Daniel 5
1 [Several years later, ] Belshazzar [became the] king [of Babylon. One day] he invited 1,000 of his officers to a big feast, and he drank [a lot of] wine with them.
Baltasar the king made a great supper for his thousand nobles, and [there was] wine before the thousand.
2 While he was drinking, he commanded [his servants] bring to him the gold and silver cups that the previous king, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the temple in Jerusalem. [He did that] because he wanted himself and his officials, his wives, and [even] his (concubines/slave wives) to drink from them, [making fun of the god that we Israelis worshiped].
And Baltasar drinking gave orders as he tasted the wine that they should bring the gold and silver vessels, which Nabuchodonosor his father had brought forth from the temple in Jerusalem; that the king, and his nobles, and his mistresses, and his concubines, should drink out of them.
3 So his servants brought in [all] those gold cups, that had been taken [many years previously] from the temple of [the true] God in Jerusalem. Then the king and his officials and his wives and his slave wives drank [wine] from those cups.
So the gold and silver vessels were brought which [Nabuchodonosor] had taken out of the temple of God in Jerusalem; and the king, and his nobles, and his mistresses, and his concubines, drank out of them.
4 They drank to praise/honor their idols that were made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and [even] wood and stone.
They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of iron, and of wood, and of stone.
5 Suddenly they saw a man’s hand writing on the plaster of the wall opposite the lampstand. The king also saw the hand as it was writing.
In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote in front of the lamp on the plaster of the wall of the king's house: and the king saw the knuckles of the hand that wrote.
6 He became very frightened, and his face became pale/white. His knees started shaking, and his legs became very weak, with the result that he could not stand up.
Then the king's countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees struck one another.
7 [Then] he shouted to summon the men who worked magic, the men who studied the stars, and the fortune-tellers. He said, “I will [greatly honor] any one of them who can read this writing and tell me what it means. I will give him a purple [robe like I wear because I am the king], and I will put a gold chain around his neck. He will become a very important official in my kingdom; there will be only two others who will be more important than he will be.”
And the king cried aloud to bring in the magicians, Chaldeans, [and] soothsayers; and he said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and make known to me the interpretation, shall be clothed with scarlet, and [there shall be] a golden chain upon his neck, and he shall be the third ruler in my kingdom.
8 But when all those wise men came in, none of them could read the writing, or tell him what it meant.
Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known the interpretation to the king.
9 So King Belshazzar became more afraid. His face became [even] paler/whiter. And [all] his officials [who were there at the feast] did not know what to do.
And king Baltasar was troubled, and his countenance changed upon him, and his nobles were troubled with him.
10 But when the mother of the king (OR, of the previous king) heard the king and his officials talking [loudly about what had happened], she entered the room where they were having the feast. She said [to Belshazzar], “(Your majesty/O King), I hope you will live for a long time! But do not be pale and afraid about this.
Then the queen came into the banquet house, and said, O king, live for ever: let not your thoughts trouble you, and let not your countenance be changed.
11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. When Nebuchadnezzar was ruling, they discovered that this man understood many things and was wise, just like the gods. The man who was king previously, Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him to be in charge of all the men [in Babylon] who worked magic, the men who worked sorcery, the men who studied the stars, and the fortune-tellers.
There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the Spirit of God; and in the days of your father watchfulness and understanding were found in him; and king Nabuchodonosor your father made him chief of the enchanters, magicians, Chaldeans, [and] soothsayers.
12 That man’s name is Daniel; the king gave him a [new] name, Belteshazzar. He is very intelligent and is able to know and understand many things. He is [even] able to tell the meaning of dreams, and explain riddles, and explain things that are very difficult to understand. Summon him, and he will tell you what [this writing] means.”
For [there is] an excellent spirit in him, and sense and understanding in him, interpreting dreams [as he does], and answering hard [questions], and solving difficulties: [it is] Daniel, and the king gave him the name of Baltasar: now then let him be called, and he shall tell you the interpretation of the writing.
13 So they [went and] brought me in. The king asked me, “You [must] be Daniel [RHQ]! [They told me that you are] one of those who was brought [here] from Judah by the previous king.
Then Daniel was brought in before the king: and the king said to Daniel, Are you Daniel, of the children of the captivity of Judea, which the king my father brought?
14 I have [also] heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you are very wise and understand many things.
I have heard concerning you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and [that] watchfulness and understanding and excellent wisdom have been found in you.
15 My wise men and men who work magic have tried to read the writing on this wall and tell me what it means, but they are not able to do it.
And now, the wise men, magicians, [and] soothsayers, have come in before me, to read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation: but they could not tell it me.
16 [Someone] told me that you can tell what dreams mean and explain things that are very difficult to understand. If you can read these words and tell me what they mean, [I] give you a purple robe [like I wear because I am the king], and I will put a gold chain around your neck. You will become a very important official in my kingdom; there will be only two others who will be more important than you will be.”
And I have heard concerning you, that you are able to make interpretations: now then if you shall be able to read the writing, and to make known to me the interpretation of it, you shall be clothed with purple, and there shall be a golden chain upon your neck, and you shall be third ruler in my kingdom.
17 I replied, “[I do not want] your gifts; keep them, or give them to someone else. But I will read for you the writing [on the wall], and I will tell you what it means.
And Daniel said, before the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give the present of your house to another; but I will read the writing, and will make known to you the interpretation of it.
18 (Your Majesty/O king), the Supreme God caused the man who was king before you, Nebuchadnezzar, to become a great ruler, who was greatly praised and honored.
O king, the most high God gave to your father Nabuchodonosor a kingdom, and majesty, and honor, and glory:
19 Because God caused him to become [very] great, people of many [HYP] people-groups and nations and who spoke many different languages were very much afraid of him. He [commanded his soldiers to] kill those whom he wanted to be killed, and he (spared/allowed to live) those whom he wanted to spare. He honored those whom he wanted to honor, and he caused to be disgraced those whom he wanted to be disgraced.
and by reason of the majesty which he gave to him, all nations, tribes, [and] languages trembled and feared before him: whom he would he killed; and whom he would he struck; and whom he would he exalted; and whom he would he abased.
20 But when he became very proud and stubborn [IDM], he was removed from being king [MTY]. People did not consider him to be glorious/great any more.
But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was emboldened to act proudly, he was deposed from his royal throne, and [his] honor was taken from him.
21 [His officials] sent him away in order that he would not be near [other] people. [God] caused him to have a mind like animals have. He lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like cows do, and dew from the sky caused his body to be damp/wet [each morning]. [He was like that] until he learned that the Supreme God is [really the one who] rules the kingdoms of this world, and that he appoints whomever he chooses to rule those kingdoms.
And he was driven forth from men; and his heart was given him after the nature of wild beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses; and they fed him with grass as an ox, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven; until he knew that the most high God is Lord of the kingdom of men, and will give it to whoever he shall please.
22 Now, Belshazzar, you have become the king. You [also] knew all those things, but you have not made yourself humble.
And you accordingly, his son, O Baltasar, has not humbled your heart before God: know you not all this?
23 You have considered yourself to be greater than [God], the Lord of heaven. [So you have commanded your servants to] bring to you these sacred cups, [which were dedicated to the Supreme God, and which were taken] from his temple [in Jerusalem]. You and your officials and your wives and your (concubines/slave wives) have been drinking wine from these cups, while you have been praising [your own] gods—gods which are made of gold and silver and bronze and iron and wood and stone. [Those are gods] that cannot see, that cannot hear, and that do not know anything! You have not honored the God who gives you breath and who controls everything that happens to you.
And you has been exalted against the Lord God of heaven; and they have brought before you the vessels of his house, and you, and your nobles, and your mistresses, and your concubines, have drunk wine out of them; and you has praised the gods of gold, and silver, and brass, and iron, and wood, and stone, which see not, and which hear not, and know not: and the God in whose hand are your breath, and all your ways has you not glorified.
24 So God sent that hand to write a message [for you].
Therefore from his presence has been sent forth the knuckle of a hand; and he has ordered the writing.
25 This is the message that it wrote: ‘Mene, mene, tekel, parsin.’
And this is the ordered writing, Mane, Thekel, Phares.
26 This is what those words mean: Mene [means] ‘numbered/counted’. [That means that] God has been counting the days that you will rule, and he has [now] decided that you will not rule any more.
This is the interpretation of the sentence: Mane; God has measured your kingdom, and finished it.
27 Tekel [means ‘weighed’. It is as though God] has weighed you on a scale, and you do not weigh what you should, [which means that you have not been doing what you should; you are not fit to be a king] [MET].
Thekel; it has been weighed in the balance, and found lacking.
28 Parsin [means ‘divided’. That means that God] has divided your kingdom. Some of it will be ruled by people from Media and some will be ruled by people from Persia.”
Phares; your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
29 Then Belshazzar [did what he had promised]. He put on me a purple robe [like the one he himself wore. He] put a gold chain around my neck. And he proclaimed that there would be only two others who would be more important than me in his kingdom.
Then Baltasar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put the golden chain about his neck, and proclaimed concerning him that he was the third ruler in the kingdom.
30 But that same night [soldiers from Media entered the city and] killed Belshazzar, the King of Babylonia.
In the same night was Baltasar the Chaldean king slain.
31 Darius, the King of Media, became the King [of Babylonia] when he was 62 years old.
And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, being sixty-two years [old].
