Daniel 5
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Belshazzar’s Feast
5 King Belshazzar(A) held a great feast for 1,000 of his nobles and drank wine in their presence. 2 Under the influence of[a] the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels(B) that his predecessor[b] Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines could drink from them. 3 So they brought in the gold[c] vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines drank from them. 4 They drank the wine and praised their gods made of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.(C)
The Handwriting on the Wall
5 At that moment the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the king’s palace wall next to the lampstand. As the king watched the hand[d] that was writing, 6 his face turned pale,[e] and his thoughts so terrified him that his hip joints shook and his knees knocked together. 7 The king called out to bring in the mediums, Chaldeans, and astrologers. He said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and gives me its interpretation will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around his neck,(D) and have the third highest position in the kingdom.” 8 So all the king’s wise men came in, but none could read the inscription or make its interpretation known to him. 9 Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face turned pale,[f] and his nobles were bewildered.(E)
10 Because of the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen[g] came to the banquet hall. “May the king live forever,” she said. “Don’t let your thoughts terrify you or your face be pale.[h] 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him.(F) In the days of your predecessor he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the diviners, mediums, Chaldeans, and astrologers. Your own predecessor, the king, 12 did this because Daniel, the one the king named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and perception, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems.(G) Therefore, summon Daniel, and he will give the interpretation.”
Daniel before the King
13 Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the Judean exiles that my predecessor the king brought from Judah?(H) 14 I’ve heard that you have the spirit of the gods in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom. 15 Now the wise men and mediums were brought before me to read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not give its interpretation. 16 However, I have heard about you that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around your neck, and have the third highest position in the kingdom.”(I)
17 Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else;(J) however, I will read the inscription for the king and make the interpretation known to him. 18 Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty,(K) greatness, glory, and majesty to your predecessor Nebuchadnezzar.(L) 19 Because of the greatness He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages(M) were terrified and fearful of him. He killed anyone he wanted and kept alive anyone he wanted; he exalted anyone he wanted and humbled anyone he wanted. 20 But when his heart was exalted and his spirit became arrogant,(N) he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken from him.(O) 21 He was driven away from people,(P) his mind was like an animal’s, he lived with the wild donkeys,(Q) he was fed grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky until he acknowledged that the Most High God is ruler over the kingdom of men and sets anyone He wants over it.(R)
22 “But you his successor, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart,(S) even though you knew all this. 23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you and your nobles, wives, and concubines drank wine from them,(T) you praised the gods made of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or understand.(U) But you have not glorified the God who holds your life-breath in His hand and who controls the whole course of your life.[i] 24 Therefore, He sent the hand, and this writing was inscribed.
The Inscription’s Interpretation
25 “This is the writing that was inscribed:
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.
26 This is the interpretation of the message:
MENE[j] means that God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end.
27 TEKEL[k] means that you have been weighed in the balance and found deficient.
28 PERES[l][m] means that your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Then Belshazzar gave an order, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck,(V) and issued a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
30 That very night Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans was killed, 31 [n]and Darius the Mede(W) received the kingdom at the age of 62.
Footnotes
- Daniel 5:2 Or When he tasted
- Daniel 5:2 Or father, or grandfather
- Daniel 5:3 Theod, Vg add and silver
- Daniel 5:5 Lit part of the hand
- Daniel 5:6 Lit writing, 6 the king’s brightness changed
- Daniel 5:9 Lit his brightness changed on him
- Daniel 5:10 Perhaps the queen mother
- Daniel 5:10 Lit your brightness change
- Daniel 5:23 Lit and all your ways belong to Him
- Daniel 5:26 Or a mina
- Daniel 5:27 Or a shekel
- Daniel 5:28 Or half a shekel
- Daniel 5:28 In Aram, the word peres is the sg form of “parsin” in v. 25.
- Daniel 5:31 Dn 6:1 in Hb
Daniel 5
Revised Geneva Translation
5 King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his princes and drank wine before the thousand.
2 And Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring him the golden and silver vessels, which his father, Nebuchadnezzar, had brought from the Temple in Jerusalem; that the king and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink from them.
3 Then were brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the Temple of the Lord’s House at Jerusalem. And the king and his princes, his wives and his concubines, drank from them.
4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
5 At the same hour, appeared fingers of a man’s hand, which wrote over near the candlestick, upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace. And the king saw the palm of the hand that wrote.
6 Then the king’s countenance was changed. And his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened, and his knees struck against each other.
7 Therefore, the king loudly cried that they should bring the astrologers, the Chaldeans and the soothsayers. And the king spoke, and said to the wise men of Babel, “Whoever can read this writing, and declare me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and shall have a chain of gold around his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom!”
8 Then came all the king’s wise men, but they could neither read the writing, nor show the king the interpretation.
9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed, and his princes were astonished.
10 Now the queen, by reason of the talk of the king and his princes, came into the banquet house. And the queen spoke, and said, “O king, live forever. Let not your thoughts trouble you, nor your countenance change.
11 “There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him whom the king Nebuchadnezzar, your father, the king, I say, your father, made chief of the enchanters, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
12 “Because a more excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding (for he expounded dreams, and declared hard sentences, and dissolved doubts) were found in him, even in Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now, let Daniel be called. And he will declare the interpretation.”
13 Then Daniel was brought before the king. And the king spoke and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom my father the king brought out of Jewry?
14 “Now, I have heard of you; that the spirit of the holy gods is in you; and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.
15 “Now therefore, wise men and astrologers have been brought before me, that they should read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof. But they could not declare the interpretation of the thing.
16 “Then I heard of you; that you could show interpretations, and dissolve doubts. Now, if you can read the writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, you shall be clothed with purple, and shall have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
17 Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, “Keep your rewards to yourself, and give your gifts to another. I will still read the writing to the king and show him the interpretation.
18 “O king, hear. The most high God gave to Nebuchadnezzar, your father, a kingdom, and majesty, and honor, and glory.
19 “And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled, and feared before him. He put to death whom he would. He struck whom he would; whom he would he set up, and whom he would he put down.
20 “But when his heart was puffed up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his honor from him.
21 “And he was driven from the sons of men. And his heart was made like the beasts. And his dwelling was with the wild asses. They fed him with grass, like oxen. And his body was wet with the dew of the heaven, till he knew that the most high God bore rule over the kingdom of men, and that he appoints whomever he pleases over it.
22 “And you, his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all these things,
23 “But have lifted yourself up against the Lord of Heaven. And they have brought the vessels of his House before you. And you and your princes, your wives and your concubines have drunk wine in them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor understand. And the God in whose hand your breath is, and all your ways, him have you not glorified.
24 “Then was the palm of the hand sent from him and has written this writing.
25 “And this is the writing that he has written, ‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL UPHARSIN’.
26 “This is the interpretation of the thing. MENE, God has numbered your kingdom, and has finished it.
27 TEKEL, you are weighed in the balance, and are found too light.
28 PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Then, at the commandment of Belshazzar, they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
30 The same night was Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans, killed.
31 And Darius of the Medes took the kingdom, being sixty-two years old.
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