Daniel 5

Belshazzar’s Feast

1King Belshazzar # 5:1 Dn 7:1; 8:1 held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine in their presence. 2Under the influence of # 5:2 Or When he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels # 5:2 1Kg 7:51; 2Kg 24:13; 2Ch 36:7,10; Ezr 5:14; 6:5; Jr 52:19; Dn 1:2 that his predecessor # 5:2 Or father, orgrandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines could drink from them. 3So they brought in the gold # 5:3 Theod, Vg add and silver vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, # 5:3 1Ch 22:2; Ezr 1:4; 2:68; 3:8; 4:24; 5:2,16–17; 6:3,12; Neh 6:10; Ps 42:4; Mt 12:4; Heb 10:21 and the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines drank from them. 4They drank the wine and praised their gods made of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. # 5:4 Is 46:6

The Handwriting on the Wall

5At that moment the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the king’s palace wall next to the lampstand. As the king watched the hand # 5:5 Lit part of the hand that was writing, 6his face turned pale, # 5:5–6 Lit writing, 6the king’s brightness changed and his thoughts so terrified him that he soiled himself # 5:6 Or that the joints of his hips gave way; lit that the knots of his loins were untied and his knees knocked together. 7The king shouted to bring in the mediums, Chaldeans, and diviners. He said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and gives me its interpretation will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around his neck, # 5:7 Gn 41:42 and have the third highest position in the kingdom.” 8So all the king’s wise men came in, but none could read the inscription or make its interpretation known to him. 9Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face turned pale, # 5:9 Lit his brightness changed on him and his nobles were bewildered. # 5:9 Dn 2:1; 5:6; 7:28

10Because of the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen # 5:10 Perhaps the queen mother came to the banquet hall. “May the king live forever,” she said. “Don’t let your thoughts terrify you or your face be pale. # 5:10 Lit your brightness change,# 5:10 1Kg 21:5 11There is a man in your kingdom who has a spirit of the holy gods in him. # 5:11 Dn 4:8–9,18 In the days of your predecessor he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, mediums, Chaldeans, and diviners. Your own predecessor, the king, 12did this because Daniel, the one the king named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and intelligence, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems. # 5:12 Lit and untie knots; also in v. 16,# 5:12 Gn 41:11–15; Dn 6:3 Therefore, summon Daniel, and he will give the interpretation.”

Daniel before the King

13Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the Judean exiles that my predecessor the king brought from Judah? # 5:13 Dn 1:3–4; 2:25 14I’ve heard that you have a spirit of the gods in you, and that insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom are found in you. 15Now the wise men and mediums were brought before me to read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not give its interpretation. 16However, I have heard about you that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around your neck, and have the third highest position in the kingdom.” # 5:16 Gn 40:8; Dn 5:7,29

17Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts and give your rewards to someone else; # 5:17 2Kg 5:15–16 however, I will read the inscription for the king and make the interpretation known to him. 18Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, # 5:18 Dn 4:2 greatness, glory, and majesty to your predecessor Nebuchadnezzar. # 5:18 Jr 27:5–7 19Because of the greatness he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages # 5:19 Dn 2:12–13; 3:6 were terrified and fearful of him. He killed anyone he wanted and kept alive anyone he wanted; he exalted anyone he wanted and humbled anyone he wanted. 20But when his heart was exalted and his spirit became arrogant, # 5:20 Ex 9:17; Jb 15:25; Pr 16:18; Is 57:15; Jr 48:29; Dn 4:30–31 he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken from him. # 5:20 Jr 13:18 21He was driven away from people, # 5:21 Ex 9:17; Jb 15:25 his mind was like an animal’s, he lived with the wild donkeys, # 5:21 Jb 39:5–8 he was fed grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky until he acknowledged that the Most High God is ruler over human kingdoms and sets anyone he wants over them. # 5:21 Dn 4:30–31

22“But you his successor, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, # 5:22 Ex 10:3; 2Ch 33:23; 36:12 even though you knew all this. 23Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of the heavens. The vessels from his house were brought to you, and as you and your nobles, wives, and concubines drank wine from them, # 5:23 Jr 51:39,57 you praised the gods made of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or understand. # 5:23 Is 2:12; 37:23; Jr 50:29; Dn 5:3–4 But you have not glorified the God who holds your life-breath in his hand and who controls the whole course of your life. # 5:23 Lit and all your ways belong to him,# 5:23 Ps 31:15 24Therefore, he sent the hand, and this writing was inscribed.

The Inscription’s Interpretation

25“This is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. 26This is the interpretation of the message:

‘Mene’ # 5:26 Or a mina means that God has numbered # 5:26 The Aramaic word for numbered sounds like mene. the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end. # 5:26 Is 13:17–19; Dn 2:44; 6:26; Hs 1:4

27‘Tekel’ # 5:27 Or a shekel means that you have been weighed # 5:27 The Aramaic word for weighed sounds like tekel. on the balance and found deficient.

28‘Peres’ # 5:28 Or half a shekel,# 5:28 In Aramaic, the word peres is the sg form of “parsin” in v. 25. means that your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” # 5:28 The Aramaic word for divided and Persians sounds like peres.

29Then Belshazzar gave an order, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, # 5:29 Dn 5:7,16 and issued a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

30That very night Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans was killed, 31and Darius the Mede # 5:31 Dn 6:1; 9:1; 11:1 received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.

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Daniel 5

1Belshatzar the king made a mishteh gadol (great feast) to a thousand of his nobles, and drank wine before the thousand.

2Belshatzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his forefather Nevukhadnetzar had taken out of the Beis Hamikdash which was in Yerushalayim, that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. 3Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the Beis Hamikdash of the Beis HaElohim which was at Yerushalayim, and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. 4They drank wine, and praised the g-ds of gold, and of silver, of bronze, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

5In the same hour came forth fingers of a manʼs yad (hand), and wrote opposite the menorah upon the plaster of the wall of the kingʼs heikhal, and the king saw the part of the yad that wrote. 6Then the kingʼs countenance was changed, and his machsh'vot troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosed, and his knees knocked together. 7The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Kasdim (Chaldeans), and the soothsayers. And the king spoke, and said to the chachamim of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this mikhtav (writing), and show me the pesher (interpretation, explanation) thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the malchut. 8Then came in all the kingʼs chachamim, but they could not read the mikhtav (writing), nor make known to the king the pesher (interpretation, explanation) thereof. 9Then was king Belshatzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his nobles were perplexed.

10Now the malkah (queen) by reason of the words of the king and his nobles came into the banquet house; and the malkah (queen) spoke and said, O king, live forever; let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed. 11There is a man in thy malchut, in whom is the Ruach Elohin Kadishin (Ruach Elohim HaKadosh) and in the days of thy forefather ohr and seichel and chochmah, like the chochmah of HaElohim, was found in him; the king Nevukhadnetzar thy forefather, the king, I say, thy forefather, made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Kasdim (Chaldeans), and soothsayers; 12Forasmuch as an excellent ruach, and da'as, and seichel, interpreting of chalomot, and solving riddles, and explaining enigmas, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Beltshatzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the pesher (interpretation, explanation).

13Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spoke and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the Bnei Golus of Yehudah, whom the king my forefather brought out of Yehudah? 14I have even heard of thee, that the Ruach Elohim is in thee, and that ohr and seichel and excellent chochmah is found in thee. 15And now the chachamim, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this mikhtav (writing), and give me da'as of the pesher (interpretation, explanation) thereof, but they could not show the pesher (interpretation, explanation) of the thing; 16And I have heard of thee, that thou canst give interpretations, and explain enigmas; now if thou canst read the mikhtav (writing), and make known to me the pesher (interpretation, explanation) thereof, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the malchut.

17Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the mikhtav (writing) unto the king, and make known to him the pesher (interpretation, explanation). 18O thou king, El Elyon gave Nevukhadnetzar thy forefather a malchut, and gedulah (greatness), and kavod (glory), and hadar (majesty); 19And for the gedulah that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him; whom he would he violently killed; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. 20But when his heart was lifted up, and his ruach hardened in ga'avah (pride), he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his kavod (glory) from him; 21And he was driven from the bnei haAdam; and his lev 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 El Elyon ruled in the malchut haAdam, and that He appointeth over it whomsoever He will. 22And thou his son, O Belshatzar, hast not humbled thine lev, though thou had da'as of all this; 23But hast lifted up thyself against Hashem of Shomayim; and they have brought the vessels of His Beis Hamikdash before thee, and thou, and thy nobles, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the g-ds of silver, and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know; and the G-d in Whose hand thy breath is, and Whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified.

24Then was the part of the yad sent from Him; and this mikhtav (writing) was written. 25And this is the mikhtav (writing) that was written, mene, mene, tekel, ufarsin. 26This is the pesher (interpretation, explanation) of the thing; mene; G-d hath numbered thy malchut, and finished with it. 27tekel; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. 28peres; Thy malchut is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

29Then commanded Belshatzar, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the malchut.

30In that night was Belshatzar the king of the Kasdim slain.

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