Daniel 5

Belshazzar’s Feast

1Belshazzar the king 1held a great 2feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand. 2When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the gold and silver 3vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his 4father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. 3Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. 4They 5drank the wine and praised the gods of 6gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.

5Suddenly the fingers of a man’s hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the 7back of the hand that did the writing. 6Then the king’s 89face grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his 10hip joints went slack and his 11knees began knocking together. 7The king called aloud to bring in the 12conjurers, the 13Chaldeans and the diviners. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man who can read this inscription and explain its interpretation to me shall be 14clothed with purple and have a 15necklace of gold around his neck, and have authority as 1617third ruler in the kingdom.” 8Then all the king’s wise men came in, but 18they could not read the inscription or make known its interpretation to the king. 9Then King Belshazzar was greatly 19alarmed, his 2021face grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed.

10The queen entered the banquet 22hall because of the words of the king and his nobles; the queen spoke and said, “23O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you or your 24face be pale. 11There is a 25man in your kingdom in whom is 26a 27spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father, illumination, insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father 2829the king, appointed him chief of the 30magicians, conjurers, 31Chaldeans and diviners. 12This was because an 32extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of enigmas and solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named 33Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned and he will declare the interpretation.”

Daniel Interprets Handwriting on the Wall

13Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the 3435exiles from Judah, whom my father the king 36brought from Judah? 14Now I have heard about you that 37a spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. 15Just now the 38wise men and the conjurers were brought in before me that they might read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they 39could not declare the interpretation of the 40message. 16But I personally have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read the inscription and make its 41interpretation known to me, you will be 42clothed with purple and wear a necklace of gold around your neck, and you will have authority as the 43third ruler in the kingdom.”

17Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “44Keep your 45gifts for yourself or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the interpretation known to him. 1846O king, the 47Most High God 48granted 49sovereignty, 50grandeur, glory and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father. 19Because of the grandeur which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations and men of every 51language feared and trembled before him; 52whomever he wished he killed and whomever he wished he spared alive; and whomever he wished he elevated and whomever he wished he humbled. 20But when his heart was 53lifted up and his spirit became so 5455proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was 56deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him. 21He was also 57driven away from 58mankind, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his dwelling place was with the 59wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he recognized that the 60Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it whomever He wishes. 22Yet you, his 61son, Belshazzar, have 62not humbled your heart, 63even though you knew all this, 23but you have 64exalted yourself against the 65Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the 66gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But the God 67in whose hand are your life-breath and all your 68ways, you have not glorified. 24Then the 6970hand was sent from Him and this inscription was written out.

25“Now this is the inscription that was written out: ‘71Menē, 72Menē, 73Tekēl, 74Upharsin.’ 26This is the interpretation of the 75message: ‘Menē’--God has numbered your kingdom and 76put an end to it. 27‘Tekēl’--you have been 77weighed on the scales and found deficient. 28‘Perēs’--your kingdom has been divided and given over to the 78Medes and 79Persians.”

29Then Belshazzar gave orders, and they 80clothed Daniel with purple and put a necklace of gold around his neck, and issued a proclamation concerning him that he now had authority as the 81third ruler in the kingdom.

30That same night 82Belshazzar the Chaldean king was 83slain. 3184So 85Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.