Daniel 5

Belshazzars Feast

1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand.2 While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.3 Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them.4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.5 In the same hour the fingers of a mans hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the kings palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.6 Then the kings countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other.7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.8 Now all the kings wise men came, but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation.9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were astonished.10 The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came to the banquet hall. The queen spoke, saying, O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change.11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your fatheryour father the kingmade him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.12 Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.

The Writing on the Wall Explained

13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke, and said to Daniel, Are you that Daniel who is one of the captives from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah?14 I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.15 Now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not give the interpretation of the thing.16 And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and explain enigmas. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.17 Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor.19 And because of the majesty that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down.20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.21 Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.22 But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this.23 And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified.24 Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.25 And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.26 This is the interpretation of each word. Mene: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it;27 Tekel: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting;28 Peres: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Belshazzars Fall

30 That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain.31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

DANIEL 5

King Belshazzar's Banquet

1 One evening, King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his highest officials, and he drank wine with them.

2 He got drunk and ordered his servants to bring in the gold and silver cups his father Nebuchadnezzart had taken from the temple in Jerusalem. Belshazzar wanted the cups, so that he and all his wives and officials could drink from them.

3-4  t When the gold cups were brought in, everyone at the banquet drank from them and praised their idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5 Suddenly a human hand was seen writing on the plaster wall of the palace. The hand was just behind the lampstand, and the king could see it writing.

6 He was so frightened that his face turned pale, his knees started shaking, and his legs became weak.

7 The king called in his advisors, who claimed they could talk with the spirits of the dead and understand the meanings found in the stars. He told them, “The man who can read this writing and tell me what it means will become the third most powerful man in my kingdom. He will wear robes of royal purple and a gold chain around his neck.”
8 All of King Belshazzar's highest officials came in, but not one of them could read the writing or tell what it meant,

9 and they were completely puzzled. Now the king was more afraid than ever before, and his face turned white as a ghost.

10 When the queen heard the king and his officials talking, she came in and said:
Your Majesty, I hope you live forever! Don't be afraid or look so pale. 11 In your kingdom there is a man who has been given special powers by the holy gods. When your father Nebuchadnezzar was king, this man was known to be as smart, intelligent, and wise as the gods themselves. Your father put him in charge of all who claimed they could talk with the spirits or understand the meanings in the stars or tell about the future.

12 He also changed the man's name from Daniel to Belteshazzar. Not only is he wise and intelligent, but he can explain dreams and riddles and solve difficult problems. Send for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.

13 When Daniel was brought in, the king said:
So you are Daniel, one of the captives my father brought back from Judah! 14 I was told that the gods have given you special powers and that you are intelligent and very wise. 15 Neither my advisors nor the men who talk with the spirits of the dead could read this writing or tell me what it means.

16 But I have been told that you understand everything and that you can solve difficult problems. Now then, if you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will become the third most powerful man in my kingdom. You will wear royal purple robes and have a gold chain around your neck.

17 Daniel answered:
Your Majesty, I will read the writing and tell you what it means. But you may keep your gifts or give them to someone else. 18 Sir, the Most High God made your father a great and powerful man and brought him much honor and glory.

19 God did such great things for him that people of all nations and races shook with fear.
Your father had the power of life or death over everyone, and he could honor or ruin anyone he chose. 20 But when he became proud and stubborn, his glorious kingdom was taken from him.

21 His mind became like that of an animal, and he was forced to stay away from people and live with wild donkeys. Your father ate grass like an ox, and he slept outside where his body was soaked with dew. He was forced to do this until he learned that the Most High God rules all kingdoms on earth and chooses their kings.
22 King Belshazzar, you knew all of this, but you still refused to honor the Lord who rules from heaven. 23 Instead, you turned against him and ordered the cups from his temple to be brought here, so that you and your wives and officials could drink wine from them. You praised idols made of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, even though they cannot see or hear or think. You refused to worship the God who gives you breath and controls everything you do.

24 That's why he sent the hand to write this message on the wall.

25-28 The words written there are mene, which means “numbered,” tekel, which means “weighed,” and parsin, t which means “divided.” God has numbered the days of your kingdom and has brought it to an end. He has weighed you on his balance scales, and you fall short of what it takes to be king. So God has divided your kingdom between the Medes and the Persians.

29 Belshazzar gave a command for Daniel to be made the third most powerful man in his kingdom and to be given a purple robe and a gold chain.
30 That same night, the king was killed. 31 Then Darius the Mede, who was 62 years old, took over his kingdom.