Daniel 5:28
PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Daniel 5:28
PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This isn't just a prophecy of doom; it's a divine pun that seals Belshazzar's fate. The word "Peres" literally means "divided," directly stating the kingdom's fate, but it also sounds exactly like "Persian," foreshadowing who would carry out the division. This clever wordplay, intentionally missed by the arrogant king, highlights God's intimate knowledge and control over every detail, even the very words spoken in judgment.
The mysterious writing on the wall has just been interpreted by Daniel, revealing God's judgment on King Belshazzar for his arrogance and sacrilege. Daniel has explained that the words "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin" signify that Belshazzar's reign is over, his kingdom weighed and found wanting, and now he declares the final part: the kingdom will be divided and given to the Medes and Persians. This pronouncement immediately precedes the fall of Babylon that very night, fulfilling the prophecy in stunning fashion.
A mysterious handwriting appears on the wall during a wild feast. Daniel interprets it, but the explanation is startlingly brief and carries immense weight.
The final word of the judgment, 'PERES,' is more than just a pronouncement; it's a divine pun that seals Belshazzar's fate.
A Word of Division
The Hebrew word 'Peres' directly means 'divided' or 'broken.' It's the singular form of the word Daniel saw split into two parts earlier: 'Upharsin.' This 'division' wasn't just a political split, but a complete severing of the kingdom from Belshazzar and his dynasty.
A Word of Nations
What's even more striking is that 'Peres' sounds identical to the name of the Medo-Persian empire that would conquer Babylon. This wasn't a coincidence; it was God's way of embedding the identity of the conquerors within the very pronouncement of judgment. The kingdom wouldn't just be divided; it would be given to a specific people – the Persians (and their allies, the Medes).
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The handwriting on the wall wasn't just a prediction; it was a verdict. Daniel's interpretation reveals a cosmic court proceeding.
Belshazzar's judgment wasn't arbitrary. Daniel's full message, culminating in 'PERES,' points to a divine assessment that had already taken place.
The Balance of God
Daniel reminds Belshazzar that his father, Nebuchadnezzar, was given a kingdom by the Most High God. However, Belshazzar, despite knowing this history and seeing Nebuchadnezzar's eventual humility, chose pride. He 'did not humble your heart, though you knew all this.' The implication is that Belshazzar, like Nebuchadnezzar in his proudest moments, was 'weighed in the balances' (Daniel 5:27) and found deficient.
The Consequence: Division
Because he was found wanting – lacking humility, respect for God, and wisdom – his kingdom was destined for division. This division signifies not just a political crumbling but a moral and spiritual failing. The kingdom, which should have been used to glorify God, was squandered on idolatry and self-indulgence, thus forfeiting its right to continue.
Understand the original words
pĕras · Aramaic Verb/Noun
Refers to the act of partitioning or breaking apart, frequently used in Scripture for the judgment of nations or kingdoms. It symbolizes the removal of divine favor and the subsequent dissolution of authority or unity.
The wordplay on 'Peres' (divided, Persian) brilliantly highlights the dual nature of Babylon's doom: its division from Belshazzar's rule and its transfer to the Medes and Persians.
c. 626 BC
Nabopolassar Establishes Neo-Babylonian Empire
Nabopolassar, a Chaldean general, revolts against the declining Assyrian Empire and establishes the Neo-Babylonian Empire, setting the stage for Babylon's resurgence.
605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar II Ascends Throne
Nebuchadnezzar II, Nabopolassar's son, inherits a powerful empire after his father's death and expands Babylonian influence, including victories over Egypt.
556 BC
Nabonidus Becomes Last King of Babylon
Nabonidus, the father of Belshazzar, ascends the throne. His religious reforms and extended absence from Babylon leave the empire vulnerable.
c. 550 BC
Cyrus the Great Unites Medes and Persians
Cyrus, ruler of the Persian kingdom, conquers the Medes and unites their armies, forming the powerful Medo-Persian Empire poised for expansion.
539 BC— this verse
Fall of Babylon to Cyrus
The Medo-Persian army under Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, ending the Neo-Babylonian Empire. This event directly fulfills the prophecy spoken by Daniel.
539 BC
Darius the Mede Reigns Briefly
Following the conquest, the Medo-Persian Empire is established, and Darius the Mede (often identified with Cyrus's uncle, Astyages, or Gubaru, a general) takes control of Babylon.
This passage prophesies the Medes as the instruments of God's wrath against Babylon, directly foreshadowing the historical reality described in Daniel 5:28.
Jeremiah 51:28Jeremiah foretells Babylon's destruction by the Medes, echoing the divine judgment declared through Daniel's interpretation of the writing on the wall.
Daniel 2:39Nebuchadnezzar's dream revealed a succession of kingdoms, with the Medo-Persian empire explicitly stated to follow Babylon, confirming the historical handover of power.
Luke 12:20Jesus uses the concept of a life being 'required' or 'taken away' in a single night, drawing a parallel to the sudden and unexpected end of Belshazzar's reign and kingdom.
John 13:2The narrative of Judas being singled out during the Last Supper, where Jesus knew who would betray him, mirrors the divine knowledge and judgment revealed by God, singling out Belshazzar for ruin.
barnesDaniel 5:28: "PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians."
Peres - In Daniel 5:25 this is "Upharsin." These are but different forms of the same word - the word in Daniel 5:25 being in the plural, and here in the singular. The verb (פרס peras) means, to "divide;" and in this form, as in the previous cases, it is, according to Gesenius, participle meaning "divided." As it stands here, it would be applicable to anything that was "divided" or "sundered" - whether a kingdom,…
pooleDaniel 5:28: "PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians."
Separated, divided, broken. Peres signifies two things, broken off, and Persian; noting, first, That this kingdom was broken from Belshazzar, and his line and family. Secondly, That it was given from the Chaldeans to the Persians. Then it was divided between the Medes and Persians; for Cyrus took Babylon, he was a Persian; after that he gave part of it to Darius his son-in-law, and he was a Mede; and so they were…
This isn't just a prophecy of doom; it's a divine pun that seals Belshazzar's fate. The word "Peres" literally means "divided," directly stating the kingdom's fate, but it also sounds exactly like "Persian," foreshadowing who would carry out the division. This clever wordplay, intentionally missed by the arrogant king, highlights God's intimate knowledge and control over every detail, even the very words spoken in judgment.
The mysterious writing on the wall has just been interpreted by Daniel, revealing God's judgment on King Belshazzar for his arrogance and sacrilege. Daniel has explained that the words "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin" signify that Belshazzar's reign is over, his kingdom weighed and found wanting, and now he declares the final part: the kingdom will be divided and given to the Medes and Persians. This pronouncement immediately precedes the fall of Babylon that very night, fulfilling the prophecy in stunning fashion.
The mysterious writing on the wall has just been interpreted by Daniel, revealing God's judgment on King Belshazzar for his arrogance and sacrilege. Daniel has explained that the words "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin" signify that Belshazzar's reign is over, his kingdom weighed and found wanting, and now he declares the final part: the kingdom will be divided and given to the Medes and Persians. This pronouncement immediately precedes the fall of Babylon that very night, fulfilling the prophecy in stunning fashion.
"PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”" — This isn't just a prophecy of doom; it's a divine pun that seals Belshazzar's fate. The word "Peres" literally means "divided," directly stating the kingdom's fate, but it also sounds exactly like "P…
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