Daniel 5

1Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. 2Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. 3Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of Elohim which at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. 4They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. 5In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. 7The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. the king spake, and said to the wise of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. 8Then came in all the king's wise : but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. 9Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied. 10the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance be changed: 11There is a man in your kingdom, in whom the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar your father, the king, , your father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, soothsayers; 12Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation. 13Then was Daniel brought in before the king. the king spake and said unto Daniel, you that Daniel, which of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? 14I have even heard of you, that the spirit of the gods in you, and light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in you. 15And now the wise , the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing: 16And I have heard of you, that you canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if you canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, you shall be clothed with scarlet, and a chain of gold about your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. 17Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let your gifts be to thyself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18O you king, the most high Elohim gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: 19And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. 20But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: 21And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high Elohim ruled in the kingdom of men, and he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. 22And you his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled your heart, though you knewest all this; 23But hast lifted up thyself 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 in them; and you hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the Elohim in whose hand your breath , and whose all your ways, hast you not glorified: 24Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. 25And this the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26This the interpretation of the thing: MENE; Elohim has numbered your kingdom, and finished it. 27TEKEL; you art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. 28PERES; your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. 29Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. 30In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. 31And Darius the Median took the kingdom, about threescore and two years old.