Belshazzar's Banquet

1One night King Belshazzar invited a thousand noblemen to a great banquet, and they drank wine together. 2While they were drinking, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver cups and bowls which his father5.2; 5.11 There were several kings of Babylonia between Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar. Father may mean predecessor, or the name Nebuchadnezzar may be used for Nabinodus. Nebuchadnezzar had carried off from the Temple in Jerusalem. The king sent for them so that he, his noblemen, his wives, and his concubines could drink out of them. 3At once the gold cups and bowls were brought in, and they all drank wine out of them 4and praised gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

5Suddenly a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster wall of the palace, where the light from the lamps was shining most brightly. And the king saw the hand as it was writing. 6He turned pale and was so frightened that his knees began to shake. 7He shouted for someone to bring in the magicians, wizards, and astrologers. When they came in, the king said to them, “Anyone who can read this writing and tell me what it means will be dressed in robes of royal purple, wear a gold chain of honour round his neck, and be the third in power in the kingdom.” 8The royal advisers came forward, but none of them could read the writing or tell the king what it meant. 9In his distress King Belshazzar grew even paler, and his noblemen had no idea what to do.

10The queen mother heard the noise made by the king and his noblemen and entered the banqueting hall. She said, “May Your Majesty live for ever! Please do not be so disturbed and look so pale. 11There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods5.11; 5.14 gods; or God. in him. When your father was king, this man showed good sense, knowledge, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father,5.11; 5.2 There were several kings of Babylonia between Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar. Father may mean predecessor, or the name Nebuchadnezzar may be used for Nabinodus. made him chief of the fortune tellers, magicians, wizards, and astrologers. 12He has unusual ability and is wise and skilful in interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining mysteries; so send for this man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, and he will tell you what all this means.”

Daniel Explains the Writing

13Daniel was brought at once into the king's presence, and the king said to him, “Are you Daniel, that Jewish exile whom my father the king brought here from Judah? 14I have heard that the spirit of the holy gods5.14; 5.11 gods; or God. is in you and that you are skilful and have knowledge and wisdom. 15The advisers and magicians were brought in to read this writing and tell me what it means, but they could not discover the meaning. 16Now I have heard that you can find hidden meanings and explain mysteries. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be dressed in robes of royal purple, wear a gold chain of honour round your neck, and be the third in power in the kingdom.”

17Daniel replied, “Keep your gifts for yourself or give them to someone else. I will read for Your Majesty what has been written and tell you what it means.

18“The Supreme God made your father Nebuchadnezzar a great king and gave him dignity and majesty. 19He was so great that people of all nations, races, and languages were afraid of him and trembled. If he wanted to kill someone, he did; if he wanted to keep someone alive, he did. He honoured or disgraced anyone he wanted to. 20But because he became proud, stubborn, and cruel, he was removed from his royal throne and lost his place of honour. 21He was driven away from human society, and his mind became like that of an animal. He lived with wild donkeys, ate grass like an ox, and slept in the open air with nothing to protect him from the dew. Finally he admitted that the Supreme God controls all human kingdoms and can give them to anyone he chooses.

22“But you, his son, have not humbled yourself, even though you knew all this. 23You acted against the Lord of heaven and brought in the cups and bowls taken from his Temple. You, your noblemen, your wives, and your concubines drank wine out of them and praised gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone — gods that cannot see or hear and that do not know anything. But you did not honour the God who determines whether you live or die and who controls everything you do. 24That is why God has sent the hand to write these words.

25“This is what was written: ‘Number, number, weight, divisions.’ 26And this is what it means: number, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; 27weight, you have been weighed on the scales and found to be too light; 28divisions, your kingdom is divided up and given to the Medes and Persians.”5.28 Persians: In Aramaic the word for “Persians” sounds like the word for “division”.

295.29: Gen 41.42Immediately Belshazzar ordered his servants to dress Daniel in a robe of royal purple and to hang a gold chain of honour round his neck. And he made him the third in power in the kingdom. 30That same night Belshazzar, the king of Babylonia, was killed; 31and Darius the Mede, who was then 62 years old, seized the royal power.