Daniel 5

1Belshazzar the king hosted a great feast for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine before that thousand.

2While tasting the wine, Belshazzar commanded the gold and silver vessels to be brought—those his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem—so the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines could drink from them.

3Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king, his nobles, his wives, and his concubines drank from them.

4They drank wine and praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

5In that same hour fingers of a man's hand came forth and were writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, and the king saw the palm of the hand that was writing.

6Then the king's face grew pale, his thoughts terrified him, the joints of his loins loosened, and his knees knocked one against another.

7The king called loudly to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. He answered and said to Babylon's wise men, "Whoever reads this writing and reveals its interpretation to me shall wear purple, have a gold chain around his neck, and rule as third in the kingdom."

8Then all the king's wise men entered, but they could not read the writing nor declare its interpretation to the king.

9Then King Belshazzar was exceedingly disturbed, his brightness changed upon him, and his great lords were astonished.

10The queen came into the banquet hall because of the words of the king and his lords. The queen spoke up and said, "O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you, nor let your face change."

11A certain man in your kingdom has the spirit of the holy gods within him, and in your father's days brilliance, understanding, and wisdom—like the wisdom of the gods—were found in him; King Nebuchadnezzar your father—the king, your father—appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.

12Because an exceptional spirit, knowledge, and understanding—interpreting dreams, explaining riddles, and resolving problems—were found in Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.

13Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, "Are you yourself that Daniel who is from the sons of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah?"

14I have heard about you that a spirit of the gods is in you, and light, understanding, and excellent wisdom are found in you.

15Now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought before me to read this writing and reveal its interpretation to me, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter.

16But I have heard about you that you can interpret meanings and unravel enigmas. Now if you can read the writing and reveal its meaning to me, you will wear purple, a gold chain on your neck, and bear rule as third in the kingdom.

17Then Daniel answered and said before the king, "Let your gifts remain yours, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king and make its interpretation known to him."

18You, king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, greatness, glory, and majesty.

19Because of the majesty he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him; he killed whomever he wanted, spared whomever he wanted, exalted whomever he wanted, and humbled whomever he wanted.

20But when he exalted his heart and his spirit hardened in pride, he was brought down from the throne of his kingdom, and they removed his glory from him.

21He was driven from humankind, his heart made like the beasts', his dwelling with the wild donkeys. They fed him grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the heavens until he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men and appoints over it whomever he wills.

22As for you, his son Belshazzar, you have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this.

23You have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; they have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine out of them; you have praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which cannot see or hear or know, yet the God in whose hand your breath rests and to whom all your paths belong, you have not honored.

24Then the palm of the hand was sent from before him, and this writing was inscribed.

25Here is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Pharsin.

26This is the interpretation of the message: Mene—God has numbered your kingdom and finished it.

27Tekel; you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.

28Peres; your kingdom is divided and delivered to the Medes and Persians.

29Then Belshazzar commanded, and they dressed Daniel in purple and a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed concerning him that he would be the third ruler in the kingdom.

30That night Belshazzar the Chaldean, king of the Chaldeans, was slain.

31Darius the Mede, about sixty-two years old, received the kingdom.