Daniel 5:10

10 Then the queen came into the banquet house, and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, and let not thy countenance be changed.

Daniel 5:10 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 5:10

Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his
lords, came into the banquet house
Not the wife of Belshazzar, as Porphyry would have it; but rather the queen mother, as Jacchiades, the widow of Evilmerodach his father, whose name was Nitocris; and is spoken of, by Herodotus ^F17, as a very prudent woman; and as this seems to be by her words and conduct: though Josephus ^F18 says it was his grandmother, she who had been the wife of Nebuchadnezzar; and of this opinion were some mentioned by Aben Ezra; whose name was Amyitis; and it appears, by what she says afterwards, that she was well acquainted with affairs in his time; and, being an ancient woman, might be the reason why she was not among the ladies at the feast in the banqueting house; but came into it, without being sent for, on hearing the consternation and distress the king and his lords were in, and the moanful despairing words they expressed on this occasion: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever;
the usual salutation given to the kings of Babylon, and other eastern monarchs; see ( Daniel 2:4 ) ( 6:21 ) : let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed;
at this affair, as if it could never be understood, and the true meaning of it be given; but be of good: cheer, and put on a good countenance; there is hope yet that it may be cleared up to satisfaction.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 Clio, sive l. 1. c. 185, 188.
F18 Antiqu. l. 10. c. 11. sect. 2.

Daniel 5:10 In-Context

8 Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known the interpretation to the king.

9 And king Baltasar was troubled, and his countenance changed upon him, and his nobles were troubled with him.

10 Then the queen came into the banquet house, and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, and let not thy countenance be changed.

11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the Spirit of God; and in the days of thy father watchfulness and understanding were found in him; and king Nabuchodonosor thy father made him chief of the enchanters, magicians, Chaldeans, soothsayers.

12 For an excellent spirit in him, and sense and understanding in him, interpreting dreams , and answering hard , and solving difficulties: Daniel, and the king gave him the name of Baltasar: now then let him be called, and he shall tell thee the interpretation of the writing.