The Writing Is on the Wall

A reproduction of Rembrandt's ancient painting

One night in ancient Babylon, King Belshazzar hosted a grand feast, using sacred goblets that had been stolen from Jerusalem’s temple. Amidst wine and wild celebrations, a mysterious, glowing hand appeared on the palace wall, inscribing strange words in the dark. The guests froze in fear. No one could decipher the message, so the queen summoned Daniel, a wise counsellor renowned for his divine insight. Daniel read the cryptic words—“Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin”—and explained their meaning: “Your days are numbered, you have been weighed and found wanting, and your kingdom will be divided.” That very night, Babylon fell, and Belshazzar lost his throne.

Babylon was one of the greatest cities of the ancient world, famed for its wealth, power, and the Hanging Gardens. But under Belshazzar’s rule, pride and arrogance blinded the leaders. While they feasted, the Persian army—led by Cyrus the Great—diverted the Euphrates River and entered the city through its drained riverbed. The fall of Babylon was swift and silent, marking the end of an empire and fulfilling Daniel’s chilling interpretation.

This dramatic scene in the Book of Daniel (Chapter 5) gave rise to the English phrase “the writing is on the wall.” It means a clear, often ominous sign that a negative outcome is coming—an obvious warning, even if ignored.

The name Balthazar (including modern forms like Bulthazar) is linguistically and historically derived from the same roots as Belshazzar. Over time, it was adapted and used in Christian tradition for one of the Magi, the Three Wise Men who visited the baby Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew (though their names are not mentioned in the Bible).

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