Daniel 5:18

“O thou king, etc.] “Hear”f211, O king; so Aben Ezra supplies it; what he was about to say first, in order to prepare him for the meaning of the handwriting, and the cause of it; or, “thou knowest”, as Saadiah supplies it; namely, what follows: the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom: a very large one, which reached to the ends of the earth: this was not to be ascribed to his predecessor that left it to him; or to his victorious arms, which increased it; or to his idol gods, to whom he attributed it; but to the most high God, from whom promotion alone cometh; and who, being above all gods and kings, sets up, and pulls down, as he pleases; he gave him his large dominions:…”

“God gave--It was not his own birth or talents which gave him the vast empire, as he thought. To make him unlearn his proud thought was the object of God's visitation on him. majesty--in the eyes of his subjects. glory--from his victories. honour--from the enlargement and decoration of the city.”

“O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom ... - This reference to Nebuchadnezzar is evidently designed to show to Belshazzar the wickedness of his own course, and the reason which he had to apprehend the Divine vengeance, because he had not learned to avoid the sins which brought so great calamities upon his predecessor. As he was acquainted with what had occurred to Nebuchadnezzar; as he had doubtless seen the proclamation which he had made on his recovery from the dreadful malady which God had brought upon him for his pride; and as he had not humbled himself, but had pursued the same course which Nebuchadnezzar did, he had the greater reason to apprehend the…”

“5:18-21 Daniel presented Nebuchadnezzar as an object lesson that should have guided his successors. Instead, Belshazzar had made the same mistake of exalting himself and dishonoring the Most High God.”

“O thou: Dan 3:17, Dan 3:18, Dan 4:22, Dan 6:22; Act 26:13, Act 26:19 the most: Dan 2:37, Dan 2:38, Dan 4:17, Dan 4:22-25, Dan 4:32; Deu 32:8; Psa 7:17, Psa 9:2, Psa 47:2, Psa 92:8; Lam 3:35, Lam 3:38; Act 7:48 Daniel 5:19”