John Calvin Commentary Daniel 5:8-9

"Then came in all the king`s wise men; but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation. Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed." — Daniel 5:8-9 (ASV)

Here Daniel relates how deceived the king was in his opinion, hoping for any interpretation of the writing from the magi, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, or the soothsayers, for none of them could read it. Therefore, the king here pays the penalty for his ingratitude in overlooking God’s Prophet, since he knew the Prophet had predicted truth to his grandfather exactly as it had happened, and also knew of Daniel’s general excellence in wisdom. Thus, the proofs of Daniel’s calling were sufficiently numerous and trustworthy.

Since, then, he had so despised God’s unparalleled benefit, he is destitute of counsel, and sees himself calling in vain upon all the Chaldeans and astrologers. For Daniel says, There was no one who could read the writing or reveal its interpretation to the king. Because this seems absurd, many Rabbis have ventured various conjectures.

Some think the letters were transposed; others guess that they were changed into their counterparts and equivalents; and others think the characters were changed. But we have elsewhere shown how bold the Jews are in their conjectures, whenever they have no certain guide. We do not require their guesses, because, very probably, the writing was visible to the king and concealed from all the Chaldeans, or else they were so blind that they could see nothing, just as God denounced against the Jews a stupor of this kind.

We see what God pronounces through Isaiah (Isaiah 29:11): “Your law shall be like a sealed book: If it shall be said to any one, ‘Read it,’ he shall say, ‘The book is sealed, I cannot:’ or the book may be opened and you shall all become blind: even those who seem to be sharper than all others, shall say they are ignorant and unlettered men.” Whatever God threatened against the Jews we know was fulfilled, and is fulfilled to this day, since a veil is put before their eyes, as Paul says (2 Corinthians 3:14).

Therefore, they were blind in the midst of the brightest light. Is it any wonder then if the same thing happened to the Chaldeans, so that they could not read the writing? There is no necessity to conjecture any transposition of letters, or any inversion of their order, or any change of one into another; for the word תקל, tekel, went first, and afterwards מנא, מנא Mena, Mena. These guesses, then, are frivolous. And this much is certain: God wished the king to be made aware of his approaching destruction. Next, his soul was moved, not with repentance, but only enough to render his sloth inexcusable. And therefore, whether willingly or not, he was compelled to send for some remedy, since he knew himself to be dealing with God.

Now, with regard to the writing itself, God could not be a free agent unless he possessed the power of addressing one man at one time, and a number of men at another. He wished King Belshazzar to be conscious of this writing, while the magi were all as unable to read it as if they were blind.

And then, with reference to the interpretation, their perplexity need not surprise us. For God spoke enigmatically, when he said Mene, Mene, and then Tekel, that is weighed, and Peres, divided. If the magi could have read these words a hundred times over, they could never either conjecture or comprehend their true meaning.

The prophecy was allegorical, until an interpreter was divinely ordained for it. So far as the mere letters are concerned, there is no reason why we should be surprised at the eyes of the magi being blinded, since it pleased God that it be so, and wished to cite the king to his tribunal, as we have already said.

The Prophet says, The king was frightened, his countenance was changed, and the princes also were disturbed. The publicity of the event ought to have increased the sense of God’s judgment, for, as we shall later see, King Belshazzar himself was slain that very night. Cyrus entered while the Babylonians were feasting and enjoying their luxuries in security. So remarkable an example of God’s justice might have been instantly buried in that drunken revel, had it not been rendered conspicuous to many bystanders.

Therefore Daniel repeats, The king was disturbed, after he saw no prospect of either aid or advice from his magi and astrologers. He also says, his princes were astonished, because not only ought the king to be troubled, but the whole court as well, and the report ought to spread not only throughout the city but also to foreign nations. For there is no doubt that Cyrus was afterwards informed of this prophecy, as he would not have courted Daniel so much, nor honored him so remarkably, unless this occurrence had been made known to him. It follows: