Daniel 5:10-29

10The queen entered the banquet 1hall because of the words of the king and his nobles; the queen began to speak and said, “2O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you or your 3face be pale. 11There is a 4man in your kingdom in whom is 5a 6spirit 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 78the king--appointed him chief of the soothsayer priests, sorcerers, Chaldeans, and diviners. 12This was because an 9extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of riddles, and solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named 10Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned and he will declare the interpretation.”

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 1112exiles from Judah, whom my father the king 13brought from Judah? 14Now I have heard about you that 14a spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight, and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. 15Just now the 15wise men and the sorcerers were brought in before me to read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they 16could not declare the interpretation of the 17message. 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 18interpretation known to me, you will be 19clothed 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, “20Keep your 21gifts 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. 1822O king, the 23Most High God 24granted 25sovereignty, 26greatness, honor, and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father. 19Now because of the greatness which He granted him, all the peoples, nations, and populations of all 27languages trembled and feared in his presence; 28whomever 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 29was 30arrogant and his spirit became so 3132overbearing that he behaved presumptuously, he was 33deposed from his royal throne, and his dignity was taken away from him. 21He was also 34driven away from 35mankind, and his heart was made like that of animals, and his dwelling place was with the 36wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he recognized that the 37Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind, and that He sets over it whomever He wishes. 22Yet you, his 38son, Belshazzar, have 39not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this, 23but you have 40risen up against the 41Lord 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 42gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see, nor hear, nor understand. But the God 43in whose hand are your life-breath and all your 44ways, you have not glorified. 24Then the 4546hand was sent from Him and this inscription was written out.

25“Now this is the inscription that was written: ‘47Menē, 48Menē, 49Tekēl, 50Upharsin.’ 26This is the interpretation of the 51message: ‘Menē’--God has numbered your kingdom and 52put an end to it. 27‘Tekēl’--you have been 53weighed on the scales and found deficient. 28‘54Perēs’--your kingdom has been divided and given to the 55Medes and 56Persians.”

29Then Belshazzar gave orders, and they 57clothed 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.