Daniel 5

1Later,1 King BelshazzarH1113 heldH5648 a greatH7229 feastH3900 for a thousandH506 of his noblesH7261, and he drankH8355 wineH2562 withH6903 themH506. 2Under the influence of the wineH2562, BelshazzarH1113 gave ordersH560H2942 to bringH858 in the goldH1722 and silverH3702 vesselsH3984 thatH1768 NebuchadnezzarH5020 his fatherH22 had takenH5312 fromH4481 the templeH1965H1768 in JerusalemH3390, so that the kingH4430 could drinkH8355 from them, along with his noblesH7261, his wivesH7695, and his concubinesH3904.

3ThusH116 they brought inH858 the goldH1722 vesselsH3984 thatH1768 had been takenH5312 fromH4481 the templeH1965H1768, the houseH1005 of GodH426H1768 in JerusalemH3390, and the kingH4430 drankH8355 from them, along with his noblesH7261, his wivesH7695, and his concubinesH3904. 4As they drankH8355 the wineH2562, they praisedH7624 their godsH426 of goldH1722 and silverH3702, bronzeH5174 and ironH6523, woodH636 and stoneH69.

The Handwriting on the Wall

5At that momentH8160 the fingersH677 ofH1768 a humanH606 handH3028 appearedH5312 and wroteH3790 onH5922 the plasterH1528 ofH1768 the wallH3797, nearH6903 the lampstandH5043 inH1768 the royalH4430 palaceH1965. As the kingH4430 watchedH2370 the handH6447H3028 thatH1768 was writingH3790, 6his faceH2122 grew paleH8133 and his thoughtsH7476 so alarmed himH927 that his hipsH2783H7001 gave wayH8271 and his kneesH755 knocked togetherH1668H5368.

7The kingH4430H2429 called out forH7123 the enchantersH826, astrologersH3779,3 and divinersH1505 to be brought inH5954H6032, and heH4430 saidH560 to these wise menH2445 of BabylonH895, “WhoeverH1768H3606H606 readsH7123 thisH1836 inscriptionH3792 and tells meH2324 its interpretationH6591 will be clothedH3848 in purpleH711 and have a goldH1722 chainH2002H1768 placed aroundH5922 his neckH6676, and he will be made the thirdH8523 highest rulerH7981 in the kingdomH4437.”

8SoH116 allH3606 the king’sH4430 wise menH2445 came inH5954, but they couldH3546 notH3809 readH7123 the inscriptionH3792 or interpret itH6591H3046 forH4430 him. 9ThenH116 KingH4430 BelshazzarH1113 became even moreH7690 terrifiedH927, his faceH2122 grew even more paleH8133H5922, and his noblesH7261 were bewilderedH7672.

10HearingH6903 the outcryH4406 of the kingH4430 and his noblesH7261, the queenH44334 enteredH5954 the banquetH4961 hallH1005. “O kingH4430, may you liveH2418 foreverH5957!” she saidH560. “Do notH409 let your thoughtsH7476 terrify youH927, or your faceH2122H409 grow paleH8133. 11There isH383 a manH1400 in your kingdomH4437 whoH1768 has the spiritH7308 of the holyH6922 godsH426 in him. In the daysH3118 of your fatherH2 he was foundH7912 to have insightH5094, intelligenceH7924, and wisdomH2452 likeH2452 that of the godsH426.

Your fatherH2, KingH4430 NebuchadnezzarH5020, appointed himH6966 chiefH7229 of the magiciansH2749, enchantersH826, astrologersH3779, and divinersH1505. Your own fatherH2, the kingH4430, 12did thisH3606 becauseH6903H1768 DanielH1841, the oneH1768 he namedH7761H8036 BelteshazzarH1096, was foundH7912 to have an extraordinaryH3493 spiritH7308, as well as knowledgeH4486, understandingH7924, and the ability to interpretH6590 dreamsH2493, explainH263 riddlesH280, and solveH8271 difficult problemsH7001. SummonH7123 DanielH1841, thereforeH3705, and he will give youH2324 the interpretationH6591.”

Daniel Interprets the Handwriting

13SoH116 DanielH1841 was broughtH5954 beforeH6925 the kingH4430H6032, who askedH560 himH1841, “Are youH607H1932 DanielH1841, oneH1768 ofH4481 the exilesH1123H1547 my fatherH2 the kingH4430 broughtH858 fromH4481 JudahH3061? 14I have heardH8086H5922 thatH1768 the spiritH7308 of the godsH426 is in you, and that you have insightH5094, intelligenceH7924, and extraordinaryH3493 wisdomH2452.

15NowH3705 the wise menH2445 and enchantersH826H1768 were broughtH5954 before meH6925 to readH7123 thisH1836 inscriptionH3792 and interpret itH6591 for meH3046, but they couldH3546 notH3809 giveH2324 itsH4406 interpretationH6591. 16ButH576 I have heardH8086 about youH5922, thatH1768 you are ableH3202 to give interpretationsH6591H6590 and solveH8271 difficult problemsH7001. ThereforeH3705, ifH2006 you canH3202 readH7123 this inscriptionH3792 and give meH3046 its interpretationH6591, you will be clothedH3848 in purpleH711 and have a goldH1722 chainH2002 placed aroundH5922 your neckH6676, and you will be made the thirdH8531 highest rulerH7981 in the kingdomH4437.”

17In responseH116, DanielH1841 saidH560H6925H6032 to the kingH4430, “You may keepH1934 your giftsH4978 for yourself and giveH3052 your rewardsH5023 to someone elseH321. NeverthelessH1297, I will readH7123 the inscriptionH3792 for the kingH4430 and interpret itH6591 for himH3046. 18As for youH607, O kingH4430, the Most HighH5943 GodH426 gaveH3052 your fatherH2 NebuchadnezzarH5020 sovereigntyH4437 and greatnessH7238, gloryH3367 and honorH1923. 19Because ofH4481 the greatnessH7238 thatH1768 He bestowedH3052 on him, the peopleH5972 of everyH3606 nationH524 and languageH3961 trembledH1934H2112 in fearH1763 beforeH4481 himH6925. HeH1934 killedH6992 whomH1768 heH1934 wishedH6634 and kept aliveH2418 whomH1768 heH1934 wishedH6634H1934; he exaltedH7313 whomH1768 heH1934 wishedH6634H1934 and humbledH8214 whomH1768 heH1934 wishedH6634H1934.

20But whenH1768 his heartH3825 became arrogantH7313 and his spiritH7308 was hardenedH8631 with prideH2103, he was deposedH5182 fromH4481 his royalH4437 throneH3764, and his gloryH3367 was takenH5709 from himH4481. 21He was driven awayH2957 fromH4481 mankindH1123H606, and his mindH3825 was likeH5974 that of a beastH2423H7739. He livedH4070 withH5974 the wild donkeysH6167 and ateH2939 grassH6211 like an oxH8450, and his bodyH1655 was drenchedH6647 with the dewH2920 of heavenH8065 untilH5705H1768 he acknowledgedH3046 thatH1768 the Most HighH5943 GodH426 rulesH7990 over the kingdomH4437 of mankindH606, settingH6966 over itH5922 whomH4479H1768 He wishesH6634.

22But youH607 his sonH1247,5 O BelshazzarH1113, have notH3809 humbledH8214 your heartH3825, even thoughH6903H1768H3606 you knewH3046 allH3606 thisH1836. 23Instead, you have exaltedH7313 yourself againstH5922 the LordH4756 of heavenH8065. The vesselsH3984 fromH1768 His houseH1005 were broughtH858 to youH6925, and as youH607 drankH8355 wineH2562 from them with your noblesH7261, wivesH7695, and concubinesH3904, you praisedH7624 your godsH426 of silverH3702 and goldH1722, bronzeH5174 and ironH6523, woodH636 and stoneH69, whichH1768 cannotH3809 seeH2370 orH3809 hearH8086 orH3809 understandH3046. But you have failed toH3809 glorifyH1922 the GodH426 whoH1768 holds in His handH3028 your very breathH5396 and allH3606 your waysH735. 24ThereforeH116H4481H6925 He sentH7972H6447H1768 the handH3028 that wroteH7560 theH1836 inscriptionH3792.

25Now thisH1836 is the inscriptionH3792 thatH1768 was writtenH7560:

MENEH4484, MENEH4484, TEKELH8625, PARSINH6537.

26And thisH1836 is the interpretationH6591 of the messageH4406:

MENEH44846 means that GodH426 has numberedH4483 the days of your reignH4437 and brought it to an endH8000. 27TEKELH86257 means that you have been weighedH8625 on the scalesH3977 and foundH7912 deficientH2627. 28PERESH65378 means that your kingdomH4437 has been dividedH6537 and given overH3052 to the MedesH4076 and PersiansH6540.”

29ThenH116 BelshazzarH1113 gave the commandH560, and they clothedH3848 DanielH1841 in purpleH711, placed a goldH1722 chainH2002 aroundH5922 his neckH6676, and proclaimedH3745 himH5922H1768 the third highestH8531 rulerH7990 in the kingdomH4437.

30That very nightH3916 BelshazzarH1113 kingH4430 of the ChaldeansH37799 was slainH6992, 31and DariusH1868 the MedeH4076 receivedH6902 the kingdomH4437 at the ageH1247H8140 of sixty-twoH8361H8648.