Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?
Here the king does not acknowledge his own folly, but without any modesty he interrogates Daniel, and that, too, as a captive, — Art thou, that Daniel, of the captives of Judah, whom my father led away? He seems to speak contemptuously here, to keep Daniel in servile obedience; although we may read this sentence as if Belshazzar inquired, Are you that Daniel? In truth, I have heard of thee!
The queen-mother came to his rescue with counsel, for she knew Daniel, a man in whom dwelt the spirit of the holy gods, with light and understanding and wisdom beyond all the other wise men. The king's physicians for melancholy were his own counselors; he needed a physician for his pride, and she knew where to find him.
AI summary
Commenting on Daniel 5:10-29
Then was Daniel brought in before the king,.... Proper officers being sent to seek and find him; and having fetched him from his house or apartment where he lived, which seems to have been in the city of Babylon, though not very probably at court as formerly, he was introduced in form into the king's presence; and the king spake and said unto Daniel, art...