The Book of the Prophet Daniel 5 The Feast of King Belshazzar. The Mysterious Hand

 The Book of the Prophet Daniel 5

The Feast of King Belshazzar. The Mysterious Hand

1 King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them.

2 When Belshazzar had drunk his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them.

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

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

5 At that very moment, the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plastered wall of the royal palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the part of the hand that was writing.

6 Then the king's countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him: the joints of his knees knocked together.

7 And the king commanded with force that the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers should be brought in: and the king spoke, and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and declares its interpretation to me shall be clothed in purple, and have a chain of gold around his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

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

9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, and his countenance changed; and his nobles were dismayed.

10 The queen, because of the words of the king and of his nobles, entered the banquet hall: and the queen spoke and said, “O king, live forever!” Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change.

11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him; and in the days of your father light, understanding, and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, yes, your father, O king, appointed him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.

12 For an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding were found in this Daniel, interpreting dreams, explaining riddles, and solving doubts; the king named him Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.

13 Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah?”

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

15 The wise men and astrologers have just been brought before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation; but they could not give the interpretation of these words.

16 But I have heard about you that you can give interpretations and solve doubts. Now, if you can read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed in purple, and have a gold chain around your neck, and be the third ruler in the kingdom.

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Keep your gifts for yourself, and give your presents to another; yet I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation.”

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

19 And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages ​​trembled and feared before him: whom he wished he killed, and whom he wished he gave life; and whom he wished he exalted, and whom he wished he humbled.

20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory departed from him.

21 And he was driven from among the sons of men, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys; he was made to eat grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that God, the Most High, rules in the kingdoms of men, and appoints over them whom he wills.

22 And you, his son Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this.

23 You have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. The vessels of his house were brought before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know. But you did not glorify the God in whose hand is your life and all your ways.

24 Then the hand was sent from 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 matter: MENE: God has numbered your kingdom and brought it to an end.

27 TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances and found wanting.

28 PERES: Your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.

29 Then Belshazzar commanded that Daniel be clothed in purple, and that a chain of gold be put around his neck, and that a proclamation be made concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

30 That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was killed.

31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.