Daniel 5
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Belshazzar’s Feast
5 King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand.(A)
2 Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar commanded that they bring in the vessels of gold and silver that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.(B) 3 So they brought in the vessels of gold 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 the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.(C)
The Writing on the Wall
5 Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the wall of the royal palace, next to the lampstand. The king was watching the hand as it wrote.(D) 6 Then the king’s face turned pale, and his thoughts terrified him. His limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.(E) 7 The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners, and the king said to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever can read this writing and tell me its interpretation shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around his neck, and rank third in the kingdom.”(F) 8 Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king the interpretation.(G) 9 Then King Belshazzar became greatly terrified, and his face turned pale, and his lords were perplexed.(H)
10 The queen, when she heard the discussion of the king and his lords, came into the banquet hall. The queen said, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts terrify you or your face grow pale.(I) 11 There is a man in your kingdom who is endowed with a spirit of the holy gods.[a] In the days of your father he was found to have enlightenment, understanding, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners,[b](J) 12 because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will reveal the interpretation.”(K)
The Writing on the Wall Interpreted
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king said to Daniel, “So you are Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah?(L) 14 I have heard of you that a spirit of the gods[c] is in you and that enlightenment, understanding, and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and tell me its interpretation, but they were not able to reveal the interpretation of the matter. 16 But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you are able to read the writing and tell me its interpretation, you shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around your neck, and rank third in the kingdom.”(M)
17 Then Daniel answered in the presence of the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, or give your rewards to someone else! Nevertheless I will read the writing to the king and let him know the interpretation.(N) 18 As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar kingship, greatness, glory, and majesty.(O) 19 And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. He killed those he wanted to kill, kept alive those he wanted to keep alive, honored those he wanted to honor, and degraded those he wanted to degrade.(P) 20 But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he acted proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and his glory was stripped from him.(Q) 21 He was driven from human society, and his mind was made like that of an animal. His dwelling was with the wild asses, he was fed grass like oxen, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God has sovereignty over the kingdom of mortals and sets over it whomever he will.(R) 22 And you, Belshazzar his son, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this!(S) 23 You have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven! The vessels of his temple have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have been drinking wine from them. 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 power is your very breath and to whom belong all your ways, you have not honored.(T)
24 “So from his presence the hand was sent and this writing was inscribed.(U) 25 And this is the writing that was inscribed: mene,[d] tekel, and parsin. 26 This is the interpretation of the matter: mene: God has numbered the days of[e] your kingdom and brought it to an end;(V) 27 tekel: you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting;(W) 28 peres:[f] your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed in purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made concerning him that he should rank third in the kingdom.
30 That very night Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed.(X) 31 [g]And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.(Y)
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Daniel 5
Lexham English Bible
The Mysterious Writing on the Wall
5 Belshazzar the king made a great festival for a thousand of his lords,[a] and in the presence of[b] the thousand lords he was drinking wine.[c] 2 When he tasted the wine,[d] Belshazzar commanded that they bring the vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar his predecessor[e] had taken from the temple that was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his lords,[f] his wives and his concubines may drink from them. 3 Then they brought in the vessels of gold that they took from the temple, the house of God that was in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords,[g] his wives and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone.[h]
5 Immediately[i] human fingers[j] appeared and they wrote opposite[k] the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the palace of the king, and the king was watching[l] the palm of the hand that was writing. 6 Then his face changed and his thoughts terrified him, and his hip joints gave way[m] and his knees knocked together.[n] 7 The king cried aloud[o] to bring in the conjurers,[p] the astrologers[q] and the diviners; the king spoke[r] and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man that can read this writing and can tell me its explanation will be clothed in purple and will have a necklace of gold hung around his neck and he will rule as third in authority in the kingdom.” 8 Then all the wise men of the king came in, but they were not able to read the writing or to make known its explanation.[s] 9 Then the king, Belshazzar, became greatly terrified, and his facial features[t] changed upon him, and his lords[u] were perplexed.
10 Because of the words of the king and his lords,[v] the queen came into the banqueting hall[w] and the queen spoke up[x] and said, “O king, live forever,[y] and let not your thoughts terrify you and do not let your facial expressions grow pale.[z] 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him.[aa] And in the days of your predecessor,[ab] enlightenment and insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods was found in him; and, O king, Nebuchadnezzar your predecessor[ac] appointed him as chief of the magicians,[ad] the conjurers,[ae] the astrologers,[af] and the diviners. Your predecessor[ag] the king did this 12 because[ah] there was found in him an excellent spirit and understanding and insight for interpreting dreams and explaining riddles and solving riddles; that is, in Daniel whom the king named[ai] Belteshazzar. Now, let Daniel be called and he will tell the explanation.”[aj]
Daniel Deciphers and Interprets the Writing
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king, and the king spoke[ak] and said to Daniel, “You are Daniel who are one of the exiles[al] of Judah[am] whom my predecessor,[an] the king, brought from Judah.[ao] 14 And I have heard that a spirit of the gods is in you and enlightenment and insight and excellent wisdom was found in you. 15 And now the wise men and the conjurers[ap] were brought in before me so that they could read this writing in order to make its explanation[aq] known to me, but they were not able to disclose the explanation[ar] of the matter. 16 But I have heard concerning you that you are able to produce interpretations[as] and to solve riddles; now if you are able to read the writing and to make known its explanation[at] to me, you will be clothed in purple and a necklace of gold will be placed around your neck and you will rule as third in command in the kingdom.”
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself or your rewards give to another; nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and I will make known to him the explanation.[au] 18 O king,[av] the Most High God gave the kingdom and the greatness and the glory and the majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your predecessor.[aw] 19 And because of the greatness that he gave to him, all the peoples, the nations and languages trembled and feared before him; whomever he wanted he killed, and whomever he wanted he let live, and whomever he wanted he honored, and whomever he wanted he humbled. 20 But when[ax] his heart became arrogant and his spirit became hard so as to act proudly, he was deposed from the throne of his kingdom and the[ay] glory was taken away from him.[az] 21 And he was driven away from human society[ba] and his mind was made like the animals[bb] and his dwelling was with the wild asses; and he was given[bc] grass like oxen to eat, and with[bd] the dew of heaven his body was bathed, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and whoever[be] he wants he sets over it.
22 “But you his successor,[bf] Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart even though[bg] you knew all this. 23 And now you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven, and the vessels of his temple you have brought in before you, and you and your lords,[bh] your wives and your concubines, have been drinking wine from[bi] them, and you have praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone[bj] that do not see and do not hear and do not know, but the God who holds your life in his hand[bk] and all of your ways come from him,[bl] you have not honored. 24 So then the palm of the hand was sent out from his presence and this writing was inscribed.
25 “Now this was the writing that was inscribed: ‘Mene, Mene, Tekel and Parsin.’
26 “This is the explanation of the matter:[bm] ‘Mene’—God has numbered your kingdom and brought an end to it.
27 “‘Tekel’—you have been weighed on scales and you have been found wanting.[bn]
28 “‘Peres’—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.’”
29 Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple and placed a necklace of gold around his neck, and they made a proclamation concerning him that he would be the third ruler in authority in the kingdom. 30 That same night[bo] Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed. 31 [bp] And Darius the Mede received the kingdom when he was about sixty-two years old.[bq]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Daniel 5:1 Or “nobles”
- Daniel 5:1 Literally “to over against”
- Daniel 5:1 Or “the wine”
- Daniel 5:2 Literally “At the taste of the wine”
- Daniel 5:2 Literally “father”
- Daniel 5:2 Or “nobles”
- Daniel 5:3 Or “nobles”
- Daniel 5:4 All these metals have the definite article that does not have to be translated into English to retain the meaning
- Daniel 5:5 Literally “In its the hour”
- Daniel 5:5 Literally “fingers of the hand of a man”
- Daniel 5:5 Literally “to over against”
- Daniel 5:5 Or “gazing at”
- Daniel 5:6 Literally “the limbs of his hip became loose”
- Daniel 5:6 Literally “his knees this to this they knocked together”
- Daniel 5:7 Literally “with strength”
- Daniel 5:7 Or “enchanters”
- Daniel 5:7 Literally “Chaldeans”
- Daniel 5:7 Literally “answered”
- Daniel 5:8 Aramaic “the explanation/ interpretation”
- Daniel 5:9 Literally “shining of his face”
- Daniel 5:9 Or “nobles”
- Daniel 5:10 Or “nobles”
- Daniel 5:10 Literally “the house of the drinking”
- Daniel 5:10 Literally “answered”
- Daniel 5:10 Literally “to eternity”
- Daniel 5:10 Literally “change”
- Daniel 5:11 Literally “who the spirit of holy gods is in him”
- Daniel 5:11 Literally “father”
- Daniel 5:11 Literally “father”
- Daniel 5:11 Or “soothsayer-priests”
- Daniel 5:11 Or “enchanters”
- Daniel 5:11 Literally “Chaldeans”
- Daniel 5:11 Literally “father”
- Daniel 5:12 Literally “all of because that”
- Daniel 5:12 Literally “whom the king gave his name”
- Daniel 5:12 Or “interpretation”
- Daniel 5:13 Literally “answered”
- Daniel 5:13 Literally “who from sons of the exile”
- Daniel 5:13 Aramaic “Jehud”
- Daniel 5:13 Literally “father”
- Daniel 5:13 Aramaic “Jehud”
- Daniel 5:15 Or “enchanters”
- Daniel 5:15 Or “interpretation”
- Daniel 5:15 Or “interpretation”
- Daniel 5:16 Literally “to interpret interpretations”
- Daniel 5:16 Or “interpretation”
- Daniel 5:17 Or “interpretation”
- Daniel 5:18 Literally “You, O king”
- Daniel 5:18 Literally “father”
- Daniel 5:20 Literally “as that”
- Daniel 5:20 Or “his”
- Daniel 5:20 Literally “they took away”
- Daniel 5:21 Literally “from the sons of the humankind”
- Daniel 5:21 Aramaic “with the animals”
- Daniel 5:21 Literally “they gave him”
- Daniel 5:21 Aramaic “from”
- Daniel 5:21 Literally “to from that”
- Daniel 5:22 Literally “son”
- Daniel 5:22 Literally “all of because that”
- Daniel 5:23 Or “nobles”
- Daniel 5:23 Aramaic “with”
- Daniel 5:23 All the materials in this list have the definite article that does not have to be translated into English
- Daniel 5:23 Literally “who your breath is in his hand”
- Daniel 5:23 Literally “belong to him”
- Daniel 5:26 Or “word, message”
- Daniel 5:27 Or “deficient”
- Daniel 5:30 Literally “In it, in the night”
- Daniel 5:31 Daniel 5:31–6:28 in the English Bible is 6:1–29 in the Hebrew Bible
- Daniel 5:31 Literally “when a son of sixty and two years”
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