Daniel 5
1 Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them.
King Belshazzar held a great feast for one thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine with them.
2 Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.
Under the wine's influence Belshazzar ordered his servants to bring in the cups and bowls of gold and silver his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem so that he and his nobles, his wives and concubines, could drink from them.
3 Thus they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king drank from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.
So they brought in the gold cups and bowls that had been taken from the Temple of God in Jerusalem. The king and his nobles, his wives and concubines, drank from them.
4 As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.
As they drank wine they praised their gods—idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5 At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. As the king watched the hand that was writing,
Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared, writing on the plaster wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. The king watched the hand as it wrote.
6 his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together.
His face turned pale, and he became very frightened. His legs gave way and his knees knocked together.
7 The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
The king shouted, “Bring in the enchanters and astrologers and diviners!” He told these wise men of Babylon, “Anyone who can read this writing and explain it to me will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
8 So all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or interpret it for him.
However, after all the king's wise men had come in, they could not read the writing or explain to him what it meant.
9 Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face grew even more pale, and his nobles were bewildered.
This made King Belshazzar even more frightened and his face grew even paler. His nobles also were in panic.
10 Hearing the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen entered the banquet hall. “O king, may you live forever!” she said. “Do not let your thoughts terrify you, or your face grow pale.
When the queen mother heard the noise the king and the nobles were making she went to the banquet hall. She said to Belshazzar, “May Your Majesty the king live forever! Don't be frightened! Don't look so pale!
11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your own father, the king,
There's a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In your father's time he was found to have understanding and insight, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your Majesty's father, King Nebuchadnezzar put him in charge of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your father did this
12 did this because Daniel, the one he named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, as well as knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Summon Daniel, therefore, and he will give you the interpretation.”
because Daniel, (called Belteshazzar by the king) was found to have an excellent mind, full of understanding and insight, and also able to interpret dreams, explain mysteries, and solve difficult problems. Call Daniel in and let him explain what this means to you.”
13 So Daniel was brought before the king, who asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah?
So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the prisoners my father the king brought from Judah?
14 I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom.
I have heard about you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you were found to have understanding, insight, and great wisdom.
15 Now the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this inscription and interpret it for me, but they could not give its interpretation.
Just now the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and explain it to me, but they weren't able to do so—they couldn't tell me what it meant.
16 But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
However, I'm told that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and explain it to me, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
17 In response, Daniel said to the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him.
Daniel answered the king, “Keep your gifts and give your rewards to another. Even so I will read the writing to Your Majesty and explain to you what it means.
18 As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.
Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar this kingdom, and power, glory, and majesty.
19 Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted whom he wished and humbled whom he wished.
Because of the power he gave him, people of every nation and language trembled with fear before him. Those he wished to kill were killed, and those he wished to live were allowed to live. Those he wanted to honor were honored, and those he wanted to humble were humbled.
20 But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him.
But when he became arrogant and hard-hearted, acting proudly, he was removed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him.
21 He was driven away from mankind, and his mind was like that of a beast. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, setting over it whom He wishes.
He was driven away from human society and his mind became like that of an animal. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like cattle, and he was soaked with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High rules over human kingdoms, and that he gives them to whoever he chooses.
22 But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this.
But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, 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 drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.
You have arrogantly defied the Lord of heaven and you had the cups and bowls of his Temple brought to you. You and your nobles, your wives and concubines, drank wine from them as you praised gods made of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone that can't see or hear or know anything. But you have not honored God who holds in his hand your very breath and everything you do.
24 Therefore He sent the hand that wrote the inscription.
That's why he sent the hand to write this message.
25 Now this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.
What was written on the wall was this: ‘Number, number, weigh, divide.’
26 And this is the interpretation of the message: MENE means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
Here is the meaning: Number—God has numbered your reign and brought it to an end.
27 TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.
Weighed—you have been weighed on the balances and you were found lacking.
28 PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”
Divided—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the Persians.”
29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
Then Belshazzar gave the order and Daniel was clothed in purple and had a gold chain placed around his neck. He was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
30 That very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain,
On that very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was killed
31 and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
and Darius the Mede was given the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
