Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 5:2
Belshazzar, while 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.
2. whiles ] the genitive sing. of the subst. while (as in ‘for a while ’), used adverbially (cf. ‘needs,’ ‘upwards’). It occurs in A.V. Dan 9:20-21; Eze 21:29 (twice), Eze 44:17; Hos 7:6; Mat 5:25; Act 5:4 ; 2Co 9:13; and several times in Shakespeare, as Much Ado, iv. 1, 221, ‘What we have we prize not to the worth, Whiles we enjoy it, Meas. for Meas. iv. 3, 84; Jul. Caes. i. 2. 209.
whiles he tasted the wine ] in the taste i.e. enjoyment of the wine, when he began to feel the influence of the wine.
commanded, &c.] an act, under the circumstances, of wanton and defiant impiety.
the golden and silver vessels, &c.] see Dan 1:2.
his father ] Belshazzar is not known to have been related to Nebuchadnezzar: his father was Nabu-na’id, a usurper, the son of one Nabo-balsu-ibi, and expressly said (see Introd. pp. xxvii, li) to have been unconnected with Nebuchadnezzar’s family.
‘Father’ may, however, by Hebrew usage, be understood to mean grandfather (Gen 28:13; Gen 32:10; cf. 1Ki 15:13 for great-grandfather); and there remains the possibility that Nabu-na’id may have sought to strengthen his position by marrying a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar, in which case, of course, Nebuchadnezzar would be ‘Belshazzar’s grandfather on his mother’s side (see however, p. li, [254] .).
[254] The supposition, sometimes made, that he was ‘co-regent’ with his father is also destitute of foundation in the inscriptions.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
2. princes ] lords, as Dan 5:1. So Dan 5:3.
his wives ] his consorts: so Dan 5:3 ; Dan 5:23. The word is a rare one, being found otherwise in the O.T. only in Neh 2:6 (of the queen of Artaxerxes), and Psa 45:9 [255] .
[255] It is read by some scholars conjecturally in Jdg 5:30 (‘for the neck of the consort,’ for ). The coguate verb means to ravish (Isa 13:16 al.)
concubines ] so Dan 5:3 ; Dan 5:23. Not the usual Hebrew word, but one found also in the Aramaic of the Targums. Cf. Son 6:8, where ‘queens’ and ‘concubines’ are mentioned side by side.
The presence of women at feasts was not usual in antiquity (cf., of Persia, Est 1:10-12); but there is some evidence, though slight, that it was allowed in Babylon (Xen. Cyrop. v. ii. 28; and, in the age of Alexander, Curtius v. i. 38). The LXX. translator, feeling probably some difficulty in the statement, omits the clause relating to the ‘wives and concubines’ both here and Dan 5:3 ; Dan 5:23.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine – As the effect of tasting the wine – stating a fact which is illustrated in every age and land, that men, under the influence of intoxicating drinks, will do what they would not do when sober. In his sober moments it would seem probable that he would have respected the vessels consecrated to the service of religion, and would not have treated them with dishonor by introducing them for purposes of revelry.
Commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels – These vessels had been carefully deposited in some place as the spoils of victory (see Dan 1:2), and it would appear that they had not before been desecrated for purposes of feasting. Belshazzar did what other men would have done in the same condition. He wished to make a display; to do something unusually surprising; and, though it had not been contemplated when the festival was appointed to make use of these vessels, yet, under the excitement of wine, nothing was too sacred to be introduced to the scenes of intoxication; nothing too foolish to be done. In regard to the vessels taken from the temple at Jerusalem, see the note at Dan 1:2.
Which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken – Margin, grandfather. According to the best account which we have of Belshazzar, he was the son of Evil-Merodach, who was the son of Nebuchadnezzar (see the Introduction to the chapter, Section II.), and therefore the word is used here, as in the margin, to denote grandfather. Compare Jer 27:7. See the note at Isa 14:22. The word father is often used in a large signification. See 2Sa 9:7; also the notes at Mat 1:1. There is no improbability in supposing that this word would be used to denote a grandfather, when applied to one of the family or dynasty of Nebuchadnezzar The fact that Belshazzar is here called the son of Nebuchadnezzar has been made a ground of objection to the credibility of the book of Daniel, by Lengerke, p. 204. The objection is, that the last king of Babylon was not the son of Nebuchadnezzar. But, in reply to this, in addition to the remarks above made, it may be observed that it is not necessary, in vindicating the assertion in the text, to suppose that he was the immediate descendant of Nebuchadnezzar, in the first degree. The Semitic use of the word in question goes far beyond the first degree of descent, and extends the appellation of son to the designation grandson, and even of the most remote posterity. In Ezr 6:14, the prophet Zechariah is called the son of Iddo; in Zec 1:1, Zec 1:7, the same person is called the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo. So Isaiah threatens Hezekiah Isa 39:7 that the sons whom he shall beget shall be conducted as exiles to Babylon; in which case, however, four generations intervened before this happened. So in Mat 1:1, Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. And so we speak every day: The sons of Adam, the sons of Abraham, the sons of Israel, the sons of the Pilgrims, and the like. – Prof. Stuart, Com. on Dan. p. 144.
That the king and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein – Nothing is too sacred to be profaned when men are under the influence of wine. They do not hesitate to desecrate the holiest things, and vessels taken from the altar of God are regarded with as little reverence as any other. It would seem that Nebuchadnezzar had some respect for these vessels, as having been employed in the purposes of religion; at least so much respect as to lay them up as trophies of victory, and that this respect had been shown for them under the reign of his successors, until the exciting scenes of this impious feast occurred, when all veneration for them vanished. It was not very common for females in the East to be present at such festivals as this, but it would seem that all the usual restraints of propriety and decency came to be disregarded as the feast advanced. The wives and concubines were probably not present when the feast began, for it was made for his lords Dan 5:1; but when the scenes of revelry had advanced so far that it was proposed to introduce the sacred vessels of the temple, it would not be unnatural to propose also to introduce the females of the court.
A similar instance is related in the book of Esther. In the feast which Ahasuerus gave, it is said that on the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, etc., the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the people and the princes her beauty, etc. Est 1:10-11. Compare Joseph. Ant. b. xi. ch. 6: Section 1. The females that were thus introduced to the banquet were those of the harem, yet it would seem that she who was usually called the queen by way of eminence, or the queen-mother (compare the note at Est 5:10), was not among them at this time. The females in the court of an Oriental monarch were divided into two classes; those who were properly concubines, and who had none of the privileges of a wife; and those of a higher class, and who were spoken of as wives, and to whom pertained the privileges of that relation. Among the latter, also, in the court of a king, it would seem that there was one to whom properly belonged the appellation of queen; that is, probably, a favorite wife whose children were heirs to the crown. See Bertholdt, in loc. Compare 2Sa 5:13; 1Ki 11:3; Son 6:8.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. Whiles he tasted the wine] He relished it, got heated by it, and when WINE got fully in, WIT went wholly out; and in consequence he acted the profane part of which we immediately read.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This king having the wine, liked it so well, that he resolved to make a merry day of it, and in order to it, sent for the vessels of Gods temple, which he did in scorn and contempt, triumphing thereby over God and his people; but this sport lasted not long: they had more honour for the vessels of their own idols, which they kept sacred and untouched; therefore the prophet upbraids them with this insolent profaneness, for the concubines also drank of them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. whiles he tasted the wineWhileunder the effects of wine, men will do what they dare not do whensober.
his fatherNebuchadnezzarthat is, his forefather. So “Jesus . . .the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Mt1:1). Daniel does not say that the other kings mentioned in otherwriters did not reign between Belshazzar and Nebuchadnezzar, namely,Evil-merodach (Jer 52:31),Neriglissar, his brother-in-law, and Laborasoarchod (nine months).BEROSUS makes Nabonidus,the last king, to have been one of the people, raised to thethrone by an insurrection. As the inscriptions show that Belshazzarwas distinct from, and joint king with, him, this is not at variancewith Daniel, whose statement that Belshazzar was son(grandson) of Nebuchadnezzar is corroborated by Jeremiah (Jer27:7). Their joint, yet independent, testimony, ascontemporaries, and having the best means of information, is moretrustworthy than any of the heathen historians, if there were adiscrepancy. Evil-merodach, son of Nebuchadnezzar (according toBEROSUS), reigned but ashort time (one or two years), having, in consequence of his badgovernment, been dethroned by a plot of Neriglissar, his sister’shusband; hence Daniel does not mention him. At the elevation ofNabonidus as supreme king, Belshazzar, the grandson ofNebuchadnezzar, was doubtless suffered to be subordinate king andsuccessor, in order to conciliate the legitimate party. Thus theseeming discrepancy becomes a confirmation of genuineness whencleared up, for the real harmony must have been undesigned.
wives . . . concubinesnotusually present at feasts in the East, where women of the harem arekept in strict seclusion. Hence Vashti’s refusal to appear atAhasuerus’ feast (Es1:9-12). But the Babylonian court, in its reckless excesses,seems not to have been so strict as the Persian. XENOPHON[Cyropdia, 5.2,28] confirms Daniel, representing a feast ofBelshazzar where the concubines are present. At the beginning “thelords” (Da 5:1), for whomthe feast was made, alone seem to have been present; but as therevelry advanced, the women were introduced. Two classes of them arementioned, those to whom belonged the privileges of “wives,”and those strictly concubines (2Sa 5:13;1Ki 11:3; Son 6:8).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine,…. As he was drinking his cups, and delighted with the taste of the wine, and got merry with it: or, “by the advice of the wine” h, as Aben Ezra and Jarchi interpret it, by a personification; as if that dictated to him, and put him upon doing what follows; and which often puts both foolish and wicked things into the heads of men, and upon doing them: then he
commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels, which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; what these vessels were, and the number of them, we learn from the delivery of them afterwards to the prince of Judah by Cyrus, Ezr 1:9, these were put into the temple of Bel by Nebuchadnezzar, Da 1:2 and from thence they were now ordered to be brought to the king’s palace, and to the apartment where he and his nobles were drinking:
that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein; Saadiah says, this day the seventy years’ captivity ended; and so, in contempt of the promise and prophecy of it, he ordered the vessels to be brought out and drank in, to show that in vain the Jews expected redemption from it.
h “vino dictante”, Tigurine version.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Here king Belshazzar courts his own punishment, because he furiously stirred up God’s wrath against himself, as if he was dissatisfied with its delay while God put off his judgment for so long a period. This is according to what I have said. When the destruction of a house is at hand, the impious remove the posts and gates, as Solomon says. (Pro 17:19.) God therefore, when he wishes to execute his judgments, impels the reprobrate by a secret instinct to rush forward of their own accord, and to hasten their own destruction. Belshazzar did this. His carelessness was the sign of his stupidity, and also of God’s wrath, when in the midst of his own pride and crimes he could delight in reveling. Thus his blindness more clearly points out God’s vengeance, since he was not content with his own intemperance and excesses, but must openly declare war against God. He ordered, therefore, says he, the gold and silver vessels to be brought to him which he had taken away from Nebuchadnezzar These vessels appear to have been laid up in the treasury; hence Nebuchadnezzar had never abused these vessels in his lifetime; we do not read that Evil-Merodach did anything of this kind, and Belshazzar now wishes purposely to inflict this insult on God. There is no doubt he brought forth those vessels by way of ridicule, for the purpose of triumphing over the true God, as we shall afterwards see.
We have already explained the sense in which the Prophet calls Nebuchadnezzar the father of Belshazzar, since it is usual in all languages to speak of ancestors as fathers; for Belshazzar was of the offspring of Nebuchadnezzar, and being really his grandson, he is naturally called his son; and this will occur again. There are some who think Evil-Merodach was stricken with that grievous affliction mentioned in the last chapter: possibly his name was Nebuchadnezzar, but there is no reason for adopting their opinion; (245) it is frivolous to fly directly to this conjecture when the name of the father occurs. the Prophet says Belshazzar committed this under the influence of wine Since טעם, tegnem, signifies “to taste,” no doubt he here speaks of tasting; and since this may be metaphorically transferred to the understanding, some explain it to mean being impelled by wine, and thus his drunkenness took the place of reason and judgment. Nights and love and wine, says Ovid, have no moderation in them. (246) This explanation I think too forced; it seems simply to mean, when Belshazzar grew warm with wine, he commanded the vessels to be brought to him; and this is the more usual view. When, therefore, the savor of the wine prevailed, — that is, when it seized upon the king’s senses, then he ordered the vessels to be brought It is worth while to notice this, to induce us to be cautious concerning intemperance in drinking, because nothing is more common than the undertaking many things far too rashly when our senses are under the influence of wine. Hence we must use wine soberly, that it may invigorate not only the body but the mind and the senses, and may never weaken, or enervate, or stupify our bodily or mental powers. And this is, alas! too common, since the vulgar proverb is well known — pride springs from drunkenness. For this reason the poets supposed Bacchus to have horns, since intemperate men are always puffed up, and the most wretched fancy themselves kings. What then must happen to monarchs, when in their forgetfulness they dream themselves kings of kings, and even deities? The Prophet wishes to mark this fault when he says, Belshazzar, under the influence of wine, ordered vessels to be brought to him It now follows, —
(245) This is the view of the Duke of Manchester; it is ably supported in his learned volume on “ The Times of Daniel.” As we have had occasion to review the general argument elsewhere, we merely allude to it here. — See Dissertations.
(246) Ars. Amor., Eleg. 6. The French translation is worthy of notice, —
“
La nuiet, l’amour, le boire sans mesure, N’ induit a rien sinon a toute ordure.”
—
Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(2) Whiles he tastedi.e., while he was enjoying the wine. The sacred vessels were brought out of the temple of Merodach, and profaned in this manner for the purpose of defying Jehovah. But it may be reasonably asked, What led him to think of Jehovah in the midst of the revelry? It may have been that some drunken fancy seized him. It may have been that he had been warned that the prophets of Jehovah had foretold the overthrow of Babylon by Cyrus, whose armies were now in the neighbourhood. Whatever the true explanation may be, there can be no doubt, from Daniels language (Dan. 5:23), and from the way in which Belshazzars gods are mentioned (Dan. 5:4), that the whole act was one of defiance of Jehovah.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. While he tasted the wine Prince renders being under the influence of the wine. The earliest version of the LXX., probably through prejudice (see note Dan 5:1), omits all reference to the presence of women.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink from them.’
We are not told of any reason why he did this, but he seemingly knew of them and no doubt persuaded himself in his drunken stupor that it was time they were used. It was probably his means of declaring the power of Babylon, and possibly his own defiance of a God Who had helped his grandfather, and Whom he felt had let him down, at a time when that power was being fatally undermined. The fact that they were sacred vessels suggests that this was a direct act of blasphemy, for such sacred things were generally treated with respect. It is clear that Daniel no longer held such high office under Nabonidus and Belshazzar, for he was not called to the feast and is later mentioned as though he was in retirement. It would not be unusual, given the changes in rulership that had taken place. Perhaps also he had previously in times past used his influence against their use.
‘While he tasted the wine’ probably means while Belshazzar was under its influence.
The presence of the important womenfolk, including Belshazzar’s wives, is attested elsewhere with regard to Babylonian drinking feasts, even though they were feasts of great lasciviousness. Their presence, and the general behaviour at the feast, added to the blasphemy of using the sacred vessels. The concubines would be lesser wives of the harem who were of common stock.
‘Nebuchadnezzar his father’ simply means that Nebuchadnezzar was his ancestor. He was in fact his grandfather. The word translated does not strictly mean ‘father’. It means ‘one through whom you trace your descent’. Compare ‘your father Abraham’ (Gen 28:13; Gen 32:9). (It can also be used in other ways more loosely. Compare the words of Jesus, ‘you are of your father the Devil’ – Joh 8:44).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Dan 5:2. Whiles he tasted the wine When he grew warm with wine. Houbigant. The golden and silver vessels here spoken of, were those carried by Nebuchadnezzar from the temple of Jerusalem to the treasure-house of his god, (see chap. Dan 1:2.) and which were there set apart for religious uses. So that this farther profanation of them, as Dr. Prideaux observes, was contrary to the rules of their own religion, and may be supposed to have been committed by Belshazzar in an excessive riot of drinking, as the text, according to Houbigant’s translation, implies.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Dan 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.
Ver. 2. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine. ] a And was mastered by it; being now in his cups, as they say, and well whittled, “swallowed up of wine,” as the prophet expresseth it. Isa 28:7 Aben Ezra rendereth it, in consilio vini, doing as the wine advised him.
Commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels.
Which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple.
a Iam temulentus . – Vulgate
b The Life of Justin, by Mr Clark, 79.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
vessels. Compare Dan 1:2; and see 2Ki 25:15. 2Ch 36:10.
father Nebuchadnezzar. No “historical difficulty”. Critics should tell us what word Daniel could have used, seeing there is no word in Chaldee or Hebrew for “grandfather”. The word “father” is used by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species), App-6, for ancestor. Compare 1Ki 15:11-13, where David is called the “father” of Asa, and Maachah is called his mother (compare 2Ki 15:1, 2Ki 15:2 with 11-13). In 2Ki 14:3 the same is said of Amaziah; and in 2Ch 34:1, 2Ch 34:2, of Josiah. Compare Rom 9:10, where Paul speaks of “our father Isaac”. But Jer 27:7 explains the matter fully: “all nations shall serve him (i.e. Nebuchadnezzar), and his son (Nabonidus), and his son’s son (Belshazzar), until the very time of his land come”. See note on Dan 7:1.
taken out = brought forth. Compare Ezr 1:7.
princes. Chaldee. rabreban, as in Dan 5:3, same as “lords” in verses: Dan 5:1, Dan 5:9, Dan 5:10, Dan 1:23. Elsewhere, only in this book, in Dan 4:36, and Dan 6:17.
wives. Showing that the “queen” mentioned in Dan 5:10 must have been his mother.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Dan 5:2
Dan 5:2 Belshazzar,H1113 whiles he tastedH2942 the wine,H2562 commandedH560 to bringH858 the goldenH1722 and silverH3702 vesselsH3984 whichH1768 his fatherH2 NebuchadnezzarH5020 had taken outH5312 ofH4481 the templeH1965 whichH1768 was in Jerusalem;H3390 that the king,H4430 and his princes,H7261 his wives,H7695 and his concubines,H3904 might drinkH8355 therein.
Dan 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.
Inspiration lists Belshazzar as the son of Nebuchadnezzar. History records that he was the son of Nabonidus. Belshazzar was actually the great grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. he was the son of Nabonidus, who was the son of Evil-Merodach, who was the son of Nebuchadnezzar. It is common Hebrew phraseology to name distance descendants of men as their sons. Jesus Christ Himself was called the Son of David (Mat 1:1), by inspiration.
It wasn’t enough that Belshazzar was a drunken despot. He purposefully chose to deliberately take the sacred vessels from the Jewish temple and use them in his party for all to drink wine from. There were at least a thousand people at this feast. Whether they really needed more vessels to drink from due to a shortage of wine cups, or this was a deliberate act of contempt against the Jewish people by defiling their sacred things is unclear. However, it appears from consideration of Belshazzar’s reaction to Daniel later in this narrative, it certainly appears that he knew enough about the God of the Israelites to realize He was a true God. And well he should because it was only a matter of a few years between the death of Nebuchadnezzar and his ascension to throne of Babylon. In either event, Belshazzar demonstrated that he was well aware of their existence in the treasure store of the empire and that he cared nothing at all about the religion of the Jews. Obviously Nebuchadnezzar’s influence had vanished. This would not have been done in Nebuchadnezzar’s later years.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
father
Nebuchadnezzar was “father” of Belshazzar in the biblical sense that David is called “father” of Jesus, Luk 1:32. Belshazzar was probably a grandson.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Belshazzar: Belshazzar is said by Josephus to be the same as Naboandelus, the Nabonadius of Ptolemy, and the Labynetus of Herodotus. He reigned seven years, during which time he was engaged in unsuccessful wars with the Medes and Persians; and at this very time was besieged by Cyrus.
the golden: Dan 1:2, 2Ki 24:13, 2Ki 25:15, 2Ch 36:10, 2Ch 36:18, Ezr 1:7-11, Jer 27:16-22, Jer 52:19
father: or, grandfather, Dan 5:11, Dan 5:13, Dan 5:18, 2Sa 9:7, 2Ki 8:25-27, 2Ch 11:20, 2Ch 15:16, Jer 27:7
taken out: Chal, brought forth
might: Dan 5:4, Dan 5:23
Reciprocal: Num 7:13 – charger Jdg 16:25 – their hearts 1Sa 5:2 – of Dagon 2Sa 13:28 – heart is merry 1Ki 20:12 – drinking 1Ch 10:9 – tidings 2Ch 4:19 – all the vessels 2Ch 9:20 – drinking 2Ch 24:7 – did they bestow 2Ch 36:7 – the vessels Ezr 5:14 – the vessels Ezr 6:5 – the golden Est 1:7 – vessels of gold Psa 69:12 – drunkards Pro 31:4 – General Jer 50:35 – upon her princes Jer 51:31 – to show Jer 51:44 – I will bring Dan 5:30 – General Joe 3:5 – ye Mar 6:22 – General 2Ti 2:20 – vessels
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Dan 5:2. Whiles he tasted the trine. Belshazzar was an idolater in genera! life, but nothing indicates that this feast was at first intended to be anything but a royal banquet. But intoxication will cause a man to do things he would not do when sober. This drunken king commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels that had been taken from the temple at Jerusalem. We have no account of their having been used before this after being brought to Babylon. The text says the vessels had been taken by his father Nebuchadnezzar, because that word is used very generally in the Bible and other literature. It sometimes means any forefather; in this case it means his grandfather. Perhaps it will be well to verify the last statement by a quotation from ancient history. “LINE OF KINGS-(of Babylon) Nabapolas sar, Nebuchadnezzar, Evilmerodaeh, Nerigiissar, Laborosoarchod or Labos soracus, and Nabonadius the last king. He, not being of royal birth, married a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar (probably Neriglissar’s widow), and as soon as his son by this marriage, Belshazzar (Betsharuzur), is of sufficient age, associated him on the throne.- Rawlinson, Ancient History, page 49. For the difference between wives and concubines see the comments on Gen 22:21, Volume 1.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Dan 5:2-4. Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine When he grew warm with wine, Houb. Commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels, &c. Triumphing thereby over God and his people. They drank wine Made themselves merry with wine. And praised the gods of gold, &c. Praised, as gods, senseless images of gold, silver, brass, iron, &c.; thus insulting the great God of heaven and earth, as if these images were more powerful than he, and had enabled them to prevail against him and his people. This their conduct was the more sinful, because Nebuchadnezzar had, not long before, prohibited, by a solemn decree, that any one should speak lightly of the God of the Jews. The Alexandrine and Coptic versions, after mentioning their praising their false gods, add, But the everlasting God they praised not. Such a wanton and sacrilegious insult deserved and called for exemplary punishment.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
5:2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his {c} 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.
(c) Meaning his grandfather.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Nebuchadnezzar was Belshazzar’s grandfather rather than his father, but the original language commonly used "father" in the sense of ancestor.
"Neither in Hebrew, nor in Chaldee, is there any word for ’grandfather,’ ’grandson.’ Forefathers are called ’fathers’ or ’fathers’ fathers.’ But a single grandfather, or forefather, is never called ’father’s father’ but always ’father’ only." [Note: Pusey, p. 346.]
Evidently the vessels taken from the Jerusalem temple had been stored as trophies of war and not used previously (cf. Dan 1:2). Their presence in the warehouses of Babylon was sufficient humiliation of Yahweh who, in the minds of the Babylonians, could not prevent their theft. However, using these vessels in praise of Babylon’s gods was even more sacrilegious than just possessing them.
"Have you noticed how in recent years the world has stepped into the ’sanctuary’ of faith and laid its ruthless hands on some of the things we hold most sacred? Our day has seen this impious sacrilege carried into many other realms, as well. Is God unmindful of this? Will He not visit for such defiance?" [Note: Feinberg, pp. 65-66.]
Again, as in chapters 3 and 4, a pagan king set himself up as superior to Yahweh. Perhaps Belshazzar did what he did to strengthen nationalistic pride among the Babylonians as well.
The description of Babylon’s gods as gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone probably reflects the Hebrew perspective of the writer (cf. Dan 5:23). For the Israelites, the gods that Belshazzar honored were no gods at all.