The prophetic vision turns toward the downfall of the Babylonian empire, exposing the destructive nature of its leadership. Driven by uncontrollable desires, arrogance, and heavy drinking, the rulers of Babylon are ultimately undone by their own vices. The text portrays a crude, prideful leader who is fundamentally betrayed by his addiction to alcohol [מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא]. A heavy drinker is easily deceived by wine, which fills him with a false sense of security [ביאור שטיינזלץ] and ultimately pushes him to act with wickedness and treachery [מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם].
Commentators offer different perspectives on which specific Babylonian king is being described. One approach identifies him as Nebuchadnezzar, a ruler known for his excessive drinking, rash behavior, merciless slaughter, and betrayal of his allies [רד״ק, אברבנאל]. Conversely, another perspective suggests the prophecy targets his grandson, Belshazzar. In his case, wine betrayed him so completely that it drove him to madness. In a fit of arrogance, Belshazzar drank from the sacred vessels of the Temple while praising his idols, a reckless act that directly resulted in his death that very night [רש״י, מלבי״ם].
Because of this toxic blend of arrogance and intoxication, the king is denied any sense of peace or permanence in his own dwelling [מצודת ציון]. This lack of a stable home is understood in two distinct ways. One interpretation suggests that the king is simply incapable of finding rest. His burning desires constantly force him out of his own palace to destroy and conquer the homes of others [מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא, אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Another view reads this as a direct prophecy of personal ruin. His royal estate will not endure; he will be violently removed from his palace and killed [רש״י, מלבי״ם], or perhaps even banished from human society altogether to live among the wild beasts [רד״ק].
The king's lust for power is depicted as an endless, insatiable hunger [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Much like the grave and the angel of death, which constantly swallow lives yet are never satisfied, the king is consumed by a desire to conquer the entire world and never feels he has enough [רש״י, מצודת דוד, רד״ק]. Driven by this boundless appetite, he acts as a force of death, relentlessly killing and wiping out entire nations [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל].
Consequently, he successfully takes control of the globe, bringing everyone under his rule so that no one can escape his grasp [מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא]. This global conquest involves bringing different types of populations into his empire. Lesser, less significant groups simply surrender and gather to him on their own accord. However, when facing larger, more powerful nations, the king is forced to use his military might to actively subdue and assemble them under his dominion [מלבי״ם].