Daniel 5:10-17 New King James Version

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^(A)There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your ^[a]father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your ^[b]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 ^[c]explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, ^(B)whom 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 ^[d]who is one of the captives from Judah, whom my ^[e]father the king brought from Judah? ¹⁴I have heard of you, that ^(C)the ^[f]Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. ¹⁵Now ^(D)the 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 ^[g]explain enigmas. ^(E)Now 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.

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Footnotes

Daniel 5:11 Or ancestor
Daniel 5:11 Or ancestor
Daniel 5:12 Lit. untying knots
Daniel 5:13 Lit. who is of the sons of the captivity
Daniel 5:13 Or ancestor
Daniel 5:14 Or spirit of the gods
Daniel 5:16 Lit. untie knots

Cross references

Daniel 6:16-23 New King James Version

¹⁶So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.” ¹⁷^(A)Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, ^(B)and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.

Daniel Saved from the Lions

¹⁸Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no ^[a]musicians were brought before him. ^(C)Also his sleep ^[b]went from him. ¹⁹Then the ^(D)king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. ²⁰And when he came to the den, he cried out with a ^[c]lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, ^(E)has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”

²¹Then Daniel said to the king, ^(F)“O king, live forever! ²²^(G)My God sent His angel and ^(H)shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.”

²³Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, ^(I)because he believed in his God.

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