Daniel 5:20
But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss is that Belshazzar's "hardened spirit" wasn't just a stubborn attitude; it was a specific defiance, described as a refusal to be humble and acknowledge his absolute dependence on God. This pride led to the loss of his "glory," which wasn't just his royal status but his very dignity and rightful place before God.
Daniel reminds Belshazzar that his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, was granted immense power by God, but when he became arrogant and proud, he was stripped of his authority and lived like an animal. Belshazzar, despite witnessing this, has not humbled himself but has instead profaned holy vessels and praised idols, leading to his own impending downfall.
Ever felt like you're on top of the world, untouchable? That's exactly where Belshazzar was. His 'lifted up' heart wasn't just a mood; it was a dangerous state.
Belshazzar's heart was 'lifted up,' a phrase that captures a deep sense of self-importance and arrogance. It's not simply feeling good about yourself; it's a dangerous elation that disconnects you from reality and, more importantly, from God.
The Danger of Self-Sufficiency
This elation led to his spirit being 'hardened' to 'deal proudly.' This means he became stiff-necked, unwilling to yield or listen. Instead of acknowledging God as the source of his power and glory, he took it all for himself.
Think about it: God had already shown him what happens to pride through his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar (as Daniel reminds him). Yet, Belshazzar ignored the lesson, continuing to dishonor God and misuse sacred things for his own pleasure.
Kings and kingdoms seem so powerful, but Daniel reveals a startling truth: their authority isn't their own. God is the ultimate Kingmaker... and King-breaker.
The verse declares Belshazzar 'was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him.' This wasn't a political coup or a natural disaster in the usual sense; it was a direct act of God.
Divine Authority and Human Rule
Daniel, in his speech to Belshazzar, emphasizes that God is the one who gives kingdoms, majesty, glory, and honor (Daniel 5:18). Nebuchadnezzar himself experienced this firsthand when God humbled him, and Belshazzar, as his descendant, should have learned from it.
When Belshazzar's pride reached its peak, God intervened. The 'glory' taken from him wasn't just his crown; it was his status, his reason, his authority – everything that made him a king in the eyes of the world. This highlights God's ultimate sovereignty over all earthly powers.
Understand the original words
lebab · Aramaic Noun
The internal seat of the intellect, will, and moral decisions; in Scripture, it is often the place where pride or humility originates.
zedon · Aramaic Adjective/Noun
An attitude of self-exaltation and independence from God, characterized by arrogance and the rejection of divine authority.
Belshazzar's downfall, as described in Daniel 5, is directly tied to the historical conquest of Babylon by the Persians. His arrogance and desecration of sacred temple vessels, occurring precisely when his kingdom was under immediate threat, sealed his fate, echoing his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar's earlier experience with pride and divine judgment.
605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's First Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, conquers Judah and Jerusalem, deporting skilled laborers and members of the royal family, including Daniel, to Babylon.
c. 562 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Madness
Nebuchadnezzar experiences a period of madness, during which he lives like an animal, a humbling event he later acknowledges as divine punishment for his pride.
c. 562 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Restoration
Nebuchadnezzar's sanity is restored, and he reaffirms his acknowledgment of the Most High God's sovereignty before his death.
555-539 BC
Belshazzar's Reign
Belshazzar rules as regent in Babylon, often alongside his father Nabonidus, who was away on military campaigns or religious duties.
This passage warns against forgetting God and becoming arrogant once prosperity is achieved, directly paralleling Belshazzar's spiritual downfall due to pride after experiencing God's blessings.
Ezekiel 28:17This prophecy against the king of Tyre speaks of a heart lifted up by beauty and pride, leading to a fall and disgrace, mirroring Belshazzar's fate after his haughty defiance of heaven.
Proverbs 16:18This proverb directly links pride with a fall, serving as a timeless principle that underpins Belshazzar's severe judgment for his arrogant heart.
Daniel 4:30This verse describes Nebuchadnezzar's own downfall due to pride, directly warning Belshazzar, who failed to learn from his grandfather's humbling experience.
bensonDaniel 5:20: "But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:"
Daniel 5:20-23 . But when his heart was lifted up — The expressions here have a peculiar force, in marking the haughty insolence of King Nebuchadnezzar. His authority, as mentioned in the last verse, had been raised to the highest pitch; and on that account we find here that his mind was elated, and his spirit grown obdurate in pride and arrog…
clarkeDaniel 5:20: "But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:"
He was deposed from his kingly throne - Became insane; and the reins of government were taken out of his hands.
What's easy to miss is that Belshazzar's "hardened spirit" wasn't just a stubborn attitude; it was a specific defiance, described as a refusal to be humble and acknowledge his absolute dependence on God. This pride led to the loss of his "glory," which wasn't just his royal status but his very dignity and rightful place before God.
Daniel reminds Belshazzar that his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, was granted immense power by God, but when he became arrogant and proud, he was stripped of his authority and lived like an animal. Belshazzar, despite witnessing this, has not humbled himself but has instead profaned holy vessels and praised idols, leading to his own impending downfall.
Daniel reminds Belshazzar that his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, was granted immense power by God, but when he became arrogant and proud, he was stripped of his authority and lived like an animal. Belshazzar, despite witnessing this, has not humbled himself but has instead profaned holy vessels and praised idols, leading to his own impending downfall.
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539 BC— this verse
Fall of Babylon
Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, conquers Babylon, marking the end of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. This event occurs during Belshazzar's reign.
"But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him." — What's easy to miss is that Belshazzar's "hardened spirit" wasn't just a stubborn attitude; it was a specific defiance, described as a refusal to be humble and acknowledge his absolute dependence on…
