Daniel 5

1 Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them.

2 Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.

3 Thus they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king drank from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.

4 As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.

5 At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. As the king watched the hand that was writing,

6 his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together.

7 The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

8 So all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or interpret it for him.

9 Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face grew even more pale, and his nobles were bewildered.

10 Hearing the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen entered the banquet hall. “O king, may you live forever!” she said. “Do not let your thoughts terrify you, or your face grow pale.

11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your own father, the king,

12 did this because Daniel, the one he named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, as well as knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Summon Daniel, therefore, and he will give you the interpretation.”

13 So Daniel was brought before the king, who asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah?

14 I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom.

15 Now the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this inscription and interpret it for me, but they could not give its interpretation.

16 But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

17 In response, Daniel said to the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him.

18 As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.

19 Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted whom he wished and humbled whom he wished.

20 But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him.

21 He was driven away from mankind, and his mind was like that of a beast. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, setting over it whom He wishes.

22 But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this.

23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.

24 Therefore He sent the hand that wrote the inscription.

25 Now this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.

26 And this is the interpretation of the message: MENE means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.

27 TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.

28 PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”

29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom.

30 That very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain,

31 and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.

1 ¶ Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which [was] in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which [was] at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.

4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

6 Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. [And] the king spake, and said to the wise [men] of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and [have] a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

8 Then came in all the king's wise [men]: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.

9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.

10 ¶ [Now] the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: [and] the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:

11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom [is] the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, [I say], thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, [and] soothsayers;

12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.

13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. [And] the king spake and said unto Daniel, [Art] thou that Daniel, which [art] of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?

14 I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods [is] in thee, and [that] light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.

15 And now the wise [men], the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:

16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and [have] a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

18 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:

19 And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.

20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

21 And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling [was] with the wild asses: 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 ruled in the kingdom of men, and [that] he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.

22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;

23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath [is], and whose [are] all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

24 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.

25 And this [is] the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

26 This [is] the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.

27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and [put] a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

30 ¶ In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.

31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, [being] about threescore and two years old.

1 King Belshazzar made a glorious feast of a thousand of his mighty men and captains, and drank with them.

2 And when he was drunken, he commanded to bring the vessels of gold and silver, which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, that the king might drink of them with his mighty men, and with his wives, and with his concubines.

3 So the vessels of gold were brought, which were taken out of the temple, out of the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and the king, and his princes, and his wives, and his concubines, drank of them.

4 And as they drank, they praised the gods of gold, and silver, and brass, and iron, and wood, and stone.

5 And at that very hour there came forth fingers, as of a man's hand writing, over against the candlestick, upon the whitewashed wall of the king's chamber. And the king perceived the hand that wrote.

6 Then the king's heart was disquieted, and his thoughts terrified him, so that his loins shook, and his legs trembled.

7 And the king cried aloud to bring up the wise men, and the Chaldeans, and the diviners: and he said unto the wise men of Babylon, What man shall read this writing, and shall know what it meaneth, that man shall be clothed in purple, and have chains of gold about his neck, and shall be the third lord in my kingdom.

8 Then were all the king's wise men brought up; but they could not read the writing, neither shewed they the interpretation unto the king.

9 Then king Belshazzar was sore afraid, and lost his form altogether; and his mighty men were afraid.

10 Then the queen went up into the hall for the king's sake, and for the sake of his mighty men, and said, O king, God grant thee long life. Let not thy thoughts so terrify thee, and be not thus discoloured!

11 There is a man in thy kingdom that hath the spirit of the holy gods. For in thy father's time there was found in him enlightenment, wisdom, and prudence, as the wisdom of the gods: and thy father king Nebuchadnezzar set him over the astrologers, and the wise men, and the Chaldeans, and the diviners,

12 Because there was found with him a high spirit, and understanding, and wisdom, to interpret proverbs, and to divine dark sayings, and to reveal hidden things, Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar. Call Daniel, and he will tell you what it means.

13 And Daniel was brought up before the king: and the king said unto Daniel, Art thou Daniel the prisoner of one of Judah, whom the king my father hath brought out of Judah?

14 I have heard it said of thee, that thou hast the spirit of the holy gods, and that enlightenment, understanding, and great wisdom are found in thee.

15 Now I have called before me the wise and prudent to read this scripture, and to shew me what it meaneth: and they cannot tell me what it meaneth.

16 But of thee I hear that thou canst give the interpretation, and reveal the hidden things. If thou canst read the scripture, and shew me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed in purple, and shalt have chains of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third lord in my kingdom.

17 Then Daniel began to speak before the king: Keep thy gifts thyself, and give thy present unto another: nevertheless I will read the writing unto the king, and shew what it meaneth.

18 O LORD King, GOD Most High has given your father Nebuchadnezzar kingdom, power, honor and glory.

19 And for such power as was given him, all nations, people, and tongues feared and were afraid of him. He slew whom he would; he smote whom he would; he exalted whom he would; he humbled whom he would.

20 And when his heart was lifted up, and he was proud and haughty, he was cast out of the king's seat, and lost his honour;

21 And he was cast out of men, and his heart was like unto beasts, and he walked with the wild beasts, and did eat grass like oxen; and his belly was under the dew of heaven, and was wet, until he learned that GOD Most High hath power over the kingdoms of men, and giveth them to whomsoever he will.

22 And thou, Belshazzar his son, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knowest all these things,

23 But thou hast exalted thyself against the LORD of heaven, and the vessels of his house have been brought before thee: and thou, and thy mighty men, and thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk therefrom, and praised the gods of silver, and of brass, and of iron, and of wood, and of stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor feel: but the LORD, which hath thy breath, and all thy ways in his hand, hast thou not honoured.

24 Therefore is this hand sent from him, and this writing, which is written.

25 But this is the writing recorded all there: Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin.

26 And it signifieth this: Mene, that is, God has numbered and completed your kingdom.

27 tekel, that is, they weighed you in a balance and found you too light.

28 Peresh, that is, thy kingdom is divided, and given unto the Medes and Persians.

29 And Belshazzar commanded that Daniel should be clothed in purple, and that chains of gold should be put about his neck: and he proclaimed of him that he was the third lord in the kingdom.

30 And it came to pass in the night, that Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans was slain.