AB - Daniel - 5

5:1  Belshazzar the king made a great supper for his thousand nobles, and there was wine before the thousand.

5:2  And Belshazzar, drinking, gave orders as he tasted the wine that they should bring the gold and silver vessels, which Nebuchadnezzar 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.

5:3  So the gold and silver vessels were brought which Nebuchadnezzar 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.

5:4  They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of iron, and of wood, and of stone.

5:5  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.

5:6  Then the king's countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, and the joints of his hips were loosed, and his knees knocked one another.

5:7  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.

5:8  Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing, nor make known its interpretation to the king.

5:9  And King Belshazzar was troubled, and his countenance changed upon him, and his nobles were troubled with him.

5:10  Then the queen came into the banquet house, and said, O king, live forever. Let not your thoughts trouble you, and let not your countenance be changed.

5:11  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 Nebuchadnezzar your father made him chief of the enchanters, magicians, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.

5:12  For there is an excellent spirit in him, and sense and understanding is in him, interpreting dreams as he does, and answering hard questions, and solving riddles. It is Daniel, and the king gave him the name of Belteshazzar. Now then let him be called, and he shall tell you the interpretation of the writing.

5:13  Then Daniel was brought in before the king, and the king said to Daniel, Are you Daniel, of the children of the captivity of Judah, which my father the king brought from Judah?

5:14  I have heard about you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that watchfulness and understanding and excellent wisdom have been found in you.

5:15  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 to me.

5:16  And I have heard about you, that you are able to make interpretations. Now then, if you are able to read the writing, and to make known to me its interpretation, 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.

5:17  And Daniel said before the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give the presents of your house to another; but I will read the writing, and will make known to you its interpretation.

5:18  O king, the Most High God gave to your father Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, and majesty, and honor, and glory.

5:19  And by reason of the majesty which He gave to him, all nations, tribes, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he exalted; and whomever he wished, he abased.

5:20  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.

5:21  And he was driven forth from men. And a heart was given to him after the nature of wild beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. And they fed him with grass like 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 whomever He chooses.

5:22  And you accordingly, his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart before God: do you not know all this?

5:23  And you have exalted yourself against the Lord God of heaven; and they have brought before you the vessels of His house, and you, your nobles, your mistresses, and your concubines have drunk wine out of them; and you have praised the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, and which hear not, and know not: and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified.

5:24  Therefore from His presence has been sent forth the finger of a hand, and He has ordered the writing.

5:25  And this is the ordered writing: Mene, Tekel, Peres.

5:26  This is the interpretation of the sentence: Mene; God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it.

5:27  Tekel; it has been weighed in the balance, and found wanting.

5:28  Peres; your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

5:29  Then Belshazzar 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.

5:30  In the same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain.

5:31  And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, being sixty-two years old.