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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]MENĒ, [ac]MENĒ, [ad]TEKĒL, [ae]UPHARSIN.’ 26 This is the interpretation of the [af]message: ‘MENĒ’—God has numbered your kingdom and (AS)put an end to it. 27 ‘TEKĒL’—you have been (AT)weighed on the scales and found lacking. 28 ‘PERĒS’—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: perēs), from verb “to divide”
  32. Daniel 5:26 Lit word
  33. Daniel 5:28 Aram: Pāras
  34. Daniel 5:29 Or triumvir
  35. Daniel 5:31 Ch 6:1 in Aram
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Daniel 5
Names of God Bible

The Handwriting on the Wall

5 King Belshazzar threw a large banquet for 1,000 nobles and drank wine with them. 2 As they were tasting the wine, Belshazzar ordered that the gold and silver utensils which his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem be brought to him. He wanted to drink from them with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.[a]

3 So the servants brought the gold utensils that had been taken from Elah’s temple in Jerusalem. The king, his nobles, wives, and concubines drank from them. 4 They drank the wine and praised their gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, or stone.

5 Suddenly, the fingers of a person’s hand appeared and wrote on the plaster wall opposite the lamp stand of the royal palace. The king watched as the hand wrote. 6 Then the king turned pale, and his thoughts frightened him. His hip joints became loose, and his knees knocked against each other.

7 The king screamed for the psychics, astrologers, and fortunetellers to be brought to him. He told these wise advisers of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and tells me its meaning will be dressed in purple, wear a gold chain on his neck, and become the third-highest ruler in the kingdom.” 8 All the king’s wise advisers came, but they couldn’t read the writing or tell the king its meaning. 9 King Belshazzar was terrified, and his face turned pale. His nobles didn’t know what to do.

10 The discussion between the king and his nobles brought the queen herself into the banquet hall. The queen said, “Your Majesty, may you live forever! Don’t let your thoughts frighten you, and don’t turn pale. 11 There’s a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your grandfather, he was found to have insight, good judgment, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your grandfather, King Nebuchadnezzar, made him head of the magicians, psychics, astrologers, and fortunetellers. 12 This Daniel (who had been renamed Belteshazzar) was found to have knowledge, judgment, and an extraordinary spirit. He has the ability to interpret dreams, solve riddles, and untangle problems. Now, call Daniel, and he will tell you what it means.”

13 So Daniel was taken to the king. The king asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the captives that my grandfather brought from Judah? 14 I’ve heard that you have the spirit of the gods and that you have insight, good judgment, and extraordinary wisdom. 15 The wise advisers and the psychics were brought to me to read this writing and tell me its meaning. But they couldn’t tell me its meaning. 16 I have heard that you can interpret such things and untangle problems. If you can read the writing and tell me its meaning, you will be dressed in purple, wear a gold chain on your neck, and become the third-highest ruler in the kingdom.”

17 Daniel told the king, “Keep your gifts. Give your gifts and awards to someone else. I’ll still read the writing for you and tell you its meaning.

18 “Your Majesty, the Elah Illa-ah gave your grandfather Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, might, honor, and glory. 19 People from every province, nation, and language trembled and were terrified by him, because God gave him power. Nebuchadnezzar killed whomever he wanted to kill, and he kept alive whomever he wanted to keep alive. He promoted whomever he wanted to promote, and he demoted whomever he wanted to demote. 20 But when he became so arrogant and conceited that he became overconfident, he was removed from the royal throne. His honor was taken away from him. 21 He was chased away from people, and his mind was changed into an animal’s mind. He lived with wild donkeys, ate grass like cattle, and his body became wet with dew from the sky. This happened until he realized that the Elah Illa-ah has power over human kingdoms. God puts whomever he wishes in charge of them.

22 “Belshazzar, you are one of Nebuchadnezzar’s successors. You didn’t remain humble, even though you knew all this. 23 But you made yourself greater than the Lord of heaven. You had the utensils from his temple brought to you. You, your nobles, wives, and concubines drank wine from them. You praised your gods made of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, or stone. These gods can’t see, hear, or know anything. You didn’t honor Elah, who has power over your life and everything you do. 24 So he sent the hand to write this inscription. 25 This is what has been written: Numbered, Numbered, Weighed, and Divided. 26 This is its meaning: Numbered—Elah has numbered the days of your kingdom and will bring it to an end. 27 Weighed—you have been weighed on a scale and found to be too light. 28 Divided—your kingdom will be divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”[b]

29 Then Belshazzar ordered that Daniel be dressed in purple and wear a gold chain on his neck. He made Daniel the third-highest ruler in the kingdom. 30 That night King Belshazzar of Babylon was killed.[c] 31 Darius the Mede took over the kingdom. He was 62 years old.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 5:2 A concubine is considered a wife except she has fewer rights under the law.
  2. Daniel 5:28 There is a play on words here between Aramaic peres (divided) and paras (Persians).
  3. Daniel 5:30 Daniel 5:31 in English Bibles is Daniel 6:1 in the Hebrew Bible.
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