² While Belshazzar was drinking^(A) his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets^(B) that Nebuchadnezzar his father^[a] had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines^(C) might drink from them.^(D)

² And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried^(A) off to the temple of his god in Babylonia^[a] and put in the treasure house of his god.^(B)

¹³ As the Lord had declared,^(A) Nebuchadnezzar removed the treasures^(B) from the temple of the Lord and from the royal palace, and cut up the gold articles^(C) that Solomon^(D) king of Israel had made for the temple of the Lord.

²³ Instead, you have set yourself up against^(A) the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives^(B) and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand.^(C) But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life^(D) and all your ways.^(E)

¹⁶ Then I said to the priests and all these people, “This is what the Lord says: Do not listen to the prophets who say, ‘Very soon now the articles^(A) from the Lord’s house will be brought back from Babylon.’ They are prophesying lies to you. ¹⁷ Do not listen^(B) to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live.^(C) Why should this city become a ruin? ¹⁸ If they are prophets and have the word of the Lord, let them plead^(D) with the Lord Almighty that the articles remaining in the house of the Lord and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem not be taken to Babylon. ¹⁹ For this is what the Lord Almighty says about the pillars, the bronze Sea,^(E) the movable stands and the other articles^(F) that are left in this city, ²⁰ which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away when he carried^(G) Jehoiachin^[a](H) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— ²¹ yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says about the things that are left in the house of the Lord and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem: ²² ‘They will be taken^(I) to Babylon and there they will remain until the day^(J) I come for them,’ declares the Lord. ‘Then I will bring^(K) them back and restore them to this place.’”

⁷ Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god.^{[a](A) 8} Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar^(B) the prince of Judah.

⁹ This was the inventory:

¹¹ In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar brought all these along with the exiles when they came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

¹⁵ The commander of the imperial guard took away the censers and sprinkling bowls—all that were made of pure gold or silver.^(A)

¹⁸ “Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar^(A) sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor.^(B)

¹³ So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah?^(A)