Dani’ĕl (Daniel) 5
5
1Bĕlshatstsar the sovereign made a great feast for a thousand of his great men, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand.
2While tasting the wine, Bĕlshatstsar gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Neḇuḵaḏnetstsar had taken from the Hĕḵal which had been in Yerushalayim, that the sovereign and his great men, his wives, and his concubines could drink from them.
3Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the Hĕḵal of the House of Elah which had been in Yerushalayim. And the sovereign and his great men, his wives, and his concubines drank out of them.
4They drank wine, and praised the elahin of gold, and of silver, of bronze, of iron, of wood and of stone.
5At that moment the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the sovereign’s palace. And the sovereign saw the part of the hand that wrote.
6Then the sovereign’s colour changed, and his thoughts alarmed him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other.
7The sovereign called loudly to bring in the astrologers, the Kasdim, and the diviners. The sovereign spoke and said to the wise ones of Baḇel, “Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, is robed in purple and has a chain of gold around his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the reign.”
8So all the sovereign’s wise ones came, but they were unable to read the writing, or to make known its interpretation to the sovereign.
9Then Sovereign Bĕlshatstsar was greatly alarmed, and his colour changed, and his great men were puzzled.
10The sovereigness, because of the words of the sovereign and his great men, came to the banquet hall. And the sovereigness spoke and said, “O sovereign, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you, nor let your colour change.
11“There is a man in your reign in whom is the Spirit of the Set-apart Elahin. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the elahin, were found in him. And Sovereign Neḇuḵaḏnetstsar your father, your father the sovereign, made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Kasdim, and diviners,
12because an excellent spirit, knowledge and understanding, interpreting dreams, and explaining riddles, and solving difficult problems were found in this Dani’ĕl, whom the sovereign named Bĕlteshatstsar. Now let Dani’ĕl be called, and let him show the interpretation.”
13So Dani’ĕl was brought in before the sovereign. The sovereign spoke and said to Dani’ĕl, “Are you that Dani’ĕl who is one of the sons of the exile from Yehuḏah, whom my father the sovereign brought from Yehuḏah?
14“I have heard of you, that the Spirit of Elahin is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.
15“And the wise ones, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they were unable to show the interpretation of the word.
16“And I myself have heard of you, that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read the writing and make known its interpretation to me, you are to be robed in purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the reign.”
17Then Dani’ĕl answered and said before the sovereign, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Yet I shall read the writing to the sovereign, and make known the interpretation to him.
18“O sovereign, the Most High Elah gave Neḇuḵaḏnetstsar your father a reign and greatness, and preciousness and esteem.
19“And because of the greatness which He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished he killed, and whomever he wished he kept alive, and whomever he wished he raised up, and whomever he wished he made low.
20“But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was so strong as to act proudly, he was put down from his throne of reign, and they took his preciousness from him.
21“Then he was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the heavens, till he knew that the Most High Elah is ruler in the reign of men, and He sets up over it whomever He wishes.
22“And you his son, Bĕlshatstsar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this.
23“And you have lifted yourself up against the Master of the heavens. And they brought before you the vessels of His house, and you and your great men, your wives and your concubines, have been drinking wine from them. And you have praised the elahin of silver, and of gold, of bronze, of iron, of wood, and of stone, which neither see nor hear nor know. But the Elah who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not made great.
24“Then the part of the hand was sent from Him, and this writing was inscribed.
25“And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENĚ, MENĚ, TEQĚL, UPHARSIN.
26“This is the interpretation of each word: MENĚ – Elah has numbered your reign, and put an end to it.
27“TEQĚL – You have been weighed on the scales, and found lacking.
28“PERES – Your reign has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29Then Bĕlshatstsar gave orders, and they robed Dani’ĕl in purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and they proclaimed concerning him that he is the third ruler in the reign.
30In that night Bĕlshatstsar, sovereign of the Kasdim, was killed.
31And Dareyawesh the Mede took over the reign, being about sixty-two years old.
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Dani’ĕl (Daniel) 5: TS2009
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Daniel 5
5
Belshazzar’s party
1King Belshazzar threw a huge party for a thousand of his princes, and he drank a lot of wine in front of them. 2While he was under the wine’s influence, Belshazzar commanded that the gold and silver equipment that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem’s temple be brought to the party so that the king, his princes, his consorts, and his secondary wives could drink wine out of them. 3So the gold#5.3 Vulg, Theodotion add silver. equipment that had been carried out of the temple, God’s house in Jerusalem, was brought in; and the king, his princes, his consorts, and his secondary wives drank out of it. 4They drank a lot of wine; and they praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
Writing on the wall
5Right then the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the king’s palace wall in the light of the lamp. The king saw the hand that wrote. 6The king’s mood changed immediately, and he was deeply disturbed. He felt weak, and his knees were shaking. 7The king yelled, calling for the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners.
The king told these sages of Babylon: “Anyone who can read this writing and tell me its meaning will wear royal robes, will have a gold chain around his neck, and will rule the kingdom as third in command.”
8Then all the king’s sages arrived, but they couldn’t read the writing or interpret it for the king. 9At that point King Belshazzar was really frightened. All the color drained from his face, and his princes were also very worried.
10Upon hearing the commotion coming from the king and his princes, the queen entered the banqueting hall and declared, “Long live the king! Don’t be so disturbed. Don’t be so frightened. 11There is a man in your kingdom who has the breath#5.11 Or spirit; also in 5:14 of holy gods in him! When your father was alive, this man was shown to possess illumination, insight, and wisdom like the very wisdom of the gods.#5.11 Or wisdom of God Your father King Nebuchadnezzar appointed this man as chief over the dream interpreters, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners. Yes, your father did this 12because this man—Daniel, the one the king named Belteshazzar—possesses an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, and insight into the meaning of dreams. He can explain ambiguities and resolve mysteries. Now in light of all that, summon Daniel! He will explain the meaning of this thing.”
13So Daniel was brought before the king. The king said to him, “So you are Daniel, the Daniel from the exiles that my father the king brought from Judah? 14I have heard that the breath of the gods is in you and that you possess illumination, insight, and extraordinary wisdom. 15Now, the sages and the dream interpreters were brought before me to read this writing and interpret it for me, but they couldn’t explain its meaning. 16But I’ve heard that you can explain meanings and solve mysteries. So if you can read this writing and interpret it for me, you will wear royal robes, have a gold chain around your neck, and will rule the kingdom as third in command.”
Daniel interprets the writing
17Daniel answered the king: “Keep your gifts. Give the rewards to someone else. But I will still read the writing to the king and interpret it for him. 18Listen, Your Majesty: The Most High God gave kingship, power, glory, and majesty to your father Nebuchadnezzar. 19Because of the power God gave Nebuchadnezzar, all peoples, nations, and languages were terrified of him. He did whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted: killing or sparing, exalting or humbling. 20But when he became arrogant, acting in stubborn pride, he was pulled off his royal throne and the glory was taken from him. 21He was driven away from other humans, and his mind became like an animal’s. He lived with wild donkeys, he ate grass like cattle, and dew from heaven washed his body until he realized that the Most High God dominates human kingship and sets over it anyone he wants.
22“But you who are his son, Belshazzar, you haven’t submitted, even though you’ve known all this. 23Instead, you’ve set yourself up against the Lord of heaven! The equipment of God’s house was brought to you; and you, your princes, your consorts, and your secondary wives drank wine out of it, all the while praising the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods who can’t see, hear, or know anything. But you didn’t glorify the true God who holds your very breath in his hand and who owns every road you take.
24“That’s why this hand was sent from God and why this message was written down. 25This is what was written down:
mene, mene, tekel, and parsin.#5.25 Aram Upharsin
26“This is the meaning of the word mene: God has numbered#5.26 Aram menah, which is a wordplay with Mene the days of your rule. It’s over! 27tekel means that you’ve been weighed#5.27 Aram teqal, which is a wordplay with Tekel on the scales, and you don’t measure up. 28peres#5.28 The singular form of the plural Parsin in 5:25 means your kingship is divided#5.28 Aram peras, which is a wordplay with Parsin and given to the Medes and the Persians.”#5.28 Aram Paras, another wordplay with Parsin
29Then Belshazzar commanded that Daniel be dressed in a purple robe, have a gold chain around his neck, and be officially appointed as third in command in the kingdom.
30That very same night, Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. 31Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of 62.
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