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.
Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his noblemen, and he drank wine in front of all one thousand of them.
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].
While Belshazzar tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the containers made of gold or silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, from which he, his noblemen, and his wives and concubines could drink.
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.
The servants brought the gold containers that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God, in Jerusalem. The king, his noblemen, and his wives and concubines drank from them.
4 They drank to praise/honor their idols that were made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and [even] wood and stone.
They drank the wine and praised their idols made of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and 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.
At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared in front of the lampstand and wrote on the plaster wall in the king's palace. The king could see part of the hand as it 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 face changed and his thoughts frightened him; his limbs could not support him, and his knees were knocking together.
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.”
The king shouted a command to bring in those who claimed to speak with the dead, wise men, and astrologers. The king said to those known for their wisdom in Babylon, “Whoever explains this writing and its meaning will be clothed with purple and will have a gold chain around his neck. He will have the authority of the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
8 But when all those wise men came in, none of them could read the writing, or tell him what it meant.
Then all the king's men who were known for their wisdom came in, but they could not read the writing or explain its meaning 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.
Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed and the look on his face changed. His noblemen were perplexed.
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.
Now the queen came into the banquet house because of what the king and his nobles had said. The queen said, “King, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you. Do not let the look on your face change.
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 who has the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods was found in him. King Nebuchadnezzar, your father the king, made him chief of the magicians, as well as chief of those who speak with the dead, of the wise men, and of the astrologers.
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.”
An excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting of dreams, explaining riddles and solving problems—these qualities were found in this man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now call for Daniel and he will tell you the meaning of what has been written.”
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 before the king. The king said to him, “You are that Daniel, one of the people of the exiles of Judah, whom my father the king brought out of Judah.
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 about you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are 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.
Now the men known for wisdom and those who claim to speak with the dead have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not make known the interpretation of it.
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.”
I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing and tell me its meaning, you will be clothed with purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will have the authority of the third highest ruler in the 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.
Then Daniel answered before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another person. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to you, king, and will tell you the meaning.
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.
As for you, king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, greatness, honor, and majesty.
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.
Because of the greatness God gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared him. He put to death those he wanted to die, and he kept alive those he wished to live. He raised up those he wanted, and he humbled those he wished.
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 arrogant and his spirit was hardened so that he acted presumptuously, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and they took away his majesty.
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.
He was driven away from humanity, he had the mind of an animal, and he lived with the wild donkeys. He ate grass like an ox. His body was wet with the dew from the heavens until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of people and that he sets over them anyone he wishes.
22 Now, Belshazzar, you have become the king. You [also] knew all those things, but you have not made yourself humble.
You his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew 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.
You have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. From his house they brought you the containers that you, your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from, and you praised the idols made of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—idols that do not see, hear, or know anything. You have not honored the God who holds your breath in his hand and who knows all your ways.
24 So God sent that hand to write a message [for you].
Then God sent out a hand from his presence and this writing was done.
25 This is the message that it wrote: ‘Mene, mene, tekel, parsin.’
This is the writing that was done: 'Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Pharsin.'
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 its meaning: 'Mene,' 'God has numbered your kingdom and brought it to an end.'
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].
'Tekel,' 'you are weighed in the scales and are 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.”
'Peres,' 'your kingdom is divided and is 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 Belshazzar gave a command, and they clothed Daniel with purple. A chain of gold was put around his neck, and the king made a proclamation about him that he would have the authority of the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
30 But that same night [soldiers from Media entered the city and] killed Belshazzar, the King of Babylonia.
That night Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was killed,
31 Darius, the King of Media, became the King [of Babylonia] when he was 62 years old.
and Darius the Mede received the kingdom when he was about sixty-two years old.
