Daniel 5:28 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Bible Comments

Separated, divided, broken. Peres signifies two things, broken off, and Persian; noting, first, That this kingdom was broken from Belshazzar, and his line and family. Secondly, That it was given from the Chaldeans to the Persians. Then it was divided between the Medes and Persians; for Cyrus took Babylon, he was a Persian; after that he gave part of it to Darius his son-in-law, and he was a Mede; and so they were as it were partners. So this vast empire, that was one sole, entire thing under Belshazzar, becomes now as it were two, divided betwixt the Medes and Persians, which thing is curious to observe, from this word Phars, Pharsin, Peres, which signifies not only dividing, but Persian, as Pliny testifies. With the Chaldeans, the Persians, in Scripture, are called Elamites.

Daniel 5:28

28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.