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DanielChapter 5

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King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine in the presence of the thousand.
Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them.
So they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them.
They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
At that very moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. The king watched the hand as it wrote.
Then the color drained from the king's face, and his thoughts terrified him. His limbs went limp, and his knees knocked together.
The king called out loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners. He said to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing and tells me its meaning will be clothed in purple, will wear a gold chain around his neck, and will rule as third in the kingdom."
Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make its meaning known to the king.
So King Belshazzar grew even more terrified, the color drained from his face, and his nobles were at a loss.
Because of the words of the king and his nobles, the queen came into the banquet hall. She said, "O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts terrify you, and do not let your face grow pale.
There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, understanding, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. King Nebuchadnezzar your father appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners—your own father the king did this—
because an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, and understanding were found in him, along with the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and unravel difficult problems—in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be summoned, and he will give the interpretation."
So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, "Are you that Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah whom my father the king brought from Judah?
I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that insight, understanding, and extraordinary wisdom are found in you.
The wise men and enchanters were just brought before me to read this writing and tell me its meaning, but they could not explain what it means.
But I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and unravel difficult problems. Now if you can read the writing and tell me its meaning, you will be clothed in purple, you will wear a gold chain around your neck, and you will rule as third in the kingdom."
Then Daniel answered the king, "Keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Even so, I will read the writing for the king and make its meaning known to him.
O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar kingship and greatness, glory and majesty.
Because of the greatness he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled in fear before him. He killed whomever he wished and kept alive whomever he wished; he raised up whomever he wished and brought low whomever he wished.
But when his heart grew proud and his spirit hardened with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.
He was driven away from human company, his mind became like that of an animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of men and sets over them whomever he wishes.
But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this.
You have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from his house were brought before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised gods of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which cannot see or hear or know anything. But the God who holds your very breath in his hand and governs all your ways—him you did not honor.
So the hand was sent from his presence, and this writing was inscribed.
This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN.
And this is what it means: MENE—God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end.
TEKEL—you have been weighed on the scales and found too light. [Footnote: TEKEL sounds like the Aramaic words for 'weighed' and 'light of weight.']
PERES—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians." [Footnote: PERES sounds like the Aramaic word for 'divided' and also like the name 'Persia.']
Then Belshazzar gave the command. They clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him third ruler in the kingdom.
That very night Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed.
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