King James Version

What Does Daniel 5:3 Mean?

Daniel 5:3 in the King James Version says “Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and t...” — study this verse from Daniel chapter 5 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.”

Daniel 5:3 · KJV

Context

1

Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

2

Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. father: or, grandfather taken: Cald. brought forth

3

Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.

4

They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

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.

Read Daniel 5 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
The servants execute Belshazzar's command, bringing the golden and silver vessels from Jerusalem's temple. The king, his lords, wives, and concubines drink from these sacred implements 'before the thousand' (v.1)—a public spectacle of sacrilege. The vessels' golden and silver composition emphasizes their value and sacred status; they weren't ordinary cups but specially consecrated implements for temple worship. Using them for drunken pagan revelry represented conscious desecration. This verse heightens the narrative tension: the sacrilege is fully executed before divine judgment strikes. It demonstrates how sin often reaches a point where divine patience expires—God endures much, but certain provocations (particularly mocking His holiness and profaning sacred things) trigger immediate response. The multiple participants (king, nobles, wives, concubines) show corporate involvement in the sacrilege, explaining why judgment falls on the entire kingdom (Babylon falls that very night).

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Historical & Cultural Context

The Jerusalem temple vessels had been Babylon's war trophies for nearly fifty years (since 586 BC). Keeping them stored showed some respect—they weren't destroyed or melted down but preserved as valuable plunder. Belshazzar's decision to bring them out and desecrate them represented escalation: moving from conquest to contemptuous mockery. Ancient Near Eastern warfare typically showed some respect for captured deities' cult objects (fearing divine retribution). Belshazzar's action demonstrated either remarkable hubris or desperate bravado (facing Persian siege, perhaps trying to prove Babylon's gods superior to Judah's). Either way, it sealed Babylon's fate. The historical timing is precise: this feast occurred on the night Babylon fell to Cyrus's forces, fulfilling prophecies of sudden judgment (Isaiah 21:1-10, Jeremiah 50-51).

Reflection Questions

  1. What does God's prolonged patience (fifty years storing the vessels) followed by sudden judgment teach about divine forbearance having limits?
  2. How does public, corporate sin (involving king, nobles, wives, concubines) result in corporate judgment?
  3. Why is profaning sacred things particularly provocative to God?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 19 words
בֵּאדַ֗יִן1 of 19

“Then”

H116

then (of time)

הַיְתִיו֙2 of 19

“they brought”

H858

to come, to bring

מָאנֵ֣י3 of 19

“vessels”

H3984

a utensil

דַהֲבָ֔א4 of 19

“the golden”

H1722

gold

דִּ֣י5 of 19
H1768

that, used as relative conjunction, and especially (with a preposition) in adverbial phrases; also as preposition of

הַנְפִּ֗קוּ6 of 19

“that were taken”

H5312

to issue; causatively, to bring out

מִן7 of 19

“out of”

H4481

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of

הֵֽיכְלָ֛א8 of 19

“the temple”

H1965

a large public building, such as a palace or temple

דִּֽי9 of 19
H1768

that, used as relative conjunction, and especially (with a preposition) in adverbial phrases; also as preposition of

בֵ֥ית10 of 19

“of the house”

H1005

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

אֱלָהָ֖א11 of 19

“of God”

H426

god

דִּ֣י12 of 19
H1768

that, used as relative conjunction, and especially (with a preposition) in adverbial phrases; also as preposition of

בִירֽוּשְׁלֶ֑ם13 of 19

“which was at Jerusalem”

H3390

jerusalem

וְאִשְׁתִּ֣יו14 of 19

“drank”

H8355

to imbibe (literally or figuratively)

בְּה֗וֹן15 of 19
H0
מַלְכָּא֙16 of 19

“and the king”

H4430

a king

וְרַבְרְבָנ֔וֹהִי17 of 19

“and his princes”

H7261

a magnate

שֵׁגְלָתֵ֖הּ18 of 19

“his wives”

H7695

a (legitimate) queen

וּלְחֵנָתֵֽהּ׃19 of 19

“and his concubines”

H3904

a concubine

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Daniel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Daniel 5:3 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Places in This Verse

JerusalemSettlement · Modern: Jerusalem · 31.78°N, 35.23°E955 verses across 37 books
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