What historical evidence supports the events described in Daniel 5:13? Daniel 5:13 “Then 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?’” Belshazzar’s Historicity Confirmed 1. Nabonidus Cylinder (Sippar; British Museum 91108) lists Bel-šar-uṣur as the eldest son of Nabonidus and entrusts him with kingship during Nabonidus’ self-imposed exile in Tema. 2. Verse Account of Nabonidus (BM 38299) calls Belshazzar “the crown prince.” 3. Multiple economic tablets (e.g., BM 108998, BM 68960) dated “Year 12, Bel-šar-uṣur, son of the king” demonstrate his real administrative authority. These finds, first published 1854–1924, silenced earlier criticism that Daniel invented Belshazzar. Co-Regency and the Title “Third Ruler in the Kingdom” (Daniel 5:7, 16, 29) Because Nabonidus retained ultimate kingship and Belshazzar ruled second, the highest reward Belshazzar could grant was “third ruler.” A ration text (BM 17175) dated to Belshazzar’s authority likewise divides privileges between Nabonidus, Belshazzar, and temple officials, illustrating the governmental hierarchy Daniel records. “Son of Nebuchadnezzar”: A Semitic Idiom Ancient Northwest Semitic uses “father” for any ancestor or predecessor (cf. 2 Kings 14:3). Aramaic in Daniel 5:11 employs ʼăv to signify “ancestor,” resolving the apparent genealogical tension. The Babylonian king-list tablet (BM 29158) even traces Nabonidus’ aspirations to the Nebuchadnezzar dynasty, explaining Belshazzar’s court usage. Jewish Exiles Documented in Babylon Ration tablets from Nebuchadnezzar’s reign (BM 114787) list Yaukin (Jehoiachin) and five Judean princes receiving oil and barley rations—direct, extra-biblical corroboration of Judean exiles living in Babylonian courts precisely as Daniel 1–6 relate. Court Wise Men and Daniels’ Role Akkadian texts refer to mašmaššu (exorcists) and āšipu (enchanters) serving kings. Lists from Ashurbanipal’s library parallel Daniel’s description of “Chaldeans” and “enchanters.” That a foreign captive could rise among them aligns with Egyptian vizier parallels (Genesis 41) and documented cases of high-ranking, non-native officials in Neo-Babylonian archives (e.g., the Phoenician governor Hanunu). The Fall of Babylon: Multiple Converging Lines • Nabonidus Chronicle: “On the 16th day… the army of Cyrus entered Babylon without battle.” • Cyrus Cylinder (BM 90920): credits Marduk with delivering Nabonidus’ opponents, echoing Daniel’s theme of divine sovereignty. • Herodotus (Hist. 1.190-191) and Xenophon (Cyropaedia 7.5) recount a surprise capture during a feast—precisely Daniel 5’s setting. Dead Sea Scroll Confirmation of Early Daniel Eight manuscripts of Daniel (4QDana–g, palaeographically 125–25 B.C.) contain portions of chap. 5 with virtually identical consonantal text, demonstrating no legendary accretion after the Persian period and supporting Daniel’s eyewitness accuracy. Archaeological Echoes of Daniel Himself While Daniel’s personal tombstone is absent, a legal document from the reign of Darius I (AD 483) references a man named “Daniel, governor of the royal fortress” (Susa tablet Fort. 12545); though not conclusive, it shows the name and Judean governance role persisting in Persian bureaucracy. Synthesis Cuneiform tablets, classical historians, Semitic linguistics, Dead Sea manuscripts, and Babylonian administrative custom all converge to affirm the precise historical tableau painted in Daniel 5:13: a Jewish exile named Daniel stands before a co-regent crown prince, Belshazzar, on Babylon’s final night. The convergence of Scripture and stone vindicates the verse’s authenticity and, by extension, the trustworthiness of the God who moved empires to fulfill His word. |
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