1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords,
and drank wine before the thousand. 2 Belshazzar, while he tasted the
wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar
his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king
and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink from it. 3 Then
they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the
house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives
and his concubines, drank from them. 4 They drank wine, and praised the
gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
5 In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over
against the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace: and
the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6 Then the king’s face was
changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his loins
were loosened, and his knees struck one against another. 7 The king cried
aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The
king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever shall read this
writing, and show me the interpretation of it, shall be clothed with purple,
and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the
kingdom. 8 Then came in all the king’s wise men; but they could not read
the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation. 9 Then was
king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his face was changed in him, and his
lords were perplexed. 10 Now the queen by reason of the words of
the king and his lords came into the banquet house: the queen spoke and said,
O king, live forever; don’t let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your face
be changed. 11 There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the spirit of
the holy gods; and in the days of your father light and understanding and
wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and the king
Nebuchadnezzar your father, the king, I say, your father, made him
master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
12 because an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding,
interpreting of dreams, and showing of dark sentences, and dissolving of
doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now
let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation. 13 Then was
Daniel brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, Are you
that Daniel, who are of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king
my father brought out of Judah? 14 I have heard of you, that the spirit of
the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are
found in you. 15 Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in
before me, that they should read this writing, and make known to me the
interpretation of it; but they could not show the interpretation of the
thing. 16 But I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations, and
dissolve doubts; now if you can read the writing, and make known to me the
interpretation of it, you shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of
gold about your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. 17 Then
Daniel answered before the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your
rewards to another; nevertheless I will read the writing to the king, and
make known to him the interpretation. 18 You king, the Most High God gave
Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and
majesty: 19 and because of the greatness that he gave him, all the
peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him: whom he would
he killed, and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he raised up,
and whom he would he put down. 20 But when his heart was lifted up, and
his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his
kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: 21 and he was driven from
the sons of men, and his heart was made like the animals’, and his dwelling
was with the wild donkeys; he was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was
wet with the dew of the sky; until he knew that the Most High God rules in
the kingdom of men, and that he sets up over it whoever he will. 22 You
his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this,
23 but have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have
brought the vessels of his house before you, and you and your lords, your
wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them; and you have praised
the gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which don’t
see, nor hear, nor know; and the God in whose hand your breath is, and whose
are all your ways, you have not glorified. 24 Then was the part of the
hand sent from before him, and this writing was inscribed. 25 This is the
writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26 This is the
interpretation of the thing: MENE; God has numbered your kingdom, and brought
it to an end; 27 TEKEL; you are weighed in the balances, and are found
wanting. 28 PERES; your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and
Persians. 29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with
purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation
concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. 30 In
that night Belshazzar the Chaldean King was slain. 31 Darius the Mede
received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
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