Chapter Summaries
Belshazzar
- “Belshazzar’s banquet” in Daniel’s book, chapter 5, is a propaganda story to strengthen Jewish faith (time of creation: 539–331 BC). This story has virtually nothing to do with the actual events. Its alleged author and Belshazzar’s contemporary witness, the biblical Daniel, is a fictional person. Contradictory statements by Jehovah’s Witnesses in their book “Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy!” as well as in a study by Denis Kaiser about Belshazzar, are not true. The period of creation of Daniel’s book extends over several centuries.
- Belshazzar’s death did not occur in Babylon after a banquet but probably in the battle
near Opis (539 BC) against the Persian troops. - Nebuchadnezzar’s madness is a fictional story. It is derived from the ‘Stanza Poem of
Nabonid’ (cuneiform text). - Daniel erroneously considers Nebuchadnezzar to be Belshazzar’s father.
- A diversion of the Euphrates – described in JWP – as well as Babylon’s nocturnal surprise (539 BC) by Persian troops are legends, too. They are from Herodotus’ “Kleio” 1,191.