Belshazzar's Feast

1Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

2Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his lords, his wives, and his concubines, might drink from them.

3Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his lords, his wives, and his concubines, drank from them.

4They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of bronze, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

5In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote opposite the lampstand upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

6Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened, and his knees struck one against another.

7The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spoke, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me its interpretation, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

8Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king its interpretation.

9Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonished.

10Now the queen because of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spoke and said, O king, live forever: let not your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance be changed:

11There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar your father, the king, I say, your father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;

12Because an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and solving of riddles, and explaining of problems, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.

Daniel Interprets the Writing on the Wall

13Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spoke and said unto Daniel, Are you that Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?

14I have even heard of you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.

15And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me its interpretation: but they could not show the interpretation of the thing:

16And I have heard of you, that you can make interpretations, and explain doubts: now if you can read the writing, and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

17Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

18O king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor:

19And 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; and whom he would he put down.

20But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

21And he was driven from the sons of men; and 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; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appoints over it whomever he will.

22And you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this;

23But have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you, and your lords, your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine in them; and you have praised the gods of silver, and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your ways, have you not glorified:

24Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.

25And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

26This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE; God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it.

27TEKEL; you are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting.

28PERES; Your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

29Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

30In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.

31And Darius the Mede took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.