Daniel 5

Belshazzar’s Feast

1BelshazzarH1113 the kingH4430 1heldH5648 a greatH7229 2feastH3900 for a thousandH506 of his noblesH7261, and he was drinkingH8355 wineH2562 in the presenceH6903 of the thousandH506. 23While he tastedH2942 the wineH2562, BelshazzarH1113 gaveH560 ordersH560 to bringH858 the goldH1722 and silverH3702 4vesselsH3984 whichH1768 his 5fatherH2 NebuchadnezzarH5020 had takenH5312 outH5312 of the templeH1965 whichH1768 was in JerusalemH3390, so that the kingH4430 and his noblesH7261, his wivesH7695, and his concubinesH3904 could drinkH8355 out of them. 3ThenH116 they broughtH858 the goldH1722 vesselsH3984 that had been takenH5312 outH5312 of the templeH1965, the houseH1005 of GodH426 whichH1768 was in JerusalemH3390; and the kingH4430 and his noblesH7261, his wivesH7695, and his concubinesH3904 drankH8355 out of them. 4They 6drankH8355 the wineH2562 and praisedH7624 the godsH426 of 7goldH1722 and silverH3702, of bronzeH5174, ironH6523, woodH636, and stoneH69.

5SuddenlyH8160 the fingersH677 of a humanH606 handH3028 emergedH5312 and began writingH3790 oppositeH6903 the lampstandH5043 on the plasterH1528 of the wallH3797 of the king’sH4430 palaceH1965, and the kingH4430 sawH2370 the backH6447 of the handH3028 that did the writingH3790. 6ThenH116 the king’sH4430 89faceH2122 becameH8133 paleH8133 and his thoughtsH7476 alarmedH927 him, and his 10hipH2783 jointsH7001 11loosenedH8271 and his 12kneesH755 began knockingH5368 togetherH1668. 7The kingH4430 calledH7123 aloudH2429 to bringH5954 inH5954 the 13sorcerersH826, the 14ChaldeansH3779, and the divinersH1505. The kingH4430 beganH6032 speakingH6032 and saidH560 to the wiseH2445 menH2445 of BabylonH895, “AnyoneH3606H606 whoH1768 can readH7123 thisH1836 inscriptionH3792 and explainH2331 its interpretationH6591 to me shall be 15clothedH3848 with purpleH711 and have a 16necklaceH2002 of goldH1722 aroundH5922 his neckH6676, and haveH7981 authorityH7981 as 17thirdH8533 ruler in the kingdomH4437.” 8ThenH116 allH3606 the king’sH4430 wiseH2445 menH2445 cameH5954 inH5954, but 18they couldH3546 not readH7123 the inscriptionH3792 or makeH3046 knownH3046 its interpretationH6591 to the kingH4430. 9ThenH116 KingH4430 BelshazzarH1113 was greatlyH7690 19alarmedH927, his 2021faceH2122 grewH8133 even more paleH8133, and his noblesH7261 were perplexedH7672.

10The queenH4433 enteredH5954 the banquetH4961 22hallH1005 becauseH6903 of the wordsH4406 of the kingH4430 and his noblesH7261; the queenH4433 beganH6032 toH6032 speakH6032 and saidH560, “23O kingH4430, liveH2418 foreverH5957! Do not let your thoughtsH7476 alarmH927 you or your 24faceH2122 be paleH8133. 11ThereH383 isH383 a 25manH1400 in your kingdomH4437 in whomH1768 is 26a 27spiritH7308 of the holyH6922 godsH426; and in the daysH3118 of your fatherH2, illuminationH5094, insightH7924, and wisdomH2452 like the wisdomH2452 of the godsH426 were foundH7912 in him. And KingH4430 NebuchadnezzarH5020, your fatherH2--your fatherH2 2829the kingH4430--appointedH6966 him chiefH7229 of the soothsayerH2749 priestsH2749, sorcerersH826, ChaldeansH3779, and divinersH1505. 12This was becauseH6903H1768 an 30extraordinaryH3493 spiritH7308, knowledgeH4486 and insightH7924, interpretationH6590 of dreamsH2493, explanationH263 of riddlesH280, and solvingH8271 of difficultH7001 problemsH7001 were foundH7912 in this DanielH1841, whomH1768 the kingH4430 namedH8036 31BelteshazzarH1096. Let DanielH1841 nowH3705 be summonedH7123 and he will declareH2331 the interpretationH6591.”

Daniel Interprets the Handwriting on the Wall

13ThenH116 DanielH1841 was broughtH5954 inH5954 beforeH6925 the kingH4430. The kingH4430 beganH6032 speakingH6032 and saidH560 to DanielH1841, “Are you that DanielH1841 whoH1768 is one of the 3233exilesH1123H1547 from JudahH3061, whomH1768 my fatherH2 the kingH4430 34broughtH858 from JudahH3061? 14Now I have heardH8086 aboutH5922 you that 35a spiritH7308 of the godsH426 is in you, and that illuminationH5094, insightH7924, and extraordinaryH3493 wisdomH2452 have been foundH7912 in you. 15Just nowH3705 the 36wiseH2445 menH2445 and the sorcerersH826 were broughtH5954 inH5954 beforeH6925 me to readH7123 thisH1836 inscriptionH3792 and makeH3046 its interpretationH6591 knownH3046 to me, but they 37couldH3546 not declareH2331 the interpretationH6591 of the 38messageH4406. 16But I personallyH576 have heardH8086 aboutH5922 you, that you are ableH3202 to giveH6590 interpretationsH6590 and solveH8271 difficultH7001 problemsH7001. NowH3705 ifH2006 you are ableH3202 to readH7123 the inscriptionH3792 and makeH3046 its 39interpretationH6591 knownH3046 to me, you will be 40clothedH3848 with purpleH711 and wear a necklaceH2002 of goldH1722 aroundH5922 your neckH6676, and you will haveH7981 authorityH7981 as the thirdH8531 ruler in the kingdomH4437.”

17ThenH116 DanielH1841 repliedH6032 and saidH560 beforeH6925 the kingH4430, “41Keep your 42giftsH4978 for yourself or giveH3052 your rewardsH5023 to someoneH321 elseH321; howeverH1297, I will readH7123 the inscriptionH3792 to the kingH4430 and makeH3046 the interpretationH6591 knownH3046 to him. 1843O kingH4430, the 44MostH5943 HighH5943 GodH426 45grantedH3052 46sovereigntyH4437, 47greatnessH7238, honorH3367, and majestyH1923 to NebuchadnezzarH5020 your fatherH2. 19Now becauseH4481 of the greatnessH7238 whichH1768 He grantedH3052 him, allH3606 the peoplesH5972, nationsH524, and populations of all 48languagesH3961 trembledH2112 and fearedH1763 in his presenceH6925; 49whomeverH1768 he wishedH6634, he killedH6992, and whomeverH1768 he wishedH6634, he sparedH2418 aliveH2418; and whomeverH1768 he wishedH6634 he elevatedH7313, and whomeverH1768 he wishedH6634 he humbledH8214. 20But whenH1768 his heartH3825 50was 51arrogantH7313 and his spiritH7308 becameH8631 so 5253overbearingH8631 that he behavedH2103 presumptuouslyH2103, he was 54deposedH5182 from his royalH4437 throneH3764, and his dignityH3367 was takenH5709 awayH5709 from him. 21He was also 55drivenH2957 awayH2957 from 56mankindH606, and his heartH3825 was madeH7739 likeH5974H7739 that of animalsH2423, and his dwellingH4070 placeH4070 was with the 57wildH6167 donkeysH6167. He was givenH2939 grassH6212 toH2939 eatH2939 like cattleH8450, and his bodyH1655 was drenchedH6647 with the dewH2920 of heavenH8065, untilH5705H1768 he recognizedH3046 that the 58MostH5943 HighH5943 GodH426 is rulerH7990 over the realmH4437 of mankindH606, and that He setsH6966 overH5922 it whomeverH4479H1768 He wishesH6634. 22Yet you, his 59sonH1247, BelshazzarH1113, have 60not humbledH8214 your heartH3825, evenH1768 thoughH6903 you knewH3046 allH3606 thisH1836, 23but you have 61risenH7313 up againstH5922 the 62LordH4756 of heavenH8065; and they have broughtH858 the vesselsH3984 of His houseH1005 beforeH6925 you, and you and your noblesH7261, your wivesH7695, and your concubinesH3904 have been drinkingH8355 wineH2562 out of them; and you have praisedH7624 the 63godsH426 of silverH3702 and goldH1722, of bronzeH5174, ironH6523, woodH636, and stoneH69, whichH1768 do not seeH7200, norH3809 hearH8086, norH3809 understandH3046. But the GodH426 64in whoseH1768 handH3028 are your life-breathH5396 and all your 65waysH735, you have not glorifiedH1922. 24ThenH116 the 6667handH3028 was sentH7972 from Him and thisH1836 inscriptionH3792 was writtenH7560 out.

25“Now thisH1836 is the inscriptionH3792 that was writtenH7560: ‘68MenēH4484, 69MenēH4484, 70TekēlH8625, 71UpharsinH6537.’ 26ThisH1836 is the interpretationH6591 of the 72messageH4406: ‘MenēH4484’--GodH426 has numberedH4483 your kingdomH4437 and 73putH8000 anH8000 endH8000 toH8000 it. 27‘TekēlH8625’--you have been 74weighedH8625 on the scalesH3977 and foundH7912 deficientH2627. 28‘75PerēsH6537’--your kingdomH4437 has beenH6537 dividedH6537 and givenH3052 to the 76MedesH4076 and 77PersiansH6540.”

29ThenH116 BelshazzarH1113 gaveH560 ordersH560, and they 78clothedH3848 DanielH1841 with purpleH711 and put a necklaceH2002 of goldH1722 aroundH5922 his neckH6676, and issuedH3745 aH3745 proclamationH3745 concerningH5922 him that he now hadH1934 authorityH7990 as the thirdH8531 ruler in the kingdomH4437.

30That same nightH3916 79BelshazzarH1113 the ChaldeanH3779 kingH4430 was 80killedH6992. 3181So 82DariusH1868 the MedeH4077 receivedH6902 the kingdomH4437 at about the ageH1247H8140 of sixty-twoH8361H8648.