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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Daniel 5: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Daniel 5
5
Belshazzar’s Feast
1Belshazzar the king #Esth. 1:3; Is. 22:12–14made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. 2While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels #2 Kin. 24:13; 25:15; Ezra 1:7–11; Jer. 52:19; Dan. 1:2which 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. 3Then they brought the gold #2 Chr. 36:10vessels 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. 4They drank wine, #Is. 42:8; Dan. 5:23; Rev. 9:20and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.
5#Dan. 4:31In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his #Ezek. 7:17; 21:7knees knocked against each other. 7#Dan. 4:6, 7; 5:11, 15The king cried aloud to bring in #Is. 47:13the 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; #Dan. 6:2, 3and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” 8Now all the king’s wise men came, #Gen. 41:8; Dan. 2:27; 4:7; 5:15but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation. 9Then King Belshazzar was greatly #Job 18:11; Is. 21:2–4; Jer. 6:24; Dan. 2:1; 5:6troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were astonished.
10The 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#Dan. 2:48; 4:8, 9, 18There 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 father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. 12Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, #Dan. 1:7; 4:8whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”
The Writing on the Wall Explained
13Then 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? 14I have heard of you, that #Dan. 4:8, 9, 18; 5:11, 12the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15Now #Dan. 5:7, 8the 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. 16And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and explain enigmas. #Dan. 5:7, 29Now 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.”
17Then 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. 18O king, #Jer. 27:5–7; Dan. 2:37, 38; 4:17, 22, 25the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor. 19And because of the majesty that He gave him, #Jer. 27:7all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he #Dan. 2:12, 13; 3:6executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down. 20#Ex. 9:17; Job 15:25; Is. 14:13–15; Dan. 4:30, 37But 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. 21Then he was #Job 30:3–7; Dan. 4:32, 33driven 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, #Ex. 9:14–16; Ps. 83:17, 18; Ezek. 17:24; (Dan. 4:17, 34, 35)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, #Ex. 10:3; 2 Chr. 33:23; 36:12have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. 23#Dan. 5:3, 4And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the #Ex. 40:9; Num. 18:3; Is. 52:11; Heb. 9:21vessels 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, #Ps. 115:5, 6; Is. 37:19; Hab. 2:18, 19; Acts 17:24–26; Rom. 1:21which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand #Ps. 139:3; Prov. 20:24; (Jer. 10:23)and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. 24Then 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.
26This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; 27TEKEL: #Job 31:6; Ps. 62:9; Jer. 6:30You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; 28PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the #Is. 21:2; Dan. 5:31; 9:1Medes and #Dan. 6:28; Acts 2:9Persians.” 29Then 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 #Dan. 5:7, 16that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Belshazzar’s Fall
30#Jer. 51:31, 39, 57That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. 31#Dan. 2:39; 9:1And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.