Daniel 5
Complete Jewish Bible
5 Belshatzar the king gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords, and in the presence of the thousand he was drinking wine. 2 While tasting the wine, Belshatzar ordered that the gold and silver vessels which his father N’vukhadnetzar had removed from the temple in Yerushalayim be brought; so that the king, his lords, his wives and his concubines could drink from them. 3 So they brought the gold vessels which had been removed from the sanctuary of the house of God in Yerushalayim; and the king, his lords, his wives and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank their wine and praised their gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone.
5 Suddenly, the fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the palace wall by the lampstand. When the king saw the palm of the hand that was writing, 6 the king’s face took on a different look. As frightening thoughts rose up within him, his hip joints gave way and his knees started knocking together. 7 The king cried out to bring in the exorcists, astrologers and diviners. The king said to the sages of Bavel, “Whoever can read this inscription and tell me what it means will be dressed in royal purple, wear a gold chain around his neck and be one of the three men ruling the kingdom.” 8 But although all the king’s sages came in, none could read the inscription or tell the king what it meant. 9 Then King Belshatzar became terrified; his face turned pale, and his lords were thrown into confusion.
10 At this point the queen mother, because of what the king and his lords were saying, entered the banquet hall. The queen mother said, “May the king live forever! Don’t be scared by your thoughts or let your face be so pale. 11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, he was found to have light, discernment and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. King N’vukhadnetzar your father — the king, your father — made him chief of the magicians, exorcists, astrologers and diviners; 12 because he was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, discernment, and the ability to interpret dreams, unlock mysteries and solve knotty problems. He is called Dani’el, but the king gave him the name Belt’shatzar. Now have Dani’el summoned, and he will tell you what this means.”
13 Dani’el was brought into the king’s presence. The king said to Dani’el, “Are you Dani’el, one of the exiles from Y’hudah whom the king my father brought out of Y’hudah? 14 I’ve heard about you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have been found to have light, discernment and extraordinary wisdom. 15 Now the sages, the exorcists, were brought in to me so that they could read this inscription and tell me what it means, but they couldn’t interpret it for me. 16 However, I’ve heard that you can give interpretations and solve knotty problems. Now if you can read the inscription and tell me what it means, you will be dressed in royal purple, wear a gold chain around your neck and be one of the three men ruling the kingdom.”
17 Dani’el answered the king, “Keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else. However, I will read the inscription to the king and tell him what it means. 18 Your majesty, the Most High God gave N’vukhadnetzar your father the kingdom, as well as greatness, glory and majesty. 19 Because of the greatness he gave him, all the peoples, nations and languages trembled with fear before him. Anyone he wanted to, he put to death; anyone he wanted to, he kept alive; anyone he wanted to, he advanced; and anyone he wanted to, he humbled. 20 But when he grew proud and his spirit became hard, he began treating people arrogantly, so he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken away from him. 21 He was driven from human society, his heart was made like that of an animal, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed with grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky; until he learned that the Most High God rules in the human kingdom and sets up over it whomever he pleases. 22 But, Belshatzar, you, his son, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this. 23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven by having them bring you the vessels from his house; and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them; then you offered praise to your gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood and stone, which can’t see, hear or know anything. Meanwhile, God, who holds your very breath in his hands, and to whom belongs everything you do, you have not glorified. 24 This is why he sent the hand to write this inscription; 25 and the inscription says, ‘M’ne! M’ne! T’kel ufarsin.’ [a] 26 This is what it means: ‘M’ne!’ — God has counted up your kingdom and brought it to an end. 27 ‘T’kel’ — you are weighed on the balance-scale and come up short. 28 ‘P’res’ — your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Then Belshatzar gave the order; and they clothed Dani’el in royal purple, put a gold chain around his neck and proclaimed of him that he was to be one of the three men ruling the kingdom.
30 That very night Belshatzar, the king of the Kasdim, was killed.
Footnotes
- Daniel 5:25 M’ne — a maneh was a coin; Aramaic mena means “to count.” T’kel is Aramaic for shekel, a unit of weight; Aramaic tekilta means “you are weighed.” P’res (an Aramaic noun, plural parsin), is half a maneh; p’ris means “cut up, divided”; Paras is Persia. (The “f” in ufarsin is the Aramaic letter peh, sometimes pronounced “p” and sometimes, “f.”)
Daniel 5
English Standard Version
The Handwriting on the Wall
5 (A)King Belshazzar (B)made a great feast for a thousand of his (C)lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.
2 (D)Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that (E)the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father[a] had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought in (F)the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank wine and (G)praised the (H)gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5 (I)Immediately (J)the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw (K)the hand as it wrote. 6 (L)Then the king's color changed, (M)and his thoughts alarmed him; (N)his limbs gave way, and (O)his knees knocked together. 7 (P)The king called loudly to bring in (Q)the enchanters, the (R)Chaldeans, and (S)the astrologers. The king declared[b] to the wise men of Babylon, (T)“Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and (U)shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” 8 Then all the king's wise men came in, but (V)they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly (W)alarmed, and his (X)color changed, and his (Y)lords were perplexed.
10 The queen,[c] because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, (Z)“O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you (AA)or your color change. 11 There is a man in your kingdom (AB)in whom is the spirit of the holy gods.[d] In the days of your father, (AC)light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king—(AD)made him chief of the magicians, (AE)enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, 12 (AF)because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and (AG)understanding (AH)to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and (AI)solve problems were found in this Daniel, (AJ)whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.”
Daniel Interprets the Handwriting
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “You are that Daniel, one of (AK)the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. 14 I have heard of you that (AL)the spirit of the gods[e] is in you, and that (AM)light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now (AN)the wise men, the (AO)enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but (AP)they could not show the interpretation of the matter. 16 (AQ)But I have heard that you can give interpretations and (AR)solve problems. (AS)Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, (AT)you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and (AU)shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, (AV)“Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O king, the (AW)Most High God (AX)gave (AY)Nebuchadnezzar your father (AZ)kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. 19 And because of the greatness that he gave him, (BA)all peoples, nations, and languages (BB)trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. 20 But (BC)when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, (BD)he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. 21 (BE)He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, (BF)until he knew that the (BG)Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. 22 And you his son,[f] (BH)Belshazzar, (BI)have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, 23 but you have lifted up yourself against (BJ)the Lord of heaven. And (BK)the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. (BL)And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, (BM)but the God in whose hand is your breath, and (BN)whose are all your ways, (BO)you have not honored.
24 “Then from his presence (BP)the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. 25 And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. 26 This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered[g] the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; 27 Tekel, (BQ)you have been weighed[h] in the balances and found wanting; 28 Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to (BR)the Medes and (BS)Persians.”[i]
29 Then (BT)Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel (BU)was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
30 (BV)That very night (BW)Belshazzar the (BX)Chaldean king was killed. 31 [j] And (BY)Darius (BZ)the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
Footnotes
- Daniel 5:2 Or predecessor; also verses 11, 13, 18
- Daniel 5:7 Aramaic answered and said; also verse 10
- Daniel 5:10 Or queen mother; twice in this verse
- Daniel 5:11 Or Spirit of the holy God
- Daniel 5:14 Or Spirit of God
- Daniel 5:22 Or successor
- Daniel 5:26 Mene sounds like the Aramaic for numbered
- Daniel 5:27 Tekel sounds like the Aramaic for weighed
- Daniel 5:28 Peres (the singular of Parsin) sounds like the Aramaic for divided and for Persia
- Daniel 5:31 Ch 6:1 in Aramaic
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
