Daniel Chapter 5 · Verse 28
PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Isaiah 13:17Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.Daniel 6:28So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.Isaiah 21:2A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.Daniel 5:31And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.Daniel 9:1In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;
Historical Context
The Medo-Persian Empire under Cyrus conquered Babylon in 539 BC, fulfilling this prophecy. Historical sources (Cyrus Cylinder, Nabonidus Chronicle, Greek historians) document the conquest. The Medes and Persians had formed alliance under Cyrus, combining to defeat Babylon. God's specification of the conquering power demonstrates prophetic precision—this wasn't vague prediction but specific revelation. Archaeological evidence confirms the Persian policy of religious tolerance, allowing Jewish exiles to return and rebuild Jerusalem (Ezra 1), fulfilling other prophecies.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's specification of the successor empire demonstrate that He not only knows but controls the rise and fall of kingdoms?
- What does the immediate fulfillment teach about taking God's prophetic word seriously rather than dismissing it as distant or irrelevant?
Analysis & Commentary
Daniel interprets PERES (singular of UPHARSIN): 'Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.' The wordplay on PERES is brilliant—the root means both 'divided' and contains consonants of 'Persia' (Paras). God pronounces judgment while naming the executors. The passive voice 'is given' indicates divine agency—God actively transfers the kingdom. The specific identification of 'Medes and Persians' shows this isn't merely prediction of defeat but revelation of God's sovereign plan. He doesn't merely foresee Babylon's fall; He ordains it and assigns the successor empire.