We left Belshazzar throwing a wild party, desecrating the sacred vessels from the Temple in Jerusalem (Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews, Vol. 4). It was a brazen act of arrogance, a slap in the face to the Divine. So, what happened next?
According to the legends, punishment came swiftly. Cyrus and Darius weren’t just any dudes; they were the gatekeepers of the royal palace that very night. Belshazzar, in a moment of extreme paranoia, had ordered them to deny entry to anyone, even if they claimed to be the king himself. Talk about a recipe for disaster!
Now, picture this: Belshazzar steps out briefly, unnoticed by his own guards. When he tries to return, Cyrus and Darius, following their strict orders, refuse him entry. He pleads, he argues, he insists that he is the king! But they don't believe him. And in a shocking turn of events... they strike him down, right then and there (Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews, Vol. 4). Can you imagine the chaos? The sheer disbelief?
It's a pretty stark ending, isn't it? A king, killed by his own guards because of his own foolish decree. It's like a scene straight out of a Shakespearean tragedy.
But the story doesn’t end with Belshazzar's death. Daniel, who had famously interpreted the writing on the wall foretelling Belshazzar's doom, wisely takes off. He flees to Shushtar, finding refuge with Cyrus, who would later become Cyrus the Great, the king of Persia.
Cyrus welcomes Daniel with open arms. He even makes a deal: If Daniel prays for Cyrus’ success in his war against the king of Mosul, Cyrus promises to return the Temple vessels to Jerusalem. A pretty big promise. And guess what? God answers Daniel’s prayer. Cyrus wins the war, and true to his word, he facilitates the return of the sacred vessels. A new chapter begins for the Jewish people, marked by hope and the promise of rebuilding (Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews, Vol. 4).
So, what do we take away from this whirlwind of a story? It's a potent reminder that actions have consequences, that arrogance often precedes a fall, and that even in the darkest of times, hope can emerge from unexpected places. And maybe, just maybe, that sometimes justice has a way of showing up exactly when it’s needed most.