Belshazzar’s Feast
1King Belshazzar5:1 Dn 7:1; 8:1 held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine in their presence.
2Under the influence of5:2 Or When he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels5:2 1Kg 7:51; 2Kg 24:13; 2Ch 36:7,10; Ezr 5:14; 6:5; Jr 52:19; Dn 1:2 that his predecessor5:2 Or father, or grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines could drink from them.
The Handwriting on the Wall
5At that moment the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the king’s palace wall next to the lampstand. As the king watched the hand5:5 Lit part of the hand that was writing,
6his face turned pale,5:5–6 Lit writing, 6 the king’s brightness changed and his thoughts so terrified him that he soiled himself5:6 Or that the joints of his hips gave way; lit that the knots of his loins were untied and his knees knocked together.
7The king shouted to bring in the mediums, Chaldeans, and diviners. He said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and gives me its interpretation will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around his neck,5:7 Gn 41:42 and have the third highest position in the kingdom.”
8So all the king’s wise men came in, but none could read the inscription or make its interpretation known to him.
10Because of the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen5:10 Perhaps the queen mother came to the banquet hall. “May the king live forever,” she said. “Don’t let your thoughts terrify you or your face be pale.5:10 Lit your brightness change5:10 1Kg 21:5
11There is a man in your kingdom who has a spirit of the holy gods in him.5:11 Dn 4:8–9,18 In the days of your predecessor he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, mediums, Chaldeans, and diviners. Your own predecessor, the king,
12did this because Daniel, the one the king named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and intelligence, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems.5:12 Lit and untie knots; also in v. 165:12 Gn 41:11–15; Dn 6:3 Therefore, summon Daniel, and he will give the interpretation.”
Daniel before the King
13Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the Judean exiles that my predecessor the king brought from Judah?5:13 Dn 1:3–4; 2:25
14I’ve heard that you have a spirit of the gods in you, and that insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom are found in you.
15Now the wise men and mediums were brought before me to read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not give its interpretation.
16However, I have heard about you that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around your neck, and have the third highest position in the kingdom.”5:16 Gn 40:8; Dn 5:7,29
17Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts and give your rewards to someone else;5:17 2Kg 5:15–16 however, I will read the inscription for the king and make the interpretation known to him.
18Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty,5:18 Dn 4:2 greatness, glory, and majesty to your predecessor Nebuchadnezzar.5:18 Jr 27:5–7
19Because of the greatness he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages5:19 Dn 2:12–13; 3:6 were terrified and fearful of him. He killed anyone he wanted and kept alive anyone he wanted; he exalted anyone he wanted and humbled anyone he wanted.
20But when his heart was exalted and his spirit became arrogant,5:20 Ex 9:17; Jb 15:25; Pr 16:18; Is 57:15; Jr 48:29; Dn 4:30–31 he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken from him.5:20 Jr 13:18
21He was driven away from people,5:21 Ex 9:17; Jb 15:25 his mind was like an animal’s, he lived with the wild donkeys,5:21 Jb 39:5–8 he was fed grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky until he acknowledged that the Most High God is ruler over human kingdoms and sets anyone he wants over them.5:21 Dn 4:30–31
22“But you his successor, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart,5:22 Ex 10:3; 2Ch 33:23; 36:12 even though you knew all this.
23Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of the heavens. The vessels from his house were brought to you, and as you and your nobles, wives, and concubines drank wine from them,5:23 Jr 51:39,57 you praised the gods made of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or understand.5:23 Is 2:12; 37:23; Jr 50:29; Dn 5:3–4 But you have not glorified the God who holds your life-breath in his hand and who controls the whole course of your life.5:23 Lit and all your ways belong to him5:23 Ps 31:15
24Therefore, he sent the hand, and this writing was inscribed.
The Inscription’s Interpretation
26This is the interpretation of the message:
‘Mene’5:26 Or a mina means that God has numbered5:26 The Aramaic word for numbered sounds like mene. the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end.5:26 Is 13:17–19; Dn 2:44; 6:26; Hs 1:4
27‘Tekel’5:27 Or a shekel means that you have been weighed5:27 The Aramaic word for weighed sounds like tekel. on the balance and found deficient.
28‘Peres’5:28 Or half a shekel5:28 In Aramaic, the word peres is the sg form of “parsin” in v. 25. means that your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”5:28 The Aramaic word for divided and Persians sounds like peres.
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