Daniel 5
New Catholic Bible
Belshazzar’s Banquet[a]
Chapter 5
The Writing on the Wall. 1 King Belshazzar hosted a magnificent banquet for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in their presence. 2 Under the influence of the wine, he gave orders that the gold and silver vessels that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem were to be brought in so that the king, his nobles, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.
3 Therefore, the gold and silver vessels that had been removed from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, were brought in, and the king, his nobles, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank their wine and praised their gods of gold and silver, of bronze and iron, of wood and stone.
5 Suddenly, the fingers of a human hand appeared and began to write on the plaster of the wall of the royal palace next to the lampstand, and the king watched the hand as it wrote. 6 Then the king turned pale, and his thoughts terrified him. His legs grew limp, and his knees began to knock.
7 Then the king shouted aloud, ordering the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers to be brought in. When they entered, he addressed the wise men of Babylon and said, “Whoever can read this writing and tell me its interpretation shall be clothed in purple, wear a gold chain around his neck, and rank third in the government of the kingdom.”
8 However, none of the king’s wise men could either read the writing or explain to the king what it meant. 9 Then King Belshazzar became greatly terrified. His face grew even more pale, and his lords were in a state of confusion.
10 When the queen heard the commotion made by the king and his lords, she came into the banqueting hall and said, “May Your Majesty live forever. Do not let your thoughts terrify you. Why should you look so pale? 11 In your kingdom there is a man who has within him the Spirit of the holy God. During your father’s lifetime this man was renowned for his enlightenment, insight, and godlike wisdom, and to such a degree that King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, appointed him as chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners.
12 “Therefore, since this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has a keen mind, and is endowed with knowledge and understanding and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems, summon him. He will be able to give you the interpretation you seek.”
13 Then Daniel was brought into the king’s presence. The king said to him, “Are you the Daniel who was one of the Jewish exiles that my father the king brought from Judah? 14 I have been told that the Spirit of God is in you, and that you are renowned for your knowledge, understanding, and exceptional wisdom.
15 “Now the wise men and the enchanters have been brought in to me to read this writing and reveal its meaning to me, but they have been unable to interpret it. 16 Yet I have been told that you can give interpretations and solve problems. If you are able to read this writing and make known its interpretation, you shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around your neck, and rank third in the government of the kingdom.”
17 Daniel Explains the Writing. Then Daniel replied to the king, “Your Majesty, keep the gifts for yourself or give them to someone else. However, I will read the writing to Your Majesty and make known to you its interpretation.
18 “O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom with power, glory, and majesty. 19 He made him so powerful that the nations and peoples of every language trembled with fear before him. He killed those whom he wished to kill; he spared those whom he wished to spare; he honored those whom he wished to honor, and he degraded those whom he wished to degrade.
20 “However, when his heart became filled with pride and his spirit became hardened with arrogance, he was deposed from his kingly throne and stripped of his glory. 21 He was banished from human society, and his mind became like that of an animal. He was forced to live with the wild asses, he fed on grass like oxen, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God has sovereignty over the kingdom of men and appoints whomever he wishes to rule it.
22 “Even though you, Belshazzar, his son, were aware of all this, you did not humble your heart. 23 You have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. You ordered the vessels of his temple to be brought to you, and you, your nobles, your wives, and your concubines have drunk your wine from them. You have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze and iron, of wood and stone, that neither see, nor hear, nor have intelligence. But you have not glorified the God in whose hands are your breath of life and the entire course of your life.
24 “That is why he sent the hand that wrote the inscription. 25 The words inscribed are Mene, Tekel, and Peres.[b] This is what the words mean:
26 “Mene: God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end.
27 “Tekel: you have been weighed on the scales and been found wanting.
28 “Peres: your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Then, at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, with a gold chain around his neck, and a proclamation was made declaring that Daniel would rank third in the government of the kingdom.
30 On that very night Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans, was slain.
Footnotes
- Daniel 5:1 If there was a historical Belshazzar, he was the son of Nabonidus, not of Nebuchadnezzar; in any case, he was not given an opportunity to ascend the throne, but simply substituted for his father until Babylon fell in 539 B.C. under the blows of Cyrus the Persian, who had first subdued the Medes. The text speaks of Darius the Mede (6:1), but the only Dariuses known to history were all Persians. It is not a matter of concern that the author mixes up overly vague historical memories. His purpose is a different one: to denounce once more the human pride that claims the right to laugh at God. On the figure of Belshazzar are imposed the characteristics of Antiochus IV, who sacked temples, profaned things holy, and had himself worshiped as a god, while haughtily controlling the destiny of human beings (see 1 Mac 1:16-64; 6:1-5; 2 Mac 3:1-40; 5:11-20; 9:2).
- Daniel 5:25 The words of the inscription are names of weights or monies, allowing the play on words in the interpretation.
Daniel 5
Orthodox Jewish Bible
5 Belshatzar the king made a mishteh gadol (great feast) to a thousand of his nobles, and drank wine before the thousand.
2 Belshatzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his forefather Nevuchadnetzar had taken out of the Beis Hamikdash which was in Yerushalayim, that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.
3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the Beis Hamikdash of the Beis HaElohim which was at Yerushalayim, and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.
4 They drank wine, and praised the g-ds of gold, and of silver, of bronze, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s yad (hand), and wrote opposite the menorah upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s heikhal, and the king saw the part of the yad that wrote.
6 Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his machsh’vot troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosed, and his knees knocked together.
7 The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Kasdim (Chaldeans), and the soothsayers. And the king spoke, and said to the chachamim of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this mikhtav (writing), and show me the pesher (interpretation, explanation) thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the malchut.
8 Then came in all the king’s chachamim, but they could not read the mikhtav (writing), nor make known to the king the pesher (interpretation, explanation) thereof.
9 Then was king Belshatzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his nobles were perplexed.
10 Now the malkah (queen) by reason of the words of the king and his nobles came into the banquet house; and the malkah (queen) spoke and said, O king, live forever; let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed.
11 There is a man in thy malchut, in whom is the Ruach Elohin Kadishin (Ruach Elohim HaKadosh) and in the days of thy forefather ohr and seichel and chochmah, like the chochmah of HaElohim, was found in him; the king Nevuchadnetzar thy forefather, the king, I say, thy forefather, made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Kasdim (Chaldeans), and soothsayers;
12 Forasmuch as an excellent ruach, and da’as, and seichel, interpreting of chalomot, and solving riddles, and explaining enigmas, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Beltshatzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the pesher (interpretation, explanation).
13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spoke and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the Bnei Golus of Yehudah, whom the king my forefather brought out of Yehudah?
14 I have even heard of thee, that the Ruach Elohim is in thee, and that ohr and seichel and excellent chochmah is found in thee.
15 And now the chachamim, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this mikhtav (writing), and give me da’as of the pesher (interpretation, explanation) thereof, but they could not show the pesher (interpretation, explanation) of the thing;
16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst give interpretations, and explain enigmas; now if thou canst read the mikhtav (writing), and make known to me the pesher (interpretation, explanation) thereof, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the malchut.
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the mikhtav (writing) unto the king, and make known to him the pesher (interpretation, explanation).
18 O thou king, El Elyon gave Nevuchadnetzar thy forefather a malchut, and gedulah (greatness), and kavod (glory), and hadar (majesty);
19 And for the gedulah that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him; whom he would he violently killed; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.
20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his ruach hardened in ga’avah (pride), he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his kavod (glory) from him;
21 And he was driven from the bnei haAdam; and his lev 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; till he knew that El Elyon ruled in the malchut haAdam, and that He appointeth over it whomsoever He will.
22 And thou his son, O Belshatzar, hast not humbled thine lev, though thou had da’as of all this;
23 But hast lifted up thyself against Hashem of Shomayim; and they have brought the vessels of His Beis Hamikdash before thee, and thou, and thy nobles, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the g-ds of silver, and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know; and the G-d in Whose hand thy breath is, and Whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified.
24 Then was the part of the yad sent from Him; and this mikhtav (writing) was written.
25 And this is the mikhtav (writing) that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UFARSIN.
26 This is the pesher (interpretation, explanation) of the thing; MENE; G-d hath numbered thy malchut, and finished with it.
27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
28 PERES; Thy malchut is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
29 Then commanded Belshatzar, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the malchut.
30 In that night was Belshatzar the king of the Kasdim slain.
31 (6:1) And Daryavesh the Mede took the malchut, being about 62 years old.
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