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. 23While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring the gold and silver 4vessels which his 5father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines could drink out of 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 out of them. 4They 6drank the wine and praised the gods of 7gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

5Suddenly the fingers of a human hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing. 6Then the king’s 89face became pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his 10hip joints 11loosened and his 12knees began knocking together. 7The king called aloud to bring in the 13sorcerers, the 14Chaldeans, and the diviners. The king began speaking and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Anyone who can read this inscription and explain its interpretation to me shall be 15clothed with purple and have a 16necklace of gold around his neck, and have authority as 17third 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 more pale, and his nobles were perplexed.

10The queen entered the banquet 22hall because of the words of the king and his nobles; the queen began to speak 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 soothsayer priests, sorcerers, Chaldeans, and diviners. 12This was because an 30extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of riddles, and solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named 31Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned and he will declare the interpretation.”

Daniel Interprets the Handwriting on the Wall

13Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king began speaking and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the 3233exiles from Judah, whom my father the king 34brought from Judah? 14Now I have heard about you that 35a spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight, and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. 15Just now the 36wise men and the sorcerers were brought in before me to read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they 37could not declare the interpretation of the 38message. 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 39interpretation known to me, you will be 40clothed with purple and wear a necklace of gold around your neck, and you will have authority as the third ruler in the kingdom.”

17Then Daniel replied and said before the king, “41Keep your 42gifts 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. 1843O king, the 44Most High God 45granted 46sovereignty, 47greatness, honor, and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father. 19Now because of the greatness which He granted him, all the peoples, nations, and populations of all 48languages trembled and feared in his presence; 49whomever 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 50was 51arrogant and his spirit became so 5253overbearing that he behaved presumptuously, he was 54deposed from his royal throne, and his dignity was taken away from him. 21He was also 55driven away from 56mankind, and his heart was made like that of animals, and his dwelling place was with the 57wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he recognized that the 58Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind, and that He sets over it whomever He wishes. 22Yet you, his 59son, Belshazzar, have 60not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this, 23but you have 61risen up against the 62Lord 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 out of them; and you have praised the 63gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see, nor hear, nor understand. But the God 64in whose hand are your life-breath and all your 65ways, you have not glorified. 24Then the 6667hand was sent from Him and this inscription was written out.

25“Now this is the inscription that was written: ‘68Menē, 69Menē, 70Tekēl, 71Upharsin.’ 26This is the interpretation of the 72message: ‘Menē’--God has numbered your kingdom and 73put an end to it. 27‘Tekēl’--you have been 74weighed on the scales and found deficient. 28‘75Perēs’--your kingdom has been divided and given to the 76Medes and 77Persians.”

29Then Belshazzar gave orders, and they 78clothed 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 third ruler in the kingdom.

30That same night 79Belshazzar the Chaldean king was 80killed. 3181So 82Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.