Daniel 5
1 King Belshazzar held a great feast for one thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine with them.
Belshazzar, the king gave a great feast to his thousands lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
2 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.
Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple at Jerusalem; that the king and his princes, his wives and his concubines, might drink therein.
3 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.
Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God at Jerusalem; and the king and his princes, his wives and his concubines, drank in them.
4 As they drank wine they praised their gods—idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
5 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.
In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the chandelier upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw the hand that wrote.
6 His face turned pale, and he became very frightened. His legs gave way and his knees knocked together.
Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosened, and his knees smote one against the other.
7 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.”
The king cried aloud to bring in the magicians, the Chaldaeans, and the astrologers. And the king spake and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall rule as the third in the kingdom.
8 However, after all the king's wise men had come in, they could not read the writing or explain to him what it meant.
Then all the king's wise men came in; but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king its signification.
9 This made King Belshazzar even more frightened and his face grew even paler. His nobles also were in panic.
Then was King Belshazzar in great consternation, and his countenance was changed, and his lords were amazed.
10 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!
Then the queen, on account of this affair of the king and his lords, came into the banquet-house; and the queen spake and said, O king, live forever! Let not thy thoughts terrify thee, nor let thy countenance be changed.
11 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
There is a man in thy kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and the king Nebuchadnezzar, thy father, made him chief of the scribes, the magicians, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers, thy father, O king!
12 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.”
forasmuch as an excellent spirit and knowledge and understanding to interpret dreams, and to explain hard sentences, and solve difficult questions were found in him, in Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar; now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.
13 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?
Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said to Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, of the captives of Judah, whom the king, my father, brought out of Judaea?
14 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.
I have heard concerning thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in thee.
15 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.
And now the wise men and the magicians have been brought in before me, that they might read this writing, and make known to me its signification; but they could not show the signification of the thing.
16 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.”
But I have heard of thee that thou canst give interpretations, and solve difficult questions. Now if thou canst read the writing and make known to me its signification, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt rule as the third in the kingdom.
17 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.
Then answered Daniel and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another: yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the signification.
18 Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar this kingdom, and power, glory, and majesty.
O king, the Most High God gave to Nebuchadnezzar, thy father, a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor.
19 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.
And by reason of the majesty which he gave him, all people, 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 he became arrogant and hard-hearted, acting proudly, he was removed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him.
But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit hardened in pride, he was thrust down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him.
21 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.
And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart became like the beasts, and his dwelling was with wild asses; he was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the Most High God ruled in the kingdoms of men, and set up over them whomsoever he would.
22 But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, even though you knew all this.
And thou, his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thy heart, though thou knewest all this;
23 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.
but hast lifted thyself up against the Lord of heaven; and the vessels of his house have been brought before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know; and the God in whose hand is thy breath, and whose are all thy ways, thou hast not honored.
24 That's why he sent the hand to write this message.
Then was sent from him the hand, and this writing was written.
25 What was written on the wall was this: ‘Number, number, weigh, divide.’
And this is the writing which was written: Numbered, Numbered, Weighed, and To be Divided.
26 Here is the meaning: Number—God has numbered your reign and brought it to an end.
And this is the interpretation of it. Numbered: God hath numbered thy kingdom, and made an end of it.
27 Weighed—you have been weighed on the balances and you were found lacking.
Weighed: Thou art weighed in the balances, and found wanting.
28 Divided—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the Persians.”
Divided: Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
29 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.
Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be third ruler in the kingdom.
30 On that very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was killed
In the same night was Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldaeans, slain;
31 and Darius the Mede was given the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
and Darius the Mede took the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
