgets the giver. Pride replaces gratitude. And the humbling that followed the pride follows again.
What has God given you that you are treating as your own achievement? What example of divine humbling are you aware of but ignoring? The history is available. The precedent is clear. The question is whether you will learn from it or repeat it.
Belshazzar did not learn. That night, the kingdom was taken. The handwriting was already on the wall.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
O thou king,.... "Hear" (t), O king; so Aben Ezra supplies it; what he was about to say first, in order to prepare him…
O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom ... - This reference to Nebuchadnezzar is…
Nebuchadnezzar thy father - Or grandfather, as the margin reads, Dan 5:2. See the notes on Dan 5:1 (note).
Here is, I. The information given to the king, by the queen-mother, concerning Daniel, how fit he was to be consulted in…
Before interpreting the writing Daniel reads the king a lesson. Nebuchadnezzar's pride, combined with his refusal to…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture