דניאל, פרק ה׳, פסוק ל׳

The collapse of the Chaldean empire occurs with sudden and absolute finality, striking immediately after the king's grand feast. That very night, Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, is killed [אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד]. Although he had just granted Daniel royal honors and appointed him as a high-ranking ruler, these titles carry no practical weight, as the city falls mere moments later [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The circumstances surrounding the king's death point to a betrayal from within his own ranks. One of Belshazzar's servants assassinates him, hoping to win the favor of the conquering kings of Media and Persia [יוסף אבן יחיא].

The precise timing of the king's downfall highlights a profound spiritual principle regarding the transfer of power: one kingdom does not overlap with another. The transition from Belshazzar to Darius the Mede occurs simultaneously, without any pause or gap. This immediate handover functions much like an item placed securely in a trust. It ensures that the Chaldeans complete the exact seventy years decreed upon them, seamlessly continuing under the new rule of Darius without a single moment of a power vacuum [אלשיך].