Daniel 5:2

¹ Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them.

Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.

³ Thus they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king drank from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.

⁴ As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.
KJV: Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.
WEB: Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded that the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem be brought to him, that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink from them.
ASV: Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink therefrom.
DARBY: Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines, might drink in them.
BLB: Belshazzar commanded during the tasting of the wine to bring the vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple that [was] in Jerusalem, so that they might drink from them—the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines.

ÅB: Da vinen smakte Belsasar, befalte han at de gull- og sølvkar som hans far Nebukadnesar hadde tatt bort fra templet i Jerusalem, skulle hentes, så kongen og hans stormenn, hans hustruer og hans medhustruer kunne drikke av dem.
OTB: Mens han smakte på vinen, befalte Belsasar at man skulle hente gull- og sølvkarene som Nebukadnesar, hans far, hadde tatt fra tempelet i Jerusalem, slik at kongen, hans stormenn, hans hustruer og hans medhustruer kunne drikke av dem.
B1930: Da vinen smakte Belsasar, bød han at de gull- og sølvkar som hans far Nebukadnesar hadde tatt bort fra templet i Jerusalem, skulde hentes, så kongen og hans stormenn, hans hustruer og hans medhustruer kunde drikke av dem.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Daniel 1:2
And the Lord delivered into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with some of the articles from the house of God. He carried these off to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, where he put them in the treasury of his god.
Read in context
2 Kings 24:13
As the LORD had declared, Nebuchadnezzar also carried off all the treasures from the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and he cut into pieces all the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD.
Read in context
Daniel 5:23
Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.
Read in context
2 Kings 25:15
The captain of the guard also took away the censers and sprinkling bowls—anything made of pure gold or fine silver.
Read in context
Jeremiah 27:16–22
Then I said to the priests and to all this people, “This is what the LORD says: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, ‘Look, very soon now the articles from the house of the LORD will be brought back from Babylon.’ They are prophesying to you a lie.
Read in context
Ezra 1:7–11
King Cyrus also brought out the articles belonging to the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the temple of his gods.
Read in context
Daniel 5:11
There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your own father, the king,
Read in context
Daniel 5:18
As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.
Read in context