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The Book of Daniel 5

5 King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his noblemen, and he drank wine in front of the thousand. 2 When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his noblemen, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem, and the king and his noblemen, his wives and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

5 Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the palace of the king, opposite the lampstand. The king saw the back of the hand that was writing. 6 Then the color of the king changed, and his thoughts frightened him; the joints of his hips loosened, and his knees knocked together. 7 The king called aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man who reads this writing and shows me its intepretation will be clothed with purple and will have a chain of gold around his neck, and he will be the third ruler in the kingdom.” 8 Then all the wise men of the king came in, but they could not read the writing or make known the intepretation to the king. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his noblemen were perplexed.

10 The queen came into the banquet house because of the words of the king and his noblemen. The queen spoke and said, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you. Do not let your color change. 11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, illumination and insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father the king, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, 12 because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and insight for interpreting dreams, explaining riddles and solving problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called and he will show the interpretation.”

13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of 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 illumination and insight and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now the wise men and enchanters have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter. 16 But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you are able to read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you will be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and you will be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. 18 As for you, O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship, greatness, honor, and majesty. 19 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 kept alive. Whom he wished, he raised up, and whom he wished, he humbled. 20 But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he acted presumptuously, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken away from him. 21 He was driven away from the sons of mankind, and his mind was made like that of an animal, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like an ox. His body was wet with the dew of heaven until he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the kingdom of mankind and that he sets over it whom he wishes. 22 Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this. 23 Instead, you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. The vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have drunk wine from them, and you praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see, hear, or know, but you have not honored the God in whose hand is your breath and whose are all your ways. 24 Then from his presence the palm of a hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed.

25 This is the writing that was inscribed: ‘Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin.’ 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 on the scales and found lacking.’ 28 ‘Peres,’ ‘your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.’ ”

29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple. A chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he would be the third ruler in the kingdom. 30 That same night Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed, 31 and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about sixty-two years old.

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