Context 4They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone. 5Suddenly the fingers of a mans hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the kings palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing. 6Then the kings face grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his hip joints went slack and his knees began knocking together. 7The king called aloud to bring in the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, Any man who can read this inscription and explain its interpretation to me shall be clothed with purple and have a necklace of gold around his neck, and have authority as third ruler in the kingdom. 8Then all the kings wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or make known its interpretation to the king. 9Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, his face grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed. 10The queen entered the banquet hall because of the words of the king and his nobles; the queen spoke and said, O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you or your face be pale. 11There is a man in your kingdom in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and 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, conjurers, Chaldeans and diviners. 12This was because an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of enigmas and solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned and he will declare the interpretation. Daniel Interprets Handwriting on the Wall 13Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, Are you that Daniel who is one of the exiles from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? 14Now I have heard about you that a spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. 15Just now the wise men and the conjurers were brought in before me that they might read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not declare the interpretation of the message. 16But I personally have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read the inscription and make its interpretation known to me, you will be clothed with purple and wear a necklace of gold around your neck, and you will have authority as the third ruler in the kingdom. 17Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Keep your gifts for yourself or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the interpretation known to him. 18O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty, grandeur, glory and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father. 19Because of the grandeur which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations and men of every language feared and trembled before him; whomever he wished he killed and whomever he wished he spared alive; and whomever he wished he elevated and whomever he wished he humbled. 20But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him. 21He was also driven away from mankind, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it whomever He wishes. 22Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this, 23but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and all your ways, you have not glorified. 24Then the hand was sent from Him and this inscription was written out. 25Now this is the inscription that was written out: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26This is the interpretation of the message: MENEGod has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. 27 TEKELyou have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. 28 PERESyour kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians. 29Then Belshazzar gave orders, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a necklace of gold around his neck, and issued a proclamation concerning him that he now had authority as the third ruler in the kingdom. 30That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. 31So Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two. Parallel Verses American Standard VersionThey drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. Douay-Rheims Bible They drank wine, and praised their gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, and of wood, and of stone. Darby Bible Translation They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. English Revised Version They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. Webster's Bible Translation They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. World English Bible They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. Young's Literal Translation they have drunk wine, and have praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. Library Mene, Tekel, Peres'Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another: yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18. O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: 19. And 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; … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Scales of Judgment "So Then they that are in the Flesh Cannot Please God. " Human Government. Eastern Wise-Men, or Magi, visit Jesus, the New-Born King. Messiah Unpitied, and Without a Comforter Sovereignty of God in Administration Jesus Sets Out from Judæa for Galilee. The Eternity of God That Upon the Conquest and Slaughter of vitellius Vespasian Hastened his Journey to Rome; but Titus his Son Returned to Jerusalem. Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners Or, a Brief Relation of the Exceeding Mercy of God in Christ, to his Poor Servant, John Bunyan Links Daniel 5:4 NIV • Daniel 5:4 NLT • Daniel 5:4 ESV • Daniel 5:4 NASB • Daniel 5:4 KJV • Daniel 5:4 Bible Apps • Daniel 5:4 Parallel • Bible Hub |