Daniel 5:9
Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Ancient courts included extensive retinues of advisors—each claiming expertise in their domain. Belshazzar had summoned the empire's finest minds, yet all failed collectively. This public failure before the entire court (thousand nobles, wives, concubines) represented comprehensive humiliation of Babylon's intellectual tradition. For Jewish exiles, this vindicated biblical faith: Yahweh surpasses all pagan wisdom, and His servants (though captives and exiles) possess understanding exceeding the empire's experts. Church history shows repeated patterns: worldly wisdom fails; God reveals truth through unlikely instruments (fishermen, tentmakers, exiles); the gospel's 'foolishness' proves wiser than human wisdom.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the escalation from fear to greater fear when human solutions fail mirror our experience when we try solving spiritual problems through natural means?
- What does the collective astonishment of king and lords teach about universal human inadequacy before divine truth?
- Why does God sometimes allow our human solutions to fail spectacularly before providing His answer?
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Analysis & Commentary
Belshazzar's trouble increases ('greatly troubled') and his countenance changes again—his terror deepening as the wise men fail. His lords are similarly 'astonied' (astounded/dismayed), sharing his distress. This escalation shows how initial fear intensifies when human solutions fail. The king faces incomprehensible supernatural communication that his entire intellectual establishment cannot decode. This situation mirrors fallen humanity's predicament: confronted with divine truth (through creation, conscience, Scripture), unable to understand through natural faculties, desperate for illumination. The scene emphasizes human helplessness before God, preparing for Daniel's entrance as divinely-empowered interpreter. The collective dismay of king and nobles shows that this isn't individual failing but universal human inability to penetrate divine mysteries apart from God's enabling.