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75-545: Daniel ( Aramaic and Hebrew : דָּנִיֵּאל , romanized :  Dānīyyēʾl , lit.   'God is my Judge'; Greek : Δανιήλ , romanized :  Daniḗl ; Arabic : دانيال , romanized :  Dāniyāl ) is the main character of the Book of Daniel . According to the Hebrew Bible , Daniel was a noble Jewish youth of Jerusalem taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon , serving

150-558: A businessman prior to becoming king can be followed through a trail of surviving business documents, Belshazzar appears to have become a prominent member of the Babylonian oligarchy overnight (Belshazzar, in contrast to his co-conspirators was notably not a member of the old Babylonian aristocracy), not being mentioned in any business documents or private transactions prior to Nabonidus becoming king. By examining surviving documents from Belshazzar's time as crown prince, it appears that

225-459: A chain over the centre of the river. A house of prayer open to all who believed in God was built nearby, and fishing was prohibited for a certain distance up and down the river; fish that swam in that section of the river had heads that glinted like gold, and ungodly persons who entered the sacred precinct would miraculously drown in the river. To this day the tomb is a popular site of pilgrimage. Daniel

300-539: A handful of documents still reference the "son of the king". Otherwise his status and position after Nabonidus's return is never made clear. The sources also do not make Belshazzar's location clear, but it appears that he was stationed some distance away from Babylon, but that he also was no longer in Sippar, where he had stationed himself in 546 BC out of fear of Cyrus. One possibility, suggested by Paul-Alain Beaulieu ,

375-635: A lack of surviving sources. It is clear that the New Year's festival was not celebrated, and that there was concern regarding the rising power of the Achaemenid Empire under Cyrus the Great . The Babylonian chronicles describe the actions and conquests of Cyrus in detail throughout Belshazzar's regency. As Nabonidus's stay in Tayma continued, Belshazzar became acutely aware of the threat presented by

450-600: A language of theological learning, and the Jews of the Second Temple period that started in 516 BC would have spoken a western form of Old Aramaic until their partial Hellenization from the 3rd century BC and the eventual emergence of Middle Aramaic in the 3rd century BC. As Imperial Aramaic had served as a lingua franca throughout the Ancient Near East from the second half of the 8th century BC to

525-436: A part of the covenant established between him and his God was thus elucidated as symbolizing Babylonia, which gave rise to three kings, Nebuchadnezzar, Amel-Marduk, and Belshazzar, whose doom is prefigured by this act of "cutting to pieces" (Midrash Genesis Rabbah xliv.). The Midrash literature enters into the details of Belshazzar's death. Thus the later tradition states that Cyrus and Darius were employed as doorkeepers of

600-478: A petition of any god or man for 30 days" except the Persian King. But Daniel continued true to Jerusalem. "His windows being open in his chambers towards Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime." In Kitab al-Kafi , Imam Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin asserts that Allah revealed to Daniel that, "The most hated among my creatures are

675-953: A reference to Daniel at Matthew 24:15, in reference to the abomination of desolation . He is commemorated in the Coptic Church on the 23rd day of the Coptic month of Baramhat . On the Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar , the feast days celebrating St. Daniel the Prophet together with the Three Young Men , falls on December 17 (during the Nativity Fast ), on the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers (the Sunday which falls between 11 and 17 December), and on

750-410: A set of tales set in the Babylonian and Persian courts in the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE, followed in turn by a set of visions in which Daniel sees the remote future of the world and of Israel. The tales in chapters 1–6 can be dated to the 3rd or early 2nd centuries BCE; it is generally accepted that these were expanded by the addition of the visions in chapters 8–12 between 167 and 164 BCE. In

825-552: A succession of impious and tyrannical monarchs who oppressed Israel and were therefore foredoomed to disgrace and destruction. Isaiah 14:22 , "And I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of hosts, and cut off from Babylon name and remnant and son and grandchild, saith the Lord", is applied to the trio: "Name" to Nebuchadnezzar, "remnant" to Amel-Marduk , "son" to Belshazzar, and "grandchild" Vashti (ib.). The command given to Abraham to cut in pieces three heifers ( Genesis 15:9 ) as

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900-566: A wall. Daniel interprets the writing as a judgment from Yahweh , the god of Israel, foretelling the fall of Babylon . Daniel tells Belshazzar that because he has not given honor to God, his kingdom will be given to the Medes and Persians. Belshazzar is killed that night, and Darius the Mede takes the kingdom. The broad consensus among scholars is that the Book of Daniel was compiled shortly after

975-638: A wealth of legendary material that makes it difficult to determine whether he uses the name to refer to Nabonidus's wife or mother, but William H. Shea proposed in 1982 that Nitocris may tentatively be identified as the name of Nabonidus's wife and Belshazzar's mother. The most important sources for the time of Belshazzar are the Nabonidus Chronicle , the Cyrus Cylinder , and the Verse Account of Nabonidus —which, despite its name,

1050-523: A wealthy household, a role that was typically not picked up by members of the royal family in the Neo-Babylonian period. The only other similar case is Neriglissar, though Neriglissar lacked royal blood and had not been the intended successor to the throne, and abandoned his estates upon becoming king, seemingly entrusting them to Labashi-Marduk, his crown prince, and a figure of unclear connections called Nabu-sabit-qate. Whereas Neriglissar's career as

1125-535: Is also the name of a figure in the Aqhat legend from Ugarit . (Ugarit was a Canaanite city destroyed around 1200 BCE – the tablet containing the story is dated c. 1360 BCE.) This legendary Daniel is known for his righteousness and wisdom and a follower of the god El (hence his name), who made the god’s will known through dreams and visions. It is unlikely that Ezekiel knew the far older Canaanite legend, but it seems reasonable to suppose that some connection exists between

1200-527: Is alternatively possible that later traditions of Belshazzar being a descendant of Nebuchadnezzar are derived from royal propaganda, and that there was no connection to the previous ruling Chaldean dynasty . The ancient Greek historian Herodotus names the "last great queen" of the Babylonian Empire as Nitocris , though that name (nor any other name) is not attested in contemporary Babylonian sources. Herodotus's description of Nitocris contains

1275-601: Is considered a minor prophet in the teachings of the Baháʼí Faith . Some Baháʼí converts introduced the principle of reincarnation , specifically that of Daniel and John. Biblical Aramaic During the Babylonian captivity of the Jews, which began around 600 BC, the language spoken by the Jews started to change from Hebrew to Aramaic , and Aramaic square script replaced the Paleo-Hebrew alphabet . After

1350-525: Is from Uruk and is dated to 13 October, which is considered the end date of his reign. Nabonidus was captured and possibly exiled to Carmania . Belshazzar's fate is not known, since none of the sources record it. It is often assumed that Belshazzar was killed by the Persians at Babylon when the city fell, on 12 October. He may have alternatively been killed already at the battle of Opis , captured and executed, or exiled together with his father. In

1425-723: Is not a prophet in Judaism: prophecy is reckoned to have ended with Haggai , Zechariah , and Malachi . In the Hebrew Bible his book is not included under the Prophets (the Hebrew Bible has three sections, Torah, Prophets and Writings), but nevertheless the eight copies found among the Dead Sea Scrolls and the additional tales of the Greek text are a testament to Daniel's popularity in ancient times. The Jewish rabbis of

1500-532: Is not known, but is often assumed that he was killed during Cyrus the Great 's Persian invasion of Babylonia in 539 BC, presumably at the fall of the capital Babylon on 12 October 539 BC. Belshazzar appears as a central character in the story of Belshazzar's feast in the Biblical Book of Daniel , recognized by scholars as a work of historical fiction . Daniel 's Belshazzar is not malevolent (he, for instance, rewards Daniel for his interpretation of "

1575-450: Is not named but appears to be Jeremiah ) that Jerusalem would be desolate for 70 years. Daniel repents on behalf of the Jews and requests that Jerusalem and its people be restored. An angel refers to a period of 70 sevens (or weeks) of years. In the final vision, Daniel sees a period of history culminating in a struggle between the "king of the north" and the "king of the south" in which God's people suffer terribly; an angel explains that in

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1650-568: Is possible that Belshazzar had campaigned against the Persians on Lydia's behalf a year prior, in 547 BC. The fall of Lydia in 546 BC meant that the Neo-Babylonian Empire was now effectively encircled by a stronger kingdom which had nearly unlimited resources at its disposal. It seems likely that skirmishes along the border were frequent from then until Babylon's fall. It is possible that a noteworthy return to orthodox Babylonian religion, following early attempts by Nabonidus to exalt

1725-485: Is possible that Nabonidus was married to one of Nebuchadnezzar II's daughters. Not only would such a connection explain Nabonidus's rise to the throne (due to his being a member of the royal family), but it would also explain later historical traditions in which Belshazzar is described as Nebuchadnezzar's descendant. In the Book of Daniel in the Hebrew Bible , Belshazzar is referred to as Nebuchadnezzar's (grand)son. It

1800-410: Is probable that Belshazzar becoming the master of the household was met with relatively little opposition. Through the deposition of Labashi-Marduk, Belshazzar had positioned himself to become the heir of one of Babylonia's wealthiest families. Belshazzar is recorded as owning lands throughout Babylonia, for instance owning an agricultural settlement near Uruk. As he was clearly the main beneficiary of

1875-509: Is that Belshazzar was put in charge of Babylonia's defense and was moving with the army along the northern and eastern border. Belshazzar partook in Babylon's defense against the invasion by Cyrus the Great in 539 BC. After a decisive victory at the battle of Opis , the Persian army, on 12 October, led by Ugbaru , entered Babylon without a fight. The last tablet dated to Nabonidus's reign

1950-508: Is unclear and debated. During Nabonidus's absence, Belshazzar was put in charge of the administration in Babylonia. Though this period has often been dubbed a "co-regency", Belshazzar never assumed an official title. The Verse Account of Nabonidus , a biased document probably written after Nabonidus was deposed by Cyrus the Great, states that Nabonidus entrusted Belshazzar with the kingship, but there are no records of Belshazzar assuming

2025-495: The Achaemenid Empire annexed the Neo-Babylonian Empire in 539 BC, Aramaic became the main language of public life and administration. Darius the Great declared Imperial Aramaic to be the official language of the western half of his empire in 500 BC, and it is that Imperial Aramaic that forms the basis of Biblical Aramaic. Biblical Hebrew was gradually reduced to the status of a liturgical language and

2100-479: The Maccabean Revolt in the 160s BC. The story of Belshazzar's feast is thus deemed historical fiction , and several details are not consistent with historical facts. Belshazzar is portrayed as the king of Babylon and "son" of Nebuchadnezzar, though he was actually the son of Nabonidus—one of Nebuchadnezzar's successors—and he never became king in his own right, nor did he lead the religious festivals as

2175-702: The Roman Martyrology on July 21. Some local liturgical calendars of dioceses also list his feast, sometimes on July 21 and sometimes on another day. For example, the archdiocese of Gorizia celebrates the feast of St. Daniel, prophet and confessor, on September 11. The reading of the Mass is taken from the Book of Daniel, chapter 14; the Gradual from Psalm 91; the Alleluia verse from the Epistle of James 1; and

2250-622: The Tomb of Daniel , the most famous being that in Susa , in southern Iran , at a site known as Shush-e Daniyal . He is not a prophet in Judaism, but the rabbis reckoned him to be the most distinguished member of the Babylonian diaspora, unsurpassed in piety and good deeds, firm in his adherence to the Law despite being surrounded by enemies who sought his ruin, and in the first few centuries CE they wrote down

2325-530: The targums than to the Imperial Aramaic documents available at his time. Others have argued that the language most closely resembles the 5th-century BC Elephantine papyri , and so is a good representative of typical Imperial Aramaic, including Jongtae Choi's doctoral dissertation at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School . Kenneth Kitchen takes an agnostic position and states that the Aramaic of

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2400-576: The Achaemenids, as he is recorded as having expended resources at projects in Sippar and nearby defenses. In 546 BC, Cyrus the Great crossed the Tigris to invade Lydia , ostensibly a Babylonian ally, and though Belshazzar took up a defensive position with his army, perhaps expecting a sudden Persian attack against Babylonia itself, no aid was sent to the Lydians, who were swiftly conquered by Cyrus. It

2475-419: The Babylonian names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego . Daniel and his friends refuse the food and wine provided by the king of Babylon to avoid becoming defiled. They receive wisdom from God and surpass "all the magicians and enchanters of the kingdom." Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a giant statue made of four metals with feet of mingled iron and clay, smashed by a stone from heaven. Only Daniel is able to interpret it:

2550-485: The Book of Daniel is compatible with any period from the 5th to early 2nd century BC. Biblical Hebrew is the main language of the Hebrew Bible. Aramaic accounts for only 269 verses out of a total of over 23,000. Biblical Aramaic is closely related to Hebrew, as both are in the Northwest Semitic language family. Some obvious similarities and differences are listed below: Hebrew and Aramaic have simplified

2625-414: The Book of Daniel, Belshazzar ( Hebrew : בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר , Bēlšaʾṣṣar ) plays a significant role in the tale of Belshazzar's feast , a variation on the story of Nebuchadnezzar's madness showing what happens when a king does not repent. During a feast, Babylonians eat and drink from the holy vessels of Yahweh 's temple , and "king" Belshazzar sees a hand writing the words mene, mene, tekel, upharsin on

2700-494: The Earth and the "Ancient of Days" (God) gives dominion to "one like a son of man". An angel interprets the vision. In the second, a ram with two horns is attacked by a goat with one horn; the one horn breaks and is replaced by four. A little horn arises and attacks the people of God and the temple, and Daniel is informed how long the little horn's dominion will endure. In the third, Daniel is troubled to read in holy scripture (the book

2775-647: The Gospel from Matthew 24. The Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod commemorates Daniel, together with the Three Young Men ( Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego ), on December 17. Daniel ( Arabic : دانيال, Dānyāl ) is not mentioned by name in the Qur'an , but there are accounts of his prophet-hood in later Muslim literature, which tells how he was rescued from lions with the aid of

2850-514: The Jewish temple as serving vessels for his extravagant feast , a hand appears and writes a mysterious message on a wall, which only Daniel can interpret; it tells the king that his kingdom will be given to the Medes and Persians, because Belshazzar, unlike Nebuchadnezzar, has not acknowledged the sovereignty of the God of Daniel. The Medes and Persians overthrow Nebuchadnezzar and the new king, Darius

2925-472: The Mede , appoints Daniel to high authority. Jealous rivals attempt to destroy Daniel with an accusation that he worships God instead of the king, and Daniel is thrown into a den of lions , but an angel saves him, his accusers are destroyed, and Daniel is restored to his position. In the third year of Darius, Daniel has a series of visions. In the first, four beasts come out of the sea, the last with ten horns, and an eleventh horn grows and achieves dominion over

3000-548: The Persian king Ahasuerus (better known as Artaxerxes – Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 15a, based on the Book of Esther 4, 5), but he was killed by Haman , the wicked prime minister of Ahasuerus (Targum Sheini on Esther, 4, 11). The 1st century Jewish writer Josephus reported that Daniel's body lay in a tower in Ecbatana in Parthia , alongside the bodies of the kings of the Medes and Persians; later Jewish authorities said he

3075-733: The Sunday before Nativity. Daniel's prophecy regarding the stone which smashed the idol ( Daniel 2:34–35 ) is often used in Orthodox hymns as a metaphor for the Incarnation : the "stone cut out" being symbolic of the Logos (Christ), and the fact that it was cut "without hands" being symbolic of the virgin birth . Thus the hymns will refer to the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) as the "uncut mountain". The Roman Catholic Church commemorates St. Daniel in

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3150-498: The army, and receiving offerings and oaths, though he continued to be styled as the crown prince ( mār šarri , literally meaning "son of the king"), never assuming the title of king ( šarru ). Belshazzar also lacked many of the prerogatives of kingship, most importantly he was not allowed to preside over and officiate the Babylonian New Year's festival , which was the exclusive right of the king himself. Belshazzar's fate

3225-400: The coup, Belshazzar was likely the chief orchestrator of the conspiracy ended in the deposition and death of Labashi-Marduk. Because he could hardly proclaim himself as king while his father was still alive, Belshazzar proclaimed Nabonidus as king. As Nabonidus was relatively old at the time, his reign could be expected to be brief and transitional, meaning that Belshazzar could expect to inherit

3300-449: The dream signifies four kingdoms, of which Babylon is the first, but God will destroy them and replace them with his own kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a great tree that shelters all the world and of a heavenly figure who decrees that the tree will be destroyed; again, only Daniel can interpret the dream, which concerns the sovereignty of God over the kings of the earth. When Nebuchadnezzar's son Belshazzar uses consecrated vessels from

3375-403: The end of the 4th century BC, linguistic contact with even the oldest stages of Biblical Hebrew, the main language of the Hebrew Bible, is easily accounted for. Biblical Aramaic's relative chronology has been debated mostly in the context of dating the Book of Daniel . In 1929, Harold Rowley argued that its origin must be later than the 6th century BC and that the language was more similar to

3450-405: The end the righteous will be vindicated and God's kingdom will be established on Earth. The Greek text of Daniel contains three additional tales, two of which feature Daniel (the third is an expansion of the tale of the fiery furnace). The last mention of Daniel in the Book of Daniel is in the third year of Cyrus ( Daniel 10:1 ). Rabbinic sources suppose that he was still alive during the reign of

3525-465: The estates of Neriglissar's family were confiscated after Labashi-Marduk's death and that they were claimed and taken over by Belshazzar. This is supported by documents describing business transactions of Belshazzar mentioning the same locations, and even the same household and servants, as similar earlier documents of Neriglissar. Since there is little change in the prominent members of Neriglissar's and Labashi-Marduk's former household under Belshazzar, it

3600-464: The first millennium CE reckoned Daniel to be the most distinguished member of the Babylonian diaspora, unsurpassed in piety and good deeds, firm in his adherence to the Law despite being surrounded by enemies who sought his ruin, and in the first few centuries CE they wrote down the legends that had grown up around his name. His captivity was foretold by the prophet Isaiah to King Hezekiah in these words, "they (Hezekiah's descendants) shall be eunuchs in

3675-477: The ignorant ones who disrespect the scholars and do not follow them. The Most beloved to Me in My servants are the pious ones who work hard to become entitled for greater rewards, who always stay close to the scholars, follow the fore-bearing people and accept (the advice of) people of wisdom". Shiʾa hadith affirm Daniel as a prophet of God, and affirm the events aligning to the biblical narrative of Daniel as well. Daniel

3750-405: The inflections of the noun, adjective and verb. These are more highly inflected in classical Arabic , Babylonian and Ugaritic . For many centuries, from at least the time of Jerome of Stridon (d. 420), Biblical Aramaic was misnamed as "Chaldean" (Chaldaic, Chaldee). That label remained common in early Aramaic studies , and persisted up to the nineteenth century. The "Chaldean" misnomer

3825-419: The king Labashi-Marduk ( r.  556 BC–  ) and brought Nabonidus to power in 556 BC. Since Belshazzar was the main beneficiary of the coup, through confiscating and inheriting Labashi-Marduk's estates and wealth, it is likely that he was the chief orchestrator. Through proclaiming his father as the new king, Belshazzar also made himself the first-in-line to the throne. As Nabonidus was relatively old at

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3900-524: The king and his successors with loyalty and ability until the time of the Persian conqueror Cyrus , all the while remaining true to the God of Israel. While some conservative scholars hold that Daniel existed and his book was written in the 6th century BCE, most scholars agree that Daniel is not a historical figure and that much of the book is a cryptic allusion to the reign of the 2nd century BCE Hellenistic king Antiochus IV Epiphanes . Six cities claim

3975-525: The king was required to do. In the story, the conqueror who inherits Babylon is Darius the Mede , but no such individual is known to history. This is typical of the "tale of court contest" in which historical accuracy is not an essential element. In the Book of Daniel, Belshazzar is not malevolent (he rewards Daniel and raises him to high office). The later authors of the Talmud and the Midrash emphasize

4050-612: The many legends that had grown up around his name. He is considered a prophet in Christianity, and although he is not mentioned in the Quran, Muslim sources describe him as a prophet. Daniel's name means "God (El) is my judge". While the best known Daniel is the hero of the Book of Daniel who interprets dreams and receives apocalyptic visions, the Bible also briefly mentions three other individuals of this name: Daniel (Dn'il, or Danel )

4125-595: The moon god Sîn over the traditional Babylonian supreme deity Marduk, can be attributed to Belshazzar. It may even have been Belshazzar who convinced his father to stay away from Babylonia in the first place, fearing a confrontation with the Babylonian oligarchy and clergy over his father's religious beliefs. It is probable that Nabonidus, a reformer, and Belshazzar, apparently more religiously conservative, did not see eye to eye in religious matters. Belshazzar appears to have worked to restore Marduk's status in his father's absence. Upon Nabonidus's return to Babylon, Belshazzar

4200-520: The night through a rear exit. On his return, the doorkeepers refused to admit him. In vain did he pled that he was the king. They said, "Has not the king ordered us to put to death anyone who attempts to enter the palace, though he claims to be the king himself?" Suiting the action to the word, Cyrus and Darius grasped a heavy ornament forming part of a candelabrum, and with it shattered the skull of their royal master ( Shir ha-Shirim Rabbah 3:4). [REDACTED]  This article incorporates text from

4275-404: The palace of the king of Babylon." This misfortune was turned to a blessing when Daniel and his three companions were able to show their mutilated bodies to Nebuchadnezzar and so prove their innocence of charges of leading an unchaste life. Daniel kept the welfare of Nebuchadnezzar in mind continually, and when the king was condemned by God to live as a beast for a certain period Daniel prayed that

4350-459: The period of punishment should be shortened, and his prayer was granted. When Nebuchadnezzar was dying he wished to include Daniel among his heirs, but Daniel refused the honour, saying that he could not leave the inheritance of his forefathers for that of the uncircumcised. Daniel also restored the sight of king Darius, who had wrongly thrown the pious Daniel into prison on false charges, upon which many converted to Judaism. The New Testament makes

4425-527: The prophet Jeremiah (in Bel and the Dragon it is the prophet Habakkuk who plays this role) and interpreted the king's dream of a statue made of four metals destroyed by a rock from heaven, as having interpreted the writing on the wall, investigation, etc. All sources, both classical and modern , describe him as a saintly and righteous man. Abdullah Yusuf Ali (1872–1953) in his Qur'anic commentary says: Daniel

4500-399: The royal palace. Belshazzar, being greatly alarmed at the mysterious handwriting on the wall, and apprehending that someone in disguise might enter the palace with murderous intent, ordered his doorkeepers to behead anyone who attempted to force an entrance that night, even though such person should claim to be the king himself. Belshazzar, overcome by sickness, left the palace unobserved during

4575-448: The royal title. Though it is clear that Belshazzar during his father's absence assumed many responsibilities typically only held by the king, several prerogatives were also kept solely by Nabonidus. These include: Though Belshazzar's authority was thus limited, he also was allowed, and assumed, certain royal responsibilities. These include: The events that transpired in Babylonia during Belshazzar's regency are not well known, owing to

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4650-612: The spot. Today six cities claim Daniel's Tomb : Babylon , Kirkuk and Muqdadiyah in Iraq , Susa and Malamir in Iran , and Samarkand in Uzbekistan . The most famous is that in Susa, (Shush, in southern Iran ), at a site known as Shush-e Daniyal. According to Jewish tradition the rich and poor of the city quarreled over possession of the body, and the bier was therefore suspended from

4725-459: The third year of the reign of Jehoiakim , Daniel and his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah are taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar , king of Babylon . The four are chosen for their intellect and beauty to be trained in the Babylonian court, and are given new names. Daniel is given the Babylonian name Belteshazzar ( Akkadian : 𒊩𒆪𒈗𒋀 , romanized:  Beltu-šar-uṣur , written as NIN 9 .LUGAL.ŠEŠ ), while his companions are given

4800-400: The throne as a result of a conspiracy that saw the deposition and murder of the previous king, Labashi-Marduk . The sources suggest that while he was part of the conspiracy, Nabonidus had not intended, nor expected, to become king himself and he was hesitant to accept the nomination. After the accession of his father, Belshazzar emerges in the sources as a prominent businessman and the head of

4875-561: The throne within a few years. Nabonidus left Babylon in May 553 BC to campaign in the west. He eventually led his forces into Arabia, conquering several cities, including the city of Tayma . Nabonidus made Tayma his provisional seat and he would stay there for about a decade, not returning to Babylon until September or October of 543 or 542 BC. October 543 BC is the return date most supported by surviving Babylonian documentation. The purpose for this prolonged stay, effectively self-exile, in Tayma

4950-472: The time, Belshazzar could expect to become king within a few years. Nabonidus was absent from Babylon from 553 BC to 543 or 542 BC, in self-imposed "exile" at Tayma in Arabia, for unknown reasons. For the duration of the decade-long absence of his father, Belshazzar served as regent in Babylon. Belshazzar was entrusted with many typically royal prerogatives, such as granting privileges, commanding portions of

5025-668: The two. The authors of the tales in the first half of the Book of Daniel were likely also unaware of the Ugaritic Daniel and probably took the name of their hero from Ezekiel; the author of the visions in the second half in turn took his hero's name from the tales. Some scholars have suggested identifying the Daniel character in Ezekiel 28 with King David's son Daniel. The Book of Daniel begins with an introduction telling how Daniel and his companions came to be in Babylon, followed by

5100-479: The tyrannous oppression of his Jewish subjects, with several passages in the Prophets interpreted as referring to him and his predecessors. For example, in the passage, "As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him" ( Amos 5:19 ), the lion is said to represent Nebuchadnezzar, and the bear, equally ferocious if not equally courageous, is Belshazzar. The Babylonian kings are often mentioned together as forming

5175-424: The writing on the wall "), but in later Jewish tradition Belshazzar was presented as a tyrant who oppresses the Jewish people. Belshazzar was the son of Nabonidus , an elderly courtier who would rise to become the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire . There are various theories concerning Nabonidus's origins, and in turn what claim he had to the throne, since it is not made clear in any contemporary sources. It

5250-497: Was a righteous man of princely lineage and lived about 620–538 B.C. He was carried off to Babylon in 605 B.C. by Nebuchadnezzar, the Assyrian, but was still living when Assyria was overthrown by the Medes and Persians. In spite of the "captivity" of the Jews, Daniel enjoyed the highest offices of state at Babylon, but he was ever true to Jerusalem. His enemies (under the Persian monarch) got a penal law passed against any one who "asked

5325-539: Was buried in Susa , and that near his house were hidden the vessels from the Temple of Solomon . Muslim sources reported that the Muslims had discovered his body, or possibly only a box containing his nerves and veins, together with a book, a jar of fat, and a signet ring engraved with the image of a man being licked by two lions. The corpse was reburied, and those who buried it were decapitated to prevent them from revealing

5400-426: Was commissioned by the Persian conqueror Cyrus the Great . As all of these ancient Babylonian documents were written after Babylon was conquered by the Achaemenid Empire , they are biased in favor of Cyrus, and against Nabonidus and Belshazzar. Belshazzar's father was proclaimed as king in May 556 BC, and by the end of June, tablets recognising Nabonidus are known from across Babylonia. Belshazzar's father came to

5475-430: Was consequently abandoned, when further research showed conclusively that the Aramaic dialect used in the Hebrew Bible was not related to the ancient Chaldeans and their language . Belshazzar This is an accepted version of this page Belshazzar ( Babylonian cuneiform : [REDACTED]    Bēl-šar-uṣur , meaning " Bel , protect the king"; Hebrew : בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר ‎ Bēlšaʾṣṣar )

5550-432: Was demoted from his administrative responsibilities and officials he had appointed were dismissed. Nabonidus also had certain inscriptions made during the period of the regency edited to add prayers urging Belshazzar and the people of Babylonia to accept and receive Sîn's blessing. Regardless of any potential animosity between Nabonidus and Belshazzar, Belshazzar retained the status of crown prince and intended successor, as

5625-433: Was the son and crown prince of Nabonidus ( r.  556 – 539 BC ), the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire . Through his mother, he might have been a grandson of Nebuchadnezzar II ( r.  605 – 562 BC ), though this is not certain and the claims to kinship with Nebuchadnezzar may have originated from royal propaganda. Belshazzar played a pivotal role in the coup d'état that overthrew

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