Daniel 5

1King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and in the presence of the thousand he was drinking wine.

2Belshazzar gave the order, as he tasted the wine, to bring the vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines, might drink from them.

3Then they brought in 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.

4They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

5At that moment the fingers of a human hand came out and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the palm of the hand that was writing.

6Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts terrified him; the joints of his hips gave way, and his knees knocked against each other.

7The king called out loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners. The king answered and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man who reads this writing and makes its interpretation known to me shall be clothed with purple, have a chain of gold around his neck, and rule as third in the kingdom.”

8Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they were not able to read the writing or make its interpretation known to the king.

9Then King Belshazzar became greatly alarmed, his color changed, and his nobles were perplexed.

10Because of the words of the king and his nobles, the queen entered the banquet hall. The queen spoke and said, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts terrify you, and do not let your face grow pale.”

11There is a man in your kingdom in whom is a spirit of the holy gods, and in the days of your father light and insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners—your father, the king.

12because an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficulties were found in him, in Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.

13Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah?”

14And I have heard about you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and insight and extraordinary wisdom are found in you.

15And now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought before me to read this writing and make its interpretation known to me, but they were not able to show the interpretation of the message.

16But I have heard about you that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficulties. Now, if you are able to read the writing and make its interpretation known to me, you shall be clothed with purple, and a chain of gold shall be put around your neck, and you shall rule as third in the kingdom.

17Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts remain yours, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and make its interpretation known to him.”

18As for you, O king, the Most High God gave kingship and greatness and glory and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father.

19And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages were trembling and fearing before him. Whomever he wanted, he killed; and whomever he wanted, he kept alive; and whomever he wanted, he raised up; and whomever he wanted, he humbled.

20But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened in arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne, and his glory was taken away from him.

21He was driven away from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like oxen, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whomever he wills.

22But you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this.

23But you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven, and the vessels of his house were brought before you, and you and your nobles, your wives, and your concubines have been drinking wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know; but the God in whose hand is your breath, and to whom belong all your ways, you have not honored.

24Then from before him the palm of a hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed.

25And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN.

26This is the interpretation of the message: MENE—God has numbered your kingdom and finished it.

27Tekel: you have been weighed in the balances and found lacking.

28Peres: your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.

29Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple, put a chain of gold around his neck, and proclaimed concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

30In that very night Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed.