1King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and in front of the thousand he was drinking wine.
2Belshazzar, under the influence of the wine, gave orders to bring the vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them.
3Then they brought the vessels of gold that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God that was in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them.
4They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5At that very moment the fingers of a human hand came out and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king watched the back of the hand that was writing.
6Then the king’s face changed color, and his thoughts terrified him; the joints of his hips went slack, and his knees knocked one against the other.
7The king called out loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners. The king spoke up and said to the wise men of Babylon, ‘Whoever reads this writing and shows me its interpretation shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around his neck, and rule as third in the kingdom.’
8Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they were not able to read the writing or make known to the king its interpretation.
9Then King Belshazzar was greatly terrified, and his face changed color, and his nobles were bewildered.
10The queen, because of the words of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. The queen spoke up and said, ‘O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts terrify you, and do not let your face change color.
11There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, illumination, insight, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners,
12because an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, and insight for interpreting dreams, explaining riddles, and untying knots were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.’
13Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke up and said to Daniel, ‘Are you Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah?
14I have heard about you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight, and extraordinary wisdom are found in you.
15Now the wise men and the enchanters were brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they were not able to declare the interpretation of the matter.
16But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and to untie knots. Now if you are able to read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around your neck, and rule as third in the kingdom.’
17Then 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 for the king and make known to him the interpretation.
18You, O king—the Most High God gave to Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, the greatness, the honor, and the majesty.
19And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and tongues 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 brought low.
20But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit grew hard with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne, and they took his honor from him.
21He was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like an animal’s, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him grass like oxen, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he came to know that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of men and sets over it whomever he wishes.
22But you, his son Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this.
23You have exalted yourself 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, and you praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know; but the God in whose hand is your breath, and to whom belong all your ways, you have not honored.
24Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed.
25And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN.
26This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE—God has numbered your kingdom and brought it to an end.
27TEKEL—you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.
28PERES—your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
29Then Belshazzar gave the order, and they clothed Daniel in purple, put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should rule as third in the kingdom.
30That very night Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans, was killed.
31And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
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