Dan 5
1
Baltasar the king made a great supper for his thousand nobles, and there was wine
before the thousand.
2
And Baltasar drinking gave orders as he tasted the wine that they should bring the
gold and silver vessels, which Nabuchodonosor his father had brought forth from the
temple in Jerusalem; that the king, and his nobles, and his mistresses, and his concubines,
should drink out of them.
3
So the gold and silver vessels were brought which Nabuchodonosor had taken out of
the temple of God in Jerusalem; and the king, and his nobles, and his mistresses,
and his concubines, drank out of them.
4
They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of
iron, and of wood, and of stone.
5
In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote in front of the lamp
on the plaster of the wall of the king’s house: and the king saw the Or, joints knuckles of the hand that wrote.
6
Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, and the joints
of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one another.
7
And the king cried aloud to bring in the magicians, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; and
he said to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever shall read this writing, and make known
to me the interpretation, shall be clothed with scarlet, and there shall be a golden
chain upon his neck, and he shall be the third ruler in my kingdom.
8
Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make
known the interpretation to the king.
9
And king Baltasar was troubled, and his countenance changed upon him, and his nobles
were troubled with him.
10
Then the queen came into the banquet house, and said, O king, live for ever: let not
your thoughts trouble you, and let not your countenance be changed.
11
There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the Spirit of God; and in the days of your
father watchfulness and understanding were found in him; and king Nabuchodonosor your
father made him chief of the enchanters, magicians, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.
12
For there is an excellent spirit in him, and sense and understanding in him, interpreting
dreams as he does, and answering hard questions, and solving difficulties: it is Daniel,
and the king gave him the name of Baltasar: now then let him be called, and he shall
tell you the interpretation Gr. of it, or of him of the writing.
13
Then Daniel was brought in before the king: and the king said to Daniel, Art you Daniel,
of the children of the captivity of Judea, which the king my father brought?
14
I have heard concerning you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that watchfulness
and understanding and excellent wisdom have been found in you.
15
And now, the wise men, magicians, and soothsayers, have come in before me, to read
the writing, and make known to me the interpretation: but they could not tell it me.
16
And I have heard concerning you, that you are able to make interpretations: now then
if you shall be able to read the writing, and to make known to me the interpretation
of it, you shall be clothed with purple, and there shall be a golden chain upon your
neck, and you shall be third ruler in my kingdom.
17
And Daniel said, before the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give the present
of your house to another; but I will read the writing, and will make known to you
the interpretation of it.
18
O king, the most high God gave to your father Nabuchodonosor a kingdom, and majesty,
and honour, and glory:
19
and by reason of the majesty which he gave to him, all nations, tribes, and languages
trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he smote;
and whom he would he exalted; and whom he would he abased.
20
But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was emboldened to act proudly, he
was deposed from his royal throne, and his honour was taken from him.
21
And he was driven forth from men; and his heart was given him after the nature of
wild beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses; and they fed him with grass
as an ox, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven; until he knew that the most
high God is Lord of the kingdom of men, and will give it to whomever he shall please.
22
And you accordingly, his son, O Baltasar, has not humbled your heart before God: know
you not all this?
23
And you has been exalted against the Lord God of heaven; and they have brought before
you the vessels of his house, and you, and your nobles, and your mistresses, and your
concubines, have drunk wine out of them; and you has praised the gods of gold, and
silver, and brass, and iron, and wood, and stone, which see not, and which hear not,
and know not: and the God in whose hand are your breath, and all your ways has you
not glorified.
24
Therefore from his presence has been sent forth the Or, joint knuckle of a hand; and he has ordered the writing.
25
And this is the ordered writing, Mane, Thekel, Phares.
26
This is the interpretation of the Gr. Word sentence: Mane; God has measured your kingdom, and Gr. fulfilled it finished it.
27
Thekel; it has been weighed in the balance, and found wanting.
28
Phares; your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
29
Then Baltasar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put the golden
chain about his neck, and proclaimed concerning him whom he was the third ruler in
the kingdom.
30
In the same night was Baltasar the Chaldean king slain.
31
And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, being sixty-two years old.