Bible/Daniel/5

Daniel 5:31

5:30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.
And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. being: Cald. he as the son of, etc about: or, now

KJV

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Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about three score and two years old.

What does Daniel 5:31 mean?

Daniel 5:31 is a verse in the book of Daniel, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include דָּֽרְיָוֵשׁ (Dârᵉyâvêsh), מָדַי (Mâday), קְבַל (qᵉbal). It connects to 10 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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And
DariusדָּֽרְיָוֵשׁDârᵉyâvêsh/daw-reh-yaw-vaysh'/H1868{Darejavesh, a title (rather than name) of several Persian kings}
the
MedianמָדַיMâday/maw-dah'-ee/H4077{a Madian or native of Madai}
tookקְבַלqᵉbal/keb-al'/H6902to acquire
the
kingdom,מַלְכוּmalkûw/mal-koo'/H4437dominion (abstractly or concretely)
being
about
threescoreשִׁתִּיןshittîyn/shit-teen'/H8361sixty
and
twoתְּרֵיןtᵉrêyn/ter-ane'/H8648two
yearsשְׁנָהshᵉnâh/shen-aw'/H8140{a year (as a revolution of time)}
old.בַּרbar/bar/H1247a son, grandson, etc.
being:
Cald.
he
as
the
son
of,
etc
about:
or,
now

Commentary on Daniel 5:31

HENRY_FULL · Daniel 5:30–31
g of the Writing on the Wall. ( b. c. 538.) 30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. 31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. Here is, 1. The death of the king. Reason enough he had to tremble, for he was just falling into the hands of the king of terrors, v. 30 . In that night, when his heart was merry with wine, the besiegers broke into the city, aimed at the palace; there they found the king, and gave him his death's wound. He could not find any place so secret as to conceal him, or so strong as to protect him. Heathen writers speak of Cyrus's taking Babylon by surprise, with the assistance of two deserters that showed him the best way into the city. And it was foretold what a consternation it would be to the court, Jer. li. 11 , 39 . Note, Death comes as a snare upon those whose hearts are overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness. 2. The transferring of the kingdom into other hands. From the head of gold we now descend to the breast and arms of silver. Darius the Mede took the kingdom in partnership with, and by the consent of, Cyrus, who had conquered it, v. 31 . They were partners in war and conquest, and so they were in dominion, ch. vi. 28 . Notice is taken of his age, that he was now sixty-two years old, for which reason Cyrus, who was his nephew, gave him the precedency. Some observe that being now sixty-two years old, in the last year of the captivity, he was born in the eighth year of it, and that was the year when Jeconiah was carried captive and all the nobles, &c. See 2 Kings xxiv. 13-15 . Just at that time when the most fatal stroke was given was a prince born that in process of time should avenge Jerusalem upon Babylon, and heal the wound that was now given. Thus deep are the counsels of God concerning his people, thus kind are his designs towards them.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Joshua 2:9

And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. faint: Heb. melt

2 Kings 7:6

For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.

2 Kings 7:7

Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.

2 Kings 19:7

Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.

Job 15:21

A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him. A dreadful: Heb. A sound of fears

Proverbs 28:1

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Isaiah 16:3

Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth. Take: Heb. Bring

Daniel 5:29

Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Amos 4:3

And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is before her; and ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the LORD. cast: or, cast away the things of the palace

Obadiah 1:12

But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress. spoken: Heb. magnified thy mouth

Topics

MedesMedo-Persian Kingdom

People & places in this verse

People

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Daniel 5:31.

Ezra 4:24

Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Ezra 6:15

And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

Daniel 4:29

At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. in: or, upon

Daniel 6:1

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

Daniel 6:28

So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Daniel 7:18

But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. most: Cald. high ones, that is, things, or, places

Ezra 6:14

And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. commandment: Chaldee, decree

Ezra 6:3

In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;

Frequently asked questions

What does Daniel 5:31 say?

Daniel 5:31 (King James Version) reads: "And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. being: Cald. he as the son of, etc about: or, now"

Is Daniel 5:31 in the Old or New Testament?

Daniel 5:31 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Daniel.

Reflect

As you read Daniel 5:31, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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