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Daniel 5
Legacy Standard Bible

Belshazzar’s Feast

5 Belshazzar the king [a]held a great (A)feast for one thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand. 2 When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he said to bring the gold and silver (B)vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his [b]father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. 4 They (C)drank the wine and praised the gods of (D)gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.

5 Suddenly the fingers of a man’s hand came out and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the [c]back of the hand that did the writing. 6 Then the [d](E)splendor of the king’s face changed, and his thoughts alarmed him, and his (F)hip joints [e]went slack, and his (G)knees were knocking against each other. 7 The king called out loudly to bring in the (H)conjurers, the [f]Chaldeans, and the diviners. The king answered and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man who can read this writing and declare its interpretation to me shall be (I)clothed with purple and have a (J)necklace of gold around his neck and rule with power as [g](K)third ruler in the kingdom.” 8 Then all the king’s wise men came in, but (L)they could not read the writing or make known its interpretation to the king. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly (M)alarmed, and the [h](N)splendor of his face changed further, and his nobles were perplexed.

10 The queen entered the banquet [i]hall because of the words of the king and his nobles; the queen answered and said, “(O)O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you or the [j]splendor of your face be changed. 11 There is a (P)man in your kingdom in whom is [k]a (Q)spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father, illumination, insight, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father [l](R)the king, set him as chief of the [m]magicians, conjurers, [n]Chaldeans, and diviners. 12 This was because an (S)extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of enigmas, and [o]solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named (T)Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned, and he will declare the interpretation.”

Daniel Interprets the Writing on the Wall

13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the [p](U)exiles from Judah, whom my father the king (V)brought from Judah? 14 Now I have heard about you that [q]a spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight, and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. 15 Just now the (W)wise men and the conjurers were brought in before me that they might read this writing and make its interpretation known to me, but they (X)could not declare the interpretation of the [r]message. 16 But I personally have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and [s]solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read the writing and make its (Y)interpretation known to me, you will be (Z)clothed with purple and wear a necklace of gold around your neck, and you will rule with power as the [t]third ruler in the kingdom.”

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your (AA)gifts remain with you or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the writing to the king and make the interpretation known to him. 18 [u]O king, the (AB)Most High God (AC)granted the kingdom, (AD)grandeur, glory, and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father. 19 And because of the grandeur which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations, and men of every tongue feared and were in dread before him; (AE)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 (AF)raised up and his spirit became so (AG)strong that he behaved arrogantly, he was (AH)deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken away from him. 21 He was also (AI)driven away from the sons of [v]men, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his place of habitation was with the (AJ)wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of the sky until he knew that the (AK)Most High God is the powerful ruler over the kingdom of mankind and that He sets up over it whomever He wishes. 22 Yet you, his [w]son, Belshazzar, have (AL)not made your heart lowly, [x]even though you knew all this, 23 but you have (AM)raised yourself up against the (AN)Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the (AO)gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear, or know. But the God (AP)in whose hand are your life-breath and all your (AQ)ways, you have not honored. 24 Then the [y](AR)hand was sent from Him, and this writing was [z]inscribed.

25 “Now this is the writing that was [aa]inscribed: ‘[ab]MENE, [ac]MENE, [ad]TEKEL, [ae]UPHARSIN.’ 26 This is the interpretation of the [af]message: ‘MENE’—God has numbered your kingdom and (AS)put an end to it. 27 ‘TEKEL’—you have been (AT)weighed on the scales and found lacking. 28 ‘PERES’—your kingdom has been divided and given over to the (AU)Medes and [ag]Persians.”

29 Then Belshazzar said the word, and they (AV)clothed Daniel with purple and put a necklace of gold around his neck and issued a proclamation concerning him that he now would be the [ah]third powerful ruler in the kingdom.

30 That same night (AW)Belshazzar the Chaldean king was (AX)killed.

31 [ai]So (AY)Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 5:1 Lit made
  2. Daniel 5:2 Or forefather, so in ch
  3. Daniel 5:5 Or palm
  4. Daniel 5:6 Lit brightness changed for him
  5. Daniel 5:6 Lit became loosened
  6. Daniel 5:7 Or master astrologers
  7. Daniel 5:7 Or a triumvir
  8. Daniel 5:9 Lit brightness was changing upon him
  9. Daniel 5:10 Lit house
  10. Daniel 5:10 Lit brightness be changed
  11. Daniel 5:11 Or the Spirit of the holy God
  12. Daniel 5:11 Or O king
  13. Daniel 5:11 Or soothsayer priests
  14. Daniel 5:11 Or master astrologers
  15. Daniel 5:12 Lit loosening
  16. Daniel 5:13 Lit sons of the exile
  17. Daniel 5:14 Or possibly the Spirit of God
  18. Daniel 5:15 Lit word
  19. Daniel 5:16 Lit loosen
  20. Daniel 5:16 Or triumvir
  21. Daniel 5:18 Lit You, O king
  22. Daniel 5:21 Lit man
  23. Daniel 5:22 Or descendant
  24. Daniel 5:22 Lit inasmuch as you
  25. Daniel 5:24 Lit palm of the hand
  26. Daniel 5:24 Or signed, cf. 6:9-14
  27. Daniel 5:25 Or signed, cf. 6:9-14
  28. Daniel 5:25 Or a mina (50 shekels), from verb “to number”
  29. Daniel 5:25 Or a mina (50 shekels), from verb “to number”
  30. Daniel 5:25 Or a shekel, from verb “to weigh”
  31. Daniel 5:25 Or and half-shekels (sing: peres), from verb “to divide”
  32. Daniel 5:26 Lit word
  33. Daniel 5:28 Aram: Paras
  34. Daniel 5:29 Or triumvir
  35. Daniel 5:31 Ch 6:1 in Aram
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Daniel 5
Common English Bible

Belshazzar’s party

5 King Belshazzar threw a huge party for a thousand of his princes, and he drank a lot of wine in front of them. 2 While 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. 3 So the gold[a] 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. 4 They drank a lot of wine; and they praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

Writing on the wall

5 Right 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. 6 The king’s mood changed immediately, and he was deeply disturbed. He felt weak, and his knees were shaking. 7 The 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.”

8 Then all the king’s sages arrived, but they couldn’t read the writing or interpret it for the king. 9 At that point King Belshazzar was really frightened. All the color drained from his face, and his princes were also very worried.

10 Upon 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. 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the breath[b] 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.[c] Your father King Nebuchadnezzar appointed this man as chief over the dream interpreters, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners. Yes, your father did this 12 because 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.”

13 So 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? 14 I have heard that the breath of the gods is in you and that you possess illumination, insight, and extraordinary wisdom. 15 Now, 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. 16 But 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

17 Daniel 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. 18 Listen, Your Majesty: The Most High God gave kingship, power, glory, and majesty to your father Nebuchadnezzar. 19 Because 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. 20 But when he became arrogant, acting in stubborn pride, he was pulled off his royal throne and the glory was taken from him. 21 He 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. 23 Instead, 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. 25 This is what was written down:

mene, mene, tekel, and parsin.[d]

26 “This is the meaning of the word mene: God has numbered[e] the days of your rule. It’s over! 27 tekel means that you’ve been weighed[f] on the scales, and you don’t measure up. 28 peres[g] means your kingship is divided[h] and given to the Medes and the Persians.”[i]

29 Then 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.

30 That very same night, Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. 31 Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of 62.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 5:3 Vulg, Theodotion add silver.
  2. Daniel 5:11 Or spirit; also in 5:14
  3. Daniel 5:11 Or wisdom of God
  4. Daniel 5:25 Aram Upharsin
  5. Daniel 5:26 Aram menah, which is a wordplay with Mene
  6. Daniel 5:27 Aram teqal, which is a wordplay with Tekel
  7. Daniel 5:28 The singular form of the plural Parsin in 5:25
  8. Daniel 5:28 Aram peras, which is a wordplay with Parsin
  9. Daniel 5:28 Aram Paras, another wordplay with Parsin
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