5:1
King Belshatzar made a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and before the thousand he drank wine.
5:2
Belshatzar, while tasting the wine, commanded that they bring the vessels of gold and silver which Nevukhadnetzar his father had taken from the House which was in Yerushalayim, so that the king and his nobles, his women, and his concubines might drink from them.
5:3
Then they brought the vessels of gold which had been taken from the House of Elohim which was in Yerushalayim, and the king and his nobles, his women, and his concubines drank from them.
5:4
They drank wine and praised the mighty ones of gold, and silver, and bronze, and iron, and wood, and stone.
5:5
In that very hour the fingers of an Adam’s hand came forth and wrote opposite the lampstand upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace. And the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
5:6
Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts troubled him. And the joints of his loins were loosened, and his knees struck one against another.
5:7
The king cried out with strength to bring in the enchanters, the Kasdim, and the diviners. The king answered and said to the wise men of Bavel: “Any ish who reads this writing and makes known to me its interpretation shall be clothed with purple, and a chain of gold shall be upon his neck, and he shall rule as third in the Kingdom.”
5:8
Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they were not able to read the writing or make known its interpretation to the king.
5:9
Then King Belshatzar was exceedingly troubled, and his color changed, and his nobles were perplexed.
5:10
The queen, because of the words of the king and his nobles, entered the house of the feast. The queen answered and said: “O king, live forever. Do not let your thoughts trouble you, and do not let your color be changed.
5:11
There is an ish in your Kingdom in whom is a ruach of holy mighty ones. And in the days of your father, light, and understanding, and wisdom like the wisdom of mighty ones were found in him. And King Nevukhadnetzar, your father, appointed him chief of the magicians, the enchanters, the Kasdim, and the diviners— your father, O king—
5:12
because an excellent ruach, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting dreams, explaining riddles, and loosening knots were found in this Dani’el, whom the king named Belteshatzar. Now let Dani’el be called, and he shall declare the interpretation.”
5:13
Then Dani’el was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Dani’el: “Are you Dani’el, one of the sons of the captivity of Yehudah, whom the king my father brought from Yehudah?
5:14
And I have heard concerning you that a ruach of mighty ones is in you, and light, and understanding, and excellent wisdom are found in you.
5:15
And now the wise men, the enchanters, were brought in before me that they should read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they were not able to declare the interpretation of the matter.
5:16
But I have heard concerning you that you are able to interpret meanings and to loosen knots. Now if you are able to read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple, and a chain of gold shall be upon your neck, and you shall rule as third in the Kingdom.”
5:17
Then Dani’el answered and said before the king: “Let your gifts remain with you, and give your rewards to another. Yet I shall read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation.
5:18
O king, El Elyon gave Nevukhadnetzar your father a Kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty.
5:19
And because of the greatness which He gave him, all peoples, nations, and tongues trembled and feared before him. Whomever he desired, he killed. And whomever he desired, he kept alive. And whomever he desired, he exalted. And whomever he desired, he humbled.
5:20
But when his heart was lifted up, and his ruach was hardened in pride, he was brought down from his royal Throne, and they removed his glory from him.
5:21
And he was driven from the sons of Adam, and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him grass like cattle, and his body was wet with the dew of the heavens, until he knew that El Elyon rules over the Kingdom of Adam and establishes over it whomever He desires.
5:22
And you, his son Belshatzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this.
5:23
But you lifted yourself up against the Master of the heavens. And they brought the vessels of His House before you, and you and your nobles, your women, and your concubines drank wine from them. And you praised the mighty ones of silver, and gold, and bronze, and iron, and wood, and stone, which do not see, nor hear, nor know. But the Elohim in whose hand is your breath and all your ways, you did not honor.
5:24
Then from before Him the part of the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed.
5:25
And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEQEL, UPHARSIN.
5:26
This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE— Elohim has numbered your Kingdom and brought it to completion.
5:27
TEQEL— you have been weighed in the balances and found lacking.
5:28
PERES— your Kingdom has been divided and given to Madai and Paras.”
5:29
Then Belshatzar commanded, and they clothed Dani’el with purple, and placed a chain of gold around his neck, and proclaimed concerning him that he should rule as third in the Kingdom.
5:30
In that night Belshatzar, king of the Kasdim, was killed.
5:31
And Daryavesh the Madai received the Kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.