Person Old Testament
Belshazzar
Belshazzar, the last Emperor of Babylon, is mentioned in the book of Daniel as the son of Nebuchadnezzar (though historically known as the son of Nabonidus). Mentioned in 8 verses across 1 book, first at Daniel 5:1.
Why it matters. The last Emperor of Babylon, son of Nabonidus.
- Primary passages
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Belshazzar
Belshazzar is a prominent figure in the book of Daniel, mentioned in chapters 5, 7, and 8. He is introduced as the king of Babylon and the son of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan.5.1, 22), although historical records identify him as the son of Nabonidus, the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Belshazzar is known for holding a great feast, during which he and his nobles drank from the sacred vessels taken from the temple in Jerusalem (Dan.5.1-4). During this feast, a mysterious hand appeared and wrote a message on the wall, which only Daniel could interpret (Dan.5.5-28). The message foretold the end of Belshazzar's kingdom, and that very night, Belshazzar was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom (Dan.5.30-31). Belshazzar is also mentioned in Daniel's visions (Dan.7.1; 8.1), providing a historical context for the prophetic revelations. Belshazzar's reign and his sudden downfall serve as a powerful reminder of God's sovereignty over earthly kingdoms and the consequences of disregarding God's authority.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
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Family
Family links from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0). Where the dataset marks an identification as uncertain, the mark is kept. Matthew and Luke give different genealogies for Jesus; see the Lineage page, which never merges them.
- Parents
- Nebuchadnezzar
Appears in Scripture
Named in 8 verses across 1 book. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.