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Writing on the walls songster3/29/2023 The phrase " the writing on the wall" has grown to be a popular idiomatic expression referring to the foreshadowing of any impending doom, misfortune, or end. If the "half-pieces" means two half-shekels, then the various weights-a mənê or sixty shekels, another shekel, and two half-shekels-add up to 62, which the tale gives as the age of Darius the Mede, indicating that God's will is being worked out. Daniel then interprets the words as verbs, based on their roots: mənê is interpreted as meaning "numbered" təqêl, from a root meaning to weigh, as meaning "weighed" (and found wanting) and pərês ( פְּרַס), the singular form of p̄arsîn, from a root meaning "to divide", denoting that the kingdom is to be "divided" and given to the Medes and Persians. The last involves a word-play on the name of the Persians ( pārās in Hebrew), suggesting not only that they are to inherit Belshazzar's kingdom, but that they are two peoples, Medes and Persians. The nouns are monetary weights: a mənê, equivalent to a Jewish mina or sixty shekels (several ancient versions have only one mənê instead of two) a təqêl, equivalent to a shekel and p̄arsîn, meaning "half-pieces". None of the Chaldean wise men are able to even read, let alone interpret, the writing on the wall, but Daniel does so by supplying vowels in two different ways, first so the words are read as nouns, then as verbs. Woodcut by Julius Schnorr von Karolsfeld, 1860. He reminds Belshazzar that his father Nebuchadnezzar's greatness was the gift of God, and that when he became arrogant God threw him down until he learned humility: "the Most High God has sovereignty over the kingdom of mortals, and sets over it whomever He will." Belshazzar has drunk from the vessels of God's Temple and praised his idols, but he has not given honour to God, and so God sent this hand and wrote these words: Daniel declines the honour, but agrees to the request. Daniel is brought in, and the king offers to make him third in rank in the kingdom if he can interpret the writing. The queen advises Belshazzar to send for Daniel, renowned for his wisdom. Belshazzar calls for his magicians and diviners to interpret the writing, but they are unable even to read it. King Belshazzar holds a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and commands that the Temple vessels from Jerusalem be brought in so that they can drink from them, but as the Babylonians drink, a hand appears and writes on the wall. Seow's translation of the text in his commentary on Daniel. This section summarizes the narrative, as found in C. The message is written in vertical lines starting at the top right corner, with "upharsin" taking two lines, following the interpretation of Samuel of Nehardea (b. Rembrandt, Belshazzar's Feast, 1635, ( National Gallery, London). įrom the story the idiom "to be able to read the writing on the wall" came to mean being able to see from available evidence that doom or failure is inevitable, and "the writing on the wall" itself can mean anything portending such doom or failure. ![]() Collins, Belshazzar's feast is a legend conforming to the subgenre of the "tale of court contest", complicated by the inclusion of Daniel's indictment of Belshazzar's pride and his failure to honour the God of Israel as a result the tale has a double ending, in which Daniel is first showered with rewards and honours for interpreting the omen, and the king is then punished to fulfill the sentence pronounced by Daniel. ![]() Belshazzar, in contrast, learns nothing from Nebuchadnezzar's example, blasphemes against God, and his kingdom is given to others.Nebuchadnezzar is humbled by God, learns his lesson (he acknowledges the ultimate kingship of the God of Israel), and is restored to his throne. ![]() The message of Daniel 5 is the contrast it offers between Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar: And Darius the Mede received the kingdom That very night Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed. Daniel then reads the message and interprets it: God has numbered Belshazzar's days, he has been weighed and found wanting, and his kingdom will be given to the Medes and the Persians. Belshazzar had likewise blasphemed God, and so God sent this hand. Daniel reminds Belshazzar that his father Nebuchadnezzar, when he became arrogant, was thrown down until he learned that God has sovereignty over the kingdom of men (see Daniel 4). ![]() The queen advises him to send for Daniel, renowned for his wisdom. The terrified Belshazzar calls for his wise men, but they are unable to read the writing. 1821 half-size sketch held by the Yale Center for British Artīelshazzar's feast, or the story of the writing on the wall (chapter 5 in the Book of Daniel), tells how Belshazzar holds a great feast and drinks from the vessels that had been looted in the destruction of the First Temple.
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