New American Standard Bible 1995

Daniel 5:7-16

7The king called aloud to bring in the 1conjurers, the 2Chaldeans 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 3clothed with purple and have a 4necklace of gold around his neck, and have authority as 5 6third ruler in the kingdom.” 8Then all the king’s wise men came in, but 7they could not read the inscription or make known its interpretation to the king. 9Then King Belshazzar was greatly 8alarmed, his 9 10face grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed.

10The queen entered the banquet 11hall because of the words of the king and his nobles; the queen spoke and said, “12O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you or your 13face be pale. 11There is a 14man in your kingdom in whom is 15a 16spirit 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 17 18the king, appointed him chief of the 19magicians, conjurers, 20Chaldeans and diviners. 12This was because an 21extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of enigmas and solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named 22Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned and he will declare the interpretation.”

13Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the 23 24exiles from Judah, whom my father the king 25brought from Judah? 14Now I have heard about you that 26a spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. 15Just now the 27wise men and the conjurers were brought in before me that they might read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they 28could not declare the interpretation of the 29message. 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 30interpretation known to me, you will be 31clothed with purple and wear a necklace of gold around your neck, and you will have authority as the 32third ruler in the kingdom.”

Read all of Daniel 5

Notes

1. Daniel 5:7 Is 44:25; 47:13; Dan 4:6, 7; 5:11, 15 ↩
2. Daniel 5:7 Or master astrologers ↩
3. Daniel 5:7 Gen 41:42-44; Dan 5:16, 29 ↩
4. Daniel 5:7 Ezek 16:11 ↩
5. Daniel 5:7 Or a triumvir ↩
6. Daniel 5:7 Dan 2:48; 5:16, 29; 6:2, 3 ↩
7. Daniel 5:8 Gen 41:8; Dan 2:27; 4:7; 5:15 ↩
8. Daniel 5:9 Job 18:11; Is 21:2-4; Jer 6:24; Dan 2:1; 5:6 ↩
9. Daniel 5:9 Lit brightness was changing upon him ↩
10. Daniel 5:9 Is 13:6-8 ↩
11. Daniel 5:10 Lit house ↩
12. Daniel 5:10 Dan 3:9; 6:6 ↩
13. Daniel 5:10 Lit brightness be changed ↩
14. Daniel 5:11 Gen 41:11-15; Dan 2:47 ↩
15. Daniel 5:11 Or possibly the Spirit of the holy God ↩
16. Daniel 5:11 Dan 4:8, 9, 18; 5:14 ↩
17. Daniel 5:11 Or O king ↩
18. Daniel 5:11 Dan 2:48 ↩
19. Daniel 5:11 Or soothsayer priests ↩
20. Daniel 5:11 Or master astrologers ↩
21. Daniel 5:12 Dan 5:14; 6:3 ↩
22. Daniel 5:12 Dan 1:7; 4:8 ↩
23. Daniel 5:13 Lit sons of the exile ↩
24. Daniel 5:13 Ezra 4:1; 6:16, 19, 20; Dan 2:25; 6:13 ↩
25. Daniel 5:13 Dan 1:1, 2 ↩
26. Daniel 5:14 Or possibly the Spirit of God ↩
27. Daniel 5:15 Dan 5:7 ↩
28. Daniel 5:15 Is 47:12f; Dan 5:8 ↩
29. Daniel 5:15 Lit word ↩
30. Daniel 5:16 Gen 40:8 ↩
31. Daniel 5:16 Dan 5:7, 29 ↩
32. Daniel 5:16 Or triumvir ↩

Notes

Commentaries on Daniel 5