Bible Figure
Belshazzar
Biblical king of Babylonia in the Book of Daniel
Belshazzar was the Babylonian royal figure in Daniel 5 whose feast ended with the handwriting on the wall and the fall of Babylon.
Biography
Daniel 5 depicts Belshazzar holding a great feast and using vessels taken from the Jerusalem Temple while praising pagan gods. A mysterious hand wrote on the palace wall, terrifying the king. Daniel was summoned and reminded Belshazzar that Nebuchadnezzar had been humbled for pride, yet Belshazzar had not humbled himself. Daniel interpreted the inscription as God's judgment: Belshazzar's kingdom had been numbered, weighed, and divided. That night Belshazzar was killed and the kingdom passed to Darius the Mede. Ancient Babylonian evidence identifies Belshazzar as a son of Nabonidus who exercised royal authority while his father was absent, helping explain Daniel's offer of the position of 'third ruler.'
Biblical Significance
Belshazzar's story is a dramatic warning against pride and sacrilege. Daniel 5 emphasizes God's sovereignty over empires and His ability to bring a seemingly secure kingdom to an abrupt end.