{"id":9196,"date":"2026-05-07T16:29:44","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T14:29:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advent-ug.org\/answers\/davai-rozberemo-kozhne-pytannia-okremo-pochynaiuchy-z-pershoho\/"},"modified":"2026-05-09T22:20:55","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T20:20:55","slug":"valtasar-b%d1%8bl-s%d1%8bnom-yly-vnukom-navuhodonosora","status":"publish","type":"answers","link":"https:\/\/advent-ug.org\/en\/answers\/valtasar-b%d1%8bl-s%d1%8bnom-yly-vnukom-navuhodonosora\/","title":{"rendered":"Was Belshazzar the son or grandson of Nebuchadnezzar?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In Daniel 5, Belshazzar is called the \u201cson\u201d of Nebuchadnezzar as his descendant, while in reality he was most likely a grandson or, more broadly, a descendant of the royal house.<\/b> This question often arises when reading the fifth chapter of the book of Daniel. At first glance, the text seems to speak plainly: Nebuchadnezzar is called the \u201cfather,\u201d Belshazzar the \u201cson.\u201d But with closer study of biblical language and the historical context, it becomes clear that there is no contradiction here.<\/p>\n

What the biblical text says<\/h2>\n

\u201cThere is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom were found in him.\u201d Daniel 5:11<\/a><\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cBut you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this.\u201d Daniel 5:22<\/a><\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

At first glance this sounds as though Belshazzar was the direct son of Nebuchadnezzar. But in biblical language, the word \u201cson\u201d can also mean a descendant<\/i>.<\/p>\n

The broader meaning of the word \u201cson\u201d in the Bible<\/h2>\n

In the Old and New Testaments, the words \u201cfather\u201d and \u201cson\u201d often have a broad genealogical meaning<\/b>. The word \u201cfather\u201d can mean not only a biological father, but also a grandfather, ancestor, or founder of a dynasty. Likewise, \u201cson\u201d can mean:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • a direct descendant<\/li>\n
  • a grandson<\/li>\n
  • a great-grandson<\/li>\n
  • any heir of a dynasty<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    A classic example is that Jesus is called the \u201cSon of David\u201d (Matt. 1:1), although many generations stand between David and Christ. Therefore, the use of the word \u201cson\u201d in Daniel 5 fully agrees with the biblical norm.<\/p>\n

    What history says<\/h2>\n

    Between Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar on Babylon\u2019s throne there were at least four rulers: Amel-Marduk, Neriglissar, Labashi-Marduk, and Nabonidus. Belshazzar himself was the son of Nabonidus<\/b> and co-regent with him in the capital. Therefore, historically Belshazzar was not the immediate son of Nebuchadnezzar, but his descendant in the dynastic line<\/i>.<\/p>\n

    Ellen White in the book \u201cProphets and Kings\u201d directly calls Belshazzar the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. This does not contradict the Bible\u2014it is a modern clarification of the biblical \u201cson.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Why this matters for understanding the text<\/h2>\n

    The main emphasis of Daniel 5 is not genealogy, but moral responsibility<\/b>that Belshazzar knew Nebuchadnezzar\u2019s history: his pride, God\u2019s judgment, humility, and acknowledgment of God\u2019s authority. Therefore, he did not sin in ignorance. He had light\u2014and rejected it.<\/p>\n

    Daniel\u2019s words carry precisely this meaning: \u201cyou, descendant of Nebuchadnezzar, who knew God\u2019s acts in the history of your family, have not humbled yourself before the Lord\u201d<\/i>.<\/p>\n

    Conclusion.<\/h2>\n

    The most balanced answer:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • In Daniel 5, Belshazzar is called \u201cthe son\u201d<\/b> of Nebuchadnezzar in the broad ancient sense\u2014as a descendant of the royal line.<\/li>\n
    • Historically he was a grandson<\/b> or, more precisely, a descendant of the dynasty\u2014the son of Nabonidus, who was probably related to Nebuchadnezzar through marriage.<\/li>\n
    • Ellen White directly calls him a grandson<\/b>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Such a reading removes the apparent contradiction and reveals the spiritual lesson: it does not matter exactly how you are related to your predecessors in the faith\u2014what matters is whether you learn from their experience<\/i>. The inheritance of blessings does not free one from personal responsibility before God.<\/p>","protected":false},"template":"","meta":{"faq_question":"\u0412\u0430\u043b\u0442\u0430\u0441\u0430\u0440 \u0431\u044b\u043b \u0441\u044b\u043d\u043e\u043c \u0438\u043b\u0438 \u0432\u043d\u0443\u043a\u043e\u043c \u041d\u0430\u0432\u0443\u0445\u043e\u0434\u043e\u043d\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0440\u0430?","bible_refs":"Daniel 5:11, Daniel 5:21, Daniel 5:22","answer_lang":"ru","source_question":"\u0434\u0430\u0432\u0430\u0439 \u0440\u043e\u0437\u0431\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043c\u043e \u043a\u043e\u0436\u043d\u0435 \u043f\u0438\u0442\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044f \u043e\u043a\u0440\u0435\u043c\u043e \u043f\u043e\u0447\u0438\u043d\u0430\u044e\u0447\u0438 \u0437 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0448\u043e\u0433\u043e"},"answer_topic":[144],"class_list":["post-9196","answers","type-answers","status-publish","hentry","answer_topic-prophecy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/advent-ug.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/answers\/9196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/advent-ug.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/answers"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/advent-ug.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/answers"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/advent-ug.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"answer_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advent-ug.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/answer_topic?post=9196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}