Daniel 5
Palabra de Dios para Todos
Los escritos en la pared
5 El rey Belsasar ofreció un gran banquete e invitó a 1000 funcionarios de la corte. El rey bebió mucho vino mientras estaba con sus invitados. 2 El rey Belsasar, muy excitado por tanto vino, ordenó que le trajeran las copas de oro y plata que Nabucodonosor, padre[a] de Belsasar, se había llevado del templo de Jerusalén. Belsasar quería que sus invitados, sus esposas y sus concubinas las usaran en la fiesta. 3 Cuando le trajeron las copas de oro que se habían llevado del templo de Dios en Jerusalén, el rey, sus invitados, sus esposas y sus concubinas bebieron en ellas. 4 Mientras bebían, adoraban a sus dioses de oro y plata, bronce y hierro, madera y piedra.
5 En ese momento aparecieron los dedos de una mano humana y escribieron sobre el yeso de la pared que estaba justo frente a la lámpara, de modo que el rey pudo ver cómo escribía la mano. 6 El rey se puso pálido del susto y estaba confundido; le temblaban las piernas y sus rodillas chocaban la una contra la otra. 7 Enseguida, el rey ordenó a gritos que le trajeran a todos los adivinos, magos y caldeos. Y les dijo a todos esos sabios de Babilonia:
—Le daré un cargo muy importante en mi reino a quien pueda leer y explicarme esa escritura. Esa persona recibirá vestidos púrpura, un collar de oro y será el tercer hombre más importante en el reino.
8 Todos los sabios se presentaron ante el rey, pero ninguno pudo leer ni entender lo que estaba escrito. 9 Entonces los oficiales se preocuparon mucho y el rey Belsasar se asustó tanto que palideció aun más.
10 La reina escuchó que Belsasar y sus invitados hacían mucho ruido, así que fue al salón de la fiesta y le dijo al rey:
—¡Viva el rey por siempre! No te asustes ni palidezcas. 11 En tu reino hay un hombre que tiene el espíritu de los santos dioses. Cuando tu padre era rey, ese hombre demostró que tenía gran inteligencia y sabiduría. Era la sabiduría de los dioses. Tu padre, el rey Nabucodonosor, lo nombró jefe de todos los adivinos, hechiceros, magos y caldeos. 12 Ese hombre se llama Daniel y tu padre le dio el nombre de Baltasar. Daniel tiene un poder espiritual, tiene conocimiento y entendimiento para explicar sueños y resolver misterios y problemas. Llámale y que te dé la interpretación de esos escritos.
13 Entonces llevaron a Daniel ante el rey y este le preguntó:
—¿Eres tú Daniel y perteneces a los deportados judíos que mi padre trajo de Judá? 14 He oído que tú tienes el espíritu de los dioses; que eres brillante, inteligente y tienes mucha sabiduría. 15 Todos los sabios y magos vinieron para leer y explicarme lo que está escrito en la pared, pero ninguno de ellos pudo entender ni una sola palabra. 16 He escuchado que tú puedes interpretar cosas como estas y descifrar misterios. Si puedes leer lo que dice en la pared y explicarme su significado te daré una gran recompensa. Recibirás vestidos de púrpura y un collar de oro. Te convertirás en el tercer hombre más importante del reino.
17 Daniel respondió:
—Majestad, guarde sus regalos o dele sus obsequios a otro. Voy a leer lo escrito en la pared y a explicarle qué significa.
18 »El Dios altísimo le dio el reino, grandeza, poder y honor a su padre, el rey Nabucodonosor. 19 Por ese poder que recibió, todas las naciones, pueblos y lenguas lo temían y respetaban. Nabucodonosor decidía a quién mataba o a quién dejaba vivir. Si él quería que alguien fuera importante, lo hacía importante y si quería que alguien fuera despreciable, lo hacía despreciable. 20 Pero Nabucodonosor se llenó de orgullo y terquedad. Entonces, se le quitó el poder que tenía como rey y se acabó toda su gloria. 21 Lo llevaron lejos de la gente y se volvió como un animal. Vivía entre las bestias salvajes, comía pasto como el ganado y el rocío mojaba su cuerpo. Hasta que por fin reconoció que sólo el Dios altísimo tiene poder sobre todos los reinos de los hombres. Sólo Dios decide quién gobierna los países.
22 »Belsasar, usted es hijo de Nabucodonosor y es igual que él. Sabe todo lo que le sucedió a él, pero no se ha portado con humildad. 23 Todo lo contrario, se ha rebelado contra el Señor del cielo. Usted mandó traer las copas de oro y plata que son del templo y luego con sus invitados, sus esposas y sus concubinas las usó para beber vino celebrando a sus dioses. Esos son sólo ídolos falsos de plata y oro, bronce y hierro, madera y piedra, que no pueden ver ni oír ni pensar. Pero usted no dio honra al Dios verdadero que tiene poder y controla su vida y todo lo que usted hace. 24 Por eso, él sacó su mano y escribió en la pared 25 y estas son las palabras que están escritas: mene, mene, téquel, parsin.
26 »Esto es lo que significan esas palabras:
Mene[b]: Dios ha contado los días y le ha puesto fin a tu reino.[c]
27 Téquel[d]: Dios ha puesto tu reino en la balanza y no ha pesado lo suficiente.
28 Parsin[e]: Tu reino ha sido dividido y ahora le pertenece a los medos y a los persas.
29 De inmediato Belsasar ordenó que le dieran a Daniel lo que le había prometido. Lo vistieron de púrpura, le pusieron el collar de oro en el cuello y lo nombraron el tercer hombre más importante del reino. 30 Esa misma noche mataron a Belsasar, rey de los caldeos. 31 Darío de Media tenía 62 años cuando se apoderó del reino.
Footnotes
- 5:2 padre o antepasado. Hubo varios reyes entre Nabucodonosor y Belsasar en Babilonia. Padre aquí puede significar antepasado o tal vez Nabonidus, el papá de Belsasar, usó el nombre de Nabucodonosor como título. Igual en los versículos 4, 12-13, 19.
- 5:26 Mene Significa contar o contado y es una unidad de medida.
- 5:26 Dios […] tu reino Es un juego de palabras que también puede decir: Dios ha medido lo que vale tu reino y lo ha comprado.
- 5:27 Téquel Significa pesar o pesado e indica valor monetario. Es como la palabra hebrea siclo.
- 5:28 Parsin Textualmente peres. Significa dividir o partir en dos e indica valor monetario. Se parece al nombre Persia.
Daniel 5
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
5 Belshazzar the king [descendant of Nebuchadnezzar] made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and he drank his wine in the presence of the thousand.
2 Belshazzar, while he was tasting the wine, commanded that the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple [out of the sacred area—the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies] which was in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.
3 Then they brought in the gold and silver vessels which had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them.
4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5 Immediately and suddenly there appeared the fingers of a man’s hand and wrote on the plaster of the wall opposite the candlestick [so exposed especially to the light] in the king’s palace, and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
6 Then the color and the [drunken] hilarious brightness of the king’s face was changed, and his [terrifying] thoughts troubled and alarmed him; the joints and muscles of his hips and back gave way and his knees smote together.
7 The king cried aloud [mightily] to bring in the enchanters or soothsayers, the Chaldeans [diviners], and the astrologers. The king said to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever will read this writing and show me the interpretation of it will be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold put about his neck and will be the third ruler in the kingdom.
8 And all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation of it.
9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly perplexed and alarmed and the color faded from his face, and his lords were puzzled and astounded.
10 Now the queen [mother], overhearing the exciting words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house. The queen [mother] said, O king, live forever! Do not be alarmed at your thoughts or let your cheerful expression and the color of your face be changed.
11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the holy God [or gods], and in the days of your father light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—the king, I say, your father—appointed him master of the magicians, enchanters or soothsayers, Chaldeans, and astrologers,
12 Because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, clarify riddles, and solve knotty problems were found in this same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. And the king said to Daniel, Are you that Daniel of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?
14 I have heard of you, that the Spirit of the holy God [or gods] is in you and that light and understanding and superior wisdom are found in you.
15 Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me that they might read this writing and make known to me the interpretation of it, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter.
16 But I have heard of you, that you can make interpretations and solve knotty problems. 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 put around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
17 Then Daniel answered before the king, Let your gifts be for yourself and give your rewards to another. However, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation.
18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and greatness and glory and majesty;
19 And because of the greatness that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive; whom he would he set up, and whom he would he put down.
20 But when his heart was lifted up and his mind and spirit were hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne and his glory was taken from him;
21 He was driven from among men, and his heart or mind was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses. He was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the heavens until he learned and knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men and that He appoints and sets over it whomever He will.
22 And you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart and mind, though you knew all this [knew it and were defiant].
23 And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven, and the vessels of His house have been brought before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know; but the God in Whose hand your breath is and Whose are all your ways you have not honored and glorified [but have dishonored and disgraced].
24 Then was the part of the hand sent from the presence of [the Most High God], and this writing was inscribed.
25 And this is the [a]inscription that was written, mene, mene, tekel, upharsin—numbered, numbered, weighed, divisions.
26 This is the interpretation of the matter: mene, God has numbered the days of your kingship and brought them to an end;
27 tekel, You are weighed in the balances and are found wanting;
28 [b]peres, Your kingdom and your kingship are divided and given to the Medes and Persians. [Foretold in Isa. 21:2, 5, 9.]
29 Then Belshazzar commanded, and Daniel was clothed with purple and a chain of gold put about his neck, and a proclamation was made concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
30 During that night Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans was slain,
31 And Darius the Mede took the kingdom; he was about sixty-two years old.
Footnotes
- Daniel 5:25 For many people it may be difficult to understand why all the wise men, the magicians, the soothsayers, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers were unable to translate a few simple words, especially when Daniel’s prescribed education in languages was the same as their own—and he had no difficulty translating. The answer is that any wise man who was present there probably could recognize the four inscribed words, but only the uncompromising man of God—who knew God through daily fellowship and communion with Him, who was so dedicated to Him that God could speak to him and through him—only such a man could tell what the words really meant. Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) are those who dare to be a Daniel!
- Daniel 5:28 The singular of upharsin (see Dan. 5:25).
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