Daniel 5 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Belshazzar — The grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. Made a great feast — After the manner of the eastern kings who shewed their magnificence this way. But this is prodigious that he should carouse when the city was besieged, and ready to be taken by Darius the Mede.

To bring the vessels — Triumphing thereby over God and his people.

And praised the gods of gold — At the same time insulting the great God of heaven and earth.

Came forth fingers — The likeness of a man's hand.

His knees smote — So soon can the terrors of God make the loftiest cedars, the tyrants of the earth.

The queen came — The women in those courts had an apartment by themselves, and this being the queen — mother, and aged, did not mingle herself with the king's wives and concubines, yet she broke the rule in coming in now, upon this solemn occasion.

From him — From that God whom thou hast despised.

MENE — MENE MENE, it is numbered, it is numbered; the words are doubled for the greater confirmation. It relates to the number of the seventy years for the overthrow of the Babylonish empire.

Art found wanting — There is no weight nor worth in thee; thou hast made light of God, and the Lord makes light of thee.

PERES — Separated, divided, broken. Phars signifies two things, broken off, and Persian; noting that, first, this kingdom was broken down from Belshazzar. Secondly, that it was given to the Persians.

Darius the Mede — This was he that with Cyrus besieged and took Babylon.