The Bible In Paintings, #213: HANDWRITING ON THE WALL

Bing Images ^ | c.2,200 BC - c.95 AD | by the Father, Son & Holy Spirit

[Hebrews 11:6]

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This thread is DEDICATED TO Freeper
MeneMeneTekelUpharsin,
who has kept alive here God's pointed rebuke
of all tyrant kings who ignore Him.

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Ch. 1	Tributes to Daniel
Ch. 2	Daniel, Dream Interpreter
Ch. 3	Into the Fiery Furnace, 1
Ch. 3	Into the Fiery Furnace, 2
Ch. 4	God Humbles the Proud King
Ch. 5	HANDWRITING ON THE WALL
Ch. 6	Into the Lions' Den, 1
Ch. 6	Into the Lions' Den, 2
Ch. 6	Into the Lions' Den, 3
Ch. 7	Daniel's Vision of Four Beasts
Ch. 8	Daniel's Vision of Ram & Goat

DANIEL 5

New International Version, emphases added
Abrdgd: the complete text is in your Bible


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C L I C K :

To read DANIEL 5 in full
To hear MAX McLEAN reading it
To hear a DRAMATIZATION of it
HIGHLY recommended by Maudeen!
To see an ANIMATION of Daniel

5 3 9
B. C.

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CHAPTER 5

1 King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. 2 While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. 3 So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. 4 As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.

5 Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. 6 His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking.

7 The king summoned the enchanters, astrologers and diviners. Then he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

8 Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant. 9 So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled.

10 The queen, hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “May the king live forever!” she said. “Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale! 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. 12 He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.”

13 So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? 14 I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom. 15 The wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and tell me what it means, but they could not explain it. 16 Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

17 Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.

18 “Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. 19 Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. 20 But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. 21 He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.

22 “But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. 23 Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. 24 Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription.

25 “This is the inscription that was written:

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN

26 “Here is what these words mean:

Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.

27 Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.

28 Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

29 Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.

30 That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, 31 and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.

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1 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JOHN MARTIN, 1821
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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2 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by FREDERIK VAN VALCKENBORCH
"The Feast of King Belshazzar"

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3 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JUAN CARREÑO DE MIRANDA
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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4 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by FRANS FRANCKEN D. J.
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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5 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by PIERRE COURTEYS the Elder
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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6 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by FRANCESCO MAGLIULO
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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7 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by ANDREA CELESTI
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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8 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by VASILY SURIKOV
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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9 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by CATHERINE L. SCHANCK
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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10 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source

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11 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by PIETER DE GREBBER
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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12 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by DUTCH SCHOOL
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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13 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source

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14 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by HUGO LOFFLER
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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15 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JOHANN HEISS
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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16 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by SAMUEL COLMAN, 1833
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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17 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by FRANCESCO MONTI
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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18 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JUSEPE DE RIBERA
"Vision of Belshazzar"

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19 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by DOMENICO FIASELLA
"El Festín de Baltasar"

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20 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by GIOVANNI BATTISTA RANIERI DEL PACE
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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21 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source

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22 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source

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23 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source

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24 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source

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25 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by HANS VREDEMAN (JAN) DE VRIES
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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26 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by BARTHOLOMEUS STROBEL the Younger
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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27 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source

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28 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by ANTON KERN
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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29 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by ANTONIO MOLINARI
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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30 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by GIOVANNI BATTISTA PIAZZETTA
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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31 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by GIULIO CARPIONI
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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32 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JAN HARMENSZ. MULLER
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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33 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by ALESSANDRO MAGANZA
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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34 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by Prague School
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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35 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by LOUIS DE CAULLERY
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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36 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by MATTIA PRETI, 1656
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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37 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by WASHINGTON ALLSTON
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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38 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source

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39 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source

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40 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JOHN MARTIN, 1820
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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41 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by GUSTAVE DORÉ
"Daniel Interpreting the Writing on the Wall"

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42 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
"Daniel Interpreting the Writing on the Wall
at Belshazzar's Feast"

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→ a n d…. f i n a l l y ←

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43 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by REMBRANDT
"Belshazzar's Feast"

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44 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source

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45 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source

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46 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source

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47 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source

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48 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source

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֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎
֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎

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Preview of
COMING
ATTRACTIONS

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SNEAK PEEK: Next time,
INTO THE
LIONS' DEN!

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֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎
֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎

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R E S O U R C E S

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If you'd like to see for yourself the Bing page
which yielded most of the works above, here is the link:

Belshazzer's Feast

Image Sources are provided for most individual works.
Where no attribution appears below a work,
the source did not provide the artist's name.
Works are numbered to facilitate your commenting.

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Links to three masters who painted Biblical scenes prolifically:

REMBRANDT HARMENSZOON van RIJN

GUSTAV DORÉ
241 wood engravings for
La Grande Bible de Tours

JAMES TISSOT
180 watercolors depicting Bible scenes

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Links to two Bibles with comprehensive illustrations:

The Art Bible (1896)

The Maciejowski-Morgan Bible (c.1245)

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This series keeps moving from one Bible passage to another,
so here is a fascinating and enjoyable link to assist in following along:
BIBLE TIMELINE

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Finally, what God did to initiate The Bible In Paintings:
HOW GOD STARTED THIS SERIES
BY SHOWING ME JUST ONE PICTURE

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SPECIAL THANKS
to FReeper left that other site
who allowed God to make her His conduit
for incomparable enthusiasm, encouragement,
education, advice and technical assistance!

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NOTES ON MY SELECTION CRITERIA

A r t Q u a l i t y

The Bible and its Author are my focus, not the art: this is The Bible in Paintings, not "Great Paintings" nor even "Good Paintings." Indeed, occasionally photographs illustrate the text. So, works need not be masterpieces to qualify for inclusion here—they don't need to be housed at the Louvre nor auctioned by Sotheby's. They only need to illustrate successfully some aspect of the Biblical text or, frankly, just tickle my fancy, which I'm always asking the Holy Spirit to guide.

Often, artists misrepresent the Scripture, but unless the error is material, licentious or heretical I usually include the artwork, trusting that the Spirit is perfectly capable of defending Himself. So, with such forgiving filters, it means that you're seeing practically everything I'm finding.

T e x t S e q u e n c i n g

The Protestant Canon does not (for several reasons) follow a strictly chronological sequence. There are many examples where, for God's good purposes, stories are told out-of-order. Nevertheless, for the sake of simplicity, clarity, and my sanity, I have chosen to proceed linearly and methodically from Genesis onward, illustrating each Bible passage as we come to it. Where two passages cover the same incident I omit the second telling, excepting the four Gospels which I will treat synoptically. Now, onward!

P a c i n g

The pace here may seem appallingly snail-like to those eager to see their favorite events illustrated. My commission is to search for art on each Bible passage in sequence: if I find enough, then it becomes the next installment, even if undramatic (but where there is little or no art, that Bible passage goes untold here).

Then, there is the human element: this is not actually a daily series, because I can only research, compose, edit and post five or six of these installments weekly. And because I only get to do this series once, I'm taking my time, chiefly by posting everything; if I find lots of art, I don't cherry-pick some and discard the rest. Rather, I line up all of them and then sort them into manageable bunches, often resulting in multiple days' episodes of the same story. Obviously, I like being thorough. Were you in a big hurry?

The Bible is a thick book, as you know; but we'll get there eventually, Lord willing—this is His project, after all. And always remember:
love, joy, peace, patience kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness & self-control is a fruit of the Spirit!

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Art is merely the Toy Department of Bible study,
so I'm just having fun here—I hope you are, too!
Thank you for your understanding.

Hebrews 11:6
Dan Lewis
DodgerDan
'55 '59 '63 '65 '81 '88 '20

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[Ezekiel]

The beauty of the victory via God’s “peace through strength” (hat tip to our 40th president), is that the enemy forms offensive weapons out of what he knows, whereas God’s defense system is built out of what His enemies *don’t* know.

Hah, sheer genius! The blowback is the trump of all trumps. :)

[Maudeen]

I echo Forgiven_Sinner’s comments!

[Hebrews 11:6]

Well, I guess that settles it, then.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Absolutely everything about our God is wonderful, including that HE WINS!

[stars & stripes forever]

Thank you for your ministry. The pictures make the Bible stories come alive.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Glad that’s the case for you, Debbie. If it were merely art, I certainly wouldn’t bother. Responses like yours, and others who indicate their mental gears are meshing with their spiritual crankshaft, make this all worthwhile.