Daniel’s dream (Dan 7:1-7:1)

“In the first year

Of King Belshazzar,

King of Babylon,

Daniel

Had a dream.

He had visions

In his head

As he lay in his bed.

Then he wrote down

The dream.”

The second half of this book has a series of visions by Daniel. This is one of Daniel’s own dreams, even though there have many other dreams mentioned already. This dream seemed parallel to the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 2. This took place during the first year of King Belshazzar. That would put this dream around 554 BCE, the first year that this king was the viceroy with his father, King Nabonidus (556-539 BCE). Strangely enough, there is hardly any mention of King Nabonidus, the father of King Belshazzar, in this Book of Daniel. This time, Daniel had this vision at night as was laying in his bed. The difference, of course, is that he wrote the dream down.

The feast of King Belshazzar (Dan 5:1-5:1)

“King Belshazzar

Made a great feast

For a thousand

Of his lords.

He was drinking wine

In the presence

Of the thousand.”

Now there is a switch to King Belshazzar, the grandson of King Nebuchadnezzar. He ruled Babylon from 550-539 BCE, as he reigned with his father, King Nabonidus (556-539 BC), as a co-regent. He apparently was more anti-Jewish than his grandfather. He had this great feast with over 1,000 important people. Obviously, he was drinking wine.

The great pride of the king (Dan 4:28-4:30)

“All this came

Upon King Nebuchadnezzar.

At the end of twelve months,

He was walking

On the roof

Of the royal palace

Of Babylon.

The king said.

‘Is this not magnificent Babylon?

I have built it

As a royal capital

By my mighty power.

I have built it

For my glorious power.’”

It is not clear if anything ever happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. However, some Jewish writings talk about his son, King Nabonidus (556-539 BCE), having some mental problems for 7 years. Anyway, this writing simply said that all this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. One day, a year later after the interpretation of Daniel, the king was walking on his roof, looking out at his beautiful magnificent Babylon. He had built this mighty powerful capital for his own glorious power. He was really proud of what he had accomplished.