Daniel 5:2-3

Belshazzar, while he tasted wine.

While engaged in wine drinking and under its influence. Inflamed, half crazed with wine, he dared to do. sacrilegious act that he would not have done had he been sober. Nothing is more common when men surrender their reason to the influence of the cup. Countless numbers have committed crimes, done shameful deeds, assaulted and murdered their friends, and ruined themselves hopelessly when they have "tasted wine." In this city of Babylon Belshazzar lost his kingdom and life in the wine cup; in this same city, about two hundred and fifty years litter, Alexander the Great, the conqueror of the world, was conquered by the wine cup and died.

Commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels.

The vessels used in the service of the temple at Jerusalem and carried away by Nebuchadnezzar. He had probably stored them as trophies of war in one of the temples, but regarded them sacred, and refused to desecrate them by use in feasting. Now, however, Belshazzar is incited by wine to surprise his lords with the display. When one's brains are taken away, there is nothing too sacred, too foolish, or too daring to be done.

His wives and his concubines might drink in them.

The sacred vessels were to be profaned by drinking from them at. drunken and licentious feast. The wives and concubines of the voluptuous king had been brought. It is not probable that they were present at the beginning of the feast, but when the king was inflamed with wine they were sent for. The reader will remember the similar case of King Ahasuerus and his queen Vashti. Esther 1:10-11. In the harem of an oriental king there were two classes, the concubines who did not have the privilege of wives and whose children could not succeed to the throne, and the wives of whom there might be several and whose children were legitimate. Of these only one was usually called queen.