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

Bible Comments

In the same hour: by this it did appear what was the cause of the king's punishment and ruin, namely, his reproaching of God and profaning the holy vessels. Fingers of a man's hand; the likeness of a man's hand, which Rabbi Solomon saith was managed by the angel Gabriel; it is clear it was immediately from God. This was a plainer testimony then that of his father's dream, for hereof were above a thousand witnesses, besides his conscience that shook him, a thousand more. Over against the candlestick by this it appears how the feast continued far in the night in which Babylon was taken and Belshazzar slain, Daniel 5:30. The king saw the part of the hand that wrote: God intended it for him, and that he should see it with his own eyes, and it should not be brought him by report, which affords ground of doubting; but here was undeniable proof and conviction, the visible hand of God was here; and it was also for terror to him, and spoiled his draughts of wine, and was a cooler to their jollities.

Daniel 5:5

5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.