Belshazzar’s Feast

Belshazzar the king (A)made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels (B)which his [a]father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought the gold (C)vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. They drank wine, (D)and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.

(E)In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his (F)knees knocked against each other. (G)The king cried [b]aloud to bring in (H)the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; (I)and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” Now all the king’s wise men came, (J)but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation. Then King Belshazzar was greatly (K)troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were [c]astonished.

10 The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came to the banquet hall. The queen spoke, saying, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change. 11 (L)There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your [d]father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your [e]father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. 12 Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and [f]explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, (M)whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”

The Writing on the Wall Explained

13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke, and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel [g]who is one of the captives from Judah, whom my [h]father the king brought from Judah? 14 I have heard of you, that (N)the [i]Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now (O)the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not give the interpretation of the thing. 16 And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and [j]explain enigmas. (P)Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall 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; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O king, (Q)the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your [k]father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor. 19 And because of the majesty that He gave him, (R)all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he (S)executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down. 20 (T)But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. 21 Then he was (U)driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, (V)till he [l]knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.

22 “But you his son, Belshazzar, (W)have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. 23 (X)And you have [m]lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the (Y)vessels of [n]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, bronze and iron, wood and stone, (Z)which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand (AA)and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. 24 Then the [o]fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.

25 “And this is the inscription that was written:

[p]MENE, MENE, [q]TEKEL, [r]UPHARSIN.

26 This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; 27 TEKEL: (AB)You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; 28 PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the (AC)Medes and (AD)Persians.”[s] 29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him (AE)that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Belshazzar’s Fall

30 (AF)That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. 31 (AG)And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

The Plot Against Daniel

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss. Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, (AH)because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. (AI)So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”

So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: (AJ)“King Darius, live forever! All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have (AK)consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the (AL)law of the Medes and Persians, which [t]does not alter.” Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open (AM)toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees (AN)three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.

11 Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12 (AO)And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: “Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?”

The king answered and said, “The thing is true, (AP)according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which [u]does not alter.”

13 So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, (AQ)who is [v]one of the captives from Judah, (AR)does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”

14 And the king, when he heard these words, (AS)was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he [w]labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15 Then these men [x]approached the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is (AT)the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”

16 So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.” 17 (AU)Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, (AV)and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.

Daniel Saved from the Lions

18 Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no [y]musicians were brought before him. (AW)Also his sleep [z]went from him. 19 Then the (AX)king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 And when he came to the den, he cried out with a [aa]lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, (AY)has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”

21 Then Daniel said to the king, (AZ)“O king, live forever! 22 (BA)My God sent His angel and (BB)shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.”

23 Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, (BC)because he believed in his God.

Darius Honors God

24 And the king gave the command, (BD)and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, (BE)their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den.

25 (BF)Then King Darius wrote:

To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:

Peace be multiplied to you.

26 (BG)I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must (BH)tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.

(BI)For He is the living God,
And steadfast forever;
His kingdom is the one which shall not be (BJ)destroyed,
And His dominion shall endure to the end.
27 He delivers and rescues,
(BK)And He works signs and wonders
In heaven and on earth,
Who has delivered Daniel from the [ab]power of the lions.

28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius (BL)and in the reign of (BM)Cyrus the Persian.

Vision of the Four Beasts

In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, (BN)Daniel [ac]had a dream and (BO)visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling [ad]the main facts.

Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. And four great beasts (BP)came up from the sea, each different from the other. The first was (BQ)like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a (BR)man’s heart was given to it.

(BS)“And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’

“After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had (BT)four heads, and dominion was given to it.

“After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, (BU)a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, (BV)and it had ten horns. I was considering the horns, and (BW)there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes (BX)of a man, (BY)and a mouth speaking [ae]pompous words.

Vision of the Ancient of Days

“I(BZ) watched till thrones were [af]put in place,
And (CA)the Ancient of Days was seated;
(CB)His garment was white as snow,
And the hair of His head was like pure wool.
His throne was a fiery flame,
(CC)Its wheels a burning fire;
10 (CD)A fiery stream issued
And came forth from before Him.
(CE)A thousand thousands ministered to Him;
Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.
(CF)The [ag]court was seated,
And the books were opened.

11 “I watched then because of the sound of the [ah]pompous words which the horn was speaking; (CG)I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

13 “I was watching in the night visions,
And behold, (CH)One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days,
And they brought Him near before Him.
14 (CI)Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all (CJ)peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is (CK)an everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away,
And His kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed.

Daniel’s Visions Interpreted

15 “I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit [ai]within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16 I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 ‘Those great beasts, which are four, are four [aj]kings which arise out of the earth. 18 But (CL)the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’

19 “Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; 20 and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke [ak]pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.

21 “I was watching; (CM)and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, (CN)and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.

23 “Thus he said:

‘The fourth beast shall be
(CO)A fourth kingdom on earth,
Which shall be different from all other kingdoms,
And shall devour the whole earth,
Trample it and break it in pieces.
24 (CP)The ten horns are ten kings
Who shall arise from this kingdom.
And another shall rise after them;
He shall be different from the first ones,
And shall subdue three kings.
25 (CQ)He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,
Shall (CR)persecute[al] the saints of the Most High,
And shall (CS)intend to change times and law.
Then (CT)the saints shall be given into his hand
(CU)For a time and times and half a time.

26 ‘But(CV) the court shall be seated,
And they shall (CW)take away his dominion,
To consume and destroy it forever.
27 Then the (CX)kingdom and dominion,
And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,
Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.
(CY)His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
(CZ)And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’

28 “This is the end of the [am]account. As for me, Daniel, (DA)my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I (DB)kept the matter in my heart.”

Vision of a Ram and a Goat

In[an] the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me—to me, Daniel—after the one that appeared to me (DC)the first time. I saw in the vision, and it so happened while I was looking, that I was in (DD)Shushan,[ao] the [ap]citadel, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision that I was by the River Ulai. Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and there, standing beside the river, was a ram which had two horns, and the two horns were high; but one was (DE)higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. I saw the ram pushing westward, northward, and southward, so that no animal could [aq]withstand him; nor was there any that could deliver from his hand, (DF)but he did according to his will and became great.

And as I was considering, suddenly a male goat came from the west, across the surface of the whole earth, without touching the ground; and the goat had a notable (DG)horn between his eyes. Then he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing beside the river, and ran at him with furious power. And I saw him confronting the ram; he was moved with rage against him, [ar]attacked the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram to withstand him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled him; and there was no one that could deliver the ram from his hand.

Therefore the male goat grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in place of it (DH)four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven. (DI)And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, (DJ)toward the east, and toward the (DK)Glorious Land. 10 (DL)And it grew up to (DM)the host of heaven; and (DN)it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11 (DO)He even exalted himself as high as (DP)the Prince of the host; (DQ)and by him (DR)the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of [as]His sanctuary was cast down. 12 Because of transgression, (DS)an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast (DT)truth down to the ground. He (DU)did all this and prospered.

13 Then I heard (DV)a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression [at]of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?”

14 And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred [au]days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.”

Gabriel Interprets the Vision

15 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and (DW)was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me (DX)one having the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice (DY)between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, (DZ)“Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” 17 So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and (EA)fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.”

18 (EB)Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; (EC)but he touched me, and stood me upright. 19 And he said, “Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; (ED)for at the appointed time the end shall be. 20 The ram which you saw, having the two horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia. 21 And the [av]male goat is the [aw]kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes (EE)is the first king. 22 (EF)As for the broken horn and the four that stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation, but not with its power.

23 “And in the latter time of their kingdom,
When the transgressors have reached their fullness,
A king shall arise,
(EG)Having fierce [ax]features,
Who understands sinister schemes.
24 His power shall be mighty, (EH)but not by his own power;
He shall destroy [ay]fearfully,
(EI)And shall prosper and thrive;
(EJ)He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.

25 “Through(EK) his cunning
He shall cause deceit to prosper under his [az]rule;
(EL)And he shall exalt himself in his heart.
He shall destroy many in their prosperity.
(EM)He shall even rise against the Prince of princes;
But he shall be (EN)broken without human [ba]means.

26 “And the vision of the evenings and mornings
Which was told is true;
(EO)Therefore seal up the vision,
For it refers to many days in the future.

27 (EP)And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king’s business. I was [bb]astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 5:2 Or ancestor
  2. Daniel 5:7 Lit. with strength
  3. Daniel 5:9 perplexed
  4. Daniel 5:11 Or ancestor
  5. Daniel 5:11 Or ancestor
  6. Daniel 5:12 Lit. untying knots
  7. Daniel 5:13 Lit. who is of the sons of the captivity
  8. Daniel 5:13 Or ancestor
  9. Daniel 5:14 Or spirit of the gods
  10. Daniel 5:16 Lit. untie knots
  11. Daniel 5:18 Or ancestor
  12. Daniel 5:21 Recognized
  13. Daniel 5:23 Exalted
  14. Daniel 5:23 The temple
  15. Daniel 5:24 Lit. palm
  16. Daniel 5:25 Lit. a mina (50 shekels) from the verb “to number”
  17. Daniel 5:25 Lit. a shekel from the verb “to weigh”
  18. Daniel 5:25 Lit. and half-shekels from the verb “to divide”; pl. of Peres, v. 28
  19. Daniel 5:28 Aram. Paras, consonant with Peres
  20. Daniel 6:8 Lit. does not pass away
  21. Daniel 6:12 Lit. does not pass away
  22. Daniel 6:13 Lit. of the sons of the captivity
  23. Daniel 6:14 strove
  24. Daniel 6:15 Lit. thronged before
  25. Daniel 6:18 Exact meaning unknown
  26. Daniel 6:18 Or fled
  27. Daniel 6:20 Or grieved
  28. Daniel 6:27 Lit. hand
  29. Daniel 7:1 Lit. saw
  30. Daniel 7:1 Lit. the head or chief of the words
  31. Daniel 7:8 Lit. great things
  32. Daniel 7:9 Or set up
  33. Daniel 7:10 Or judgment
  34. Daniel 7:11 Lit. great
  35. Daniel 7:15 Lit. in the midst of its sheath
  36. Daniel 7:17 Representing their kingdoms, v. 23
  37. Daniel 7:20 Lit. great things
  38. Daniel 7:25 Lit. wear out
  39. Daniel 7:28 Lit. word
  40. Daniel 8:1 The Hebrew language resumes in Dan. 8:1.
  41. Daniel 8:2 Or Susa
  42. Daniel 8:2 Or fortified palace
  43. Daniel 8:4 Lit. stand before him
  44. Daniel 8:7 Lit. struck
  45. Daniel 8:11 The temple
  46. Daniel 8:13 Or making desolate
  47. Daniel 8:14 Lit. evening-mornings
  48. Daniel 8:21 shaggy male
  49. Daniel 8:21 Lit. king, representing his kingdom, Dan. 7:17, 23
  50. Daniel 8:23 Lit. countenance
  51. Daniel 8:24 Or extraordinarily
  52. Daniel 8:25 Lit. hand
  53. Daniel 8:25 Lit. hand
  54. Daniel 8:27 amazed

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