International Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1King Belshazzar put on a great festival for a thousand of his officials. He joined all one thousand of them in getting drunk.

1Belshazzar the king held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand.

2Under the influence of wine, Belshazzar ordered that the gold and silver vessels his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem be brought in so the king, his officials, his wives, and his mistresses could drink from them.

2When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them.

3As ordered, they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the sanctuary of God's Temple in Jerusalem, and the king, his officials, his wives, and mistresses drank from them.

3Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them.

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

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

5At that moment, humanlike fingers of a hand appeared near the lamp stand of the royal palace and wrote on the plaster of the wall.

5Suddenly the fingers of a man's hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing.

6While the king watched the back of the hand as it was writing, his facial expression changed. Utterly frightened, he lost control of his own bowels and his knees knocked together.

6Then the king's face grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his hip joints went slack and his knees began knocking together.

7The king cried out to bring in enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers. He announced to the advisors of Babylon, "Whoever can read this writing and tell me its meaning will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain placed around his neck, and will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom."

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 king's advisors came in, but they were unable to read the writing or tell the king what it meant.

8Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or make known its interpretation to the king.

9So King Belshazzar became even more frightened, and his facial expression showed it. His officials also were thrown into confusion.

9Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, his face grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed.

10Hearing the voices of the king and his officials, the queen entered the banquet hall. "Your majesty, live forever," the queen said. "Don't be frightened by your thoughts or allow your facial expression to show it.

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's a man in your kingdom in whom dwells the spirit of the holy gods. During your grandfather's reign, he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom, like that of the gods. Your grandfather, King Nebuchadnezzar—your kingly predecessor—appointed him to be chief administrator over the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers,

11"There 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.

12because he was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, and understanding, along with an ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. His name is Daniel, whom the king renamed Belteshazzar. Call for Daniel, and he will reveal the meaning of the writing."

12"This 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."

13Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king spoke up and told Daniel, "So you are Daniel, one of the Judean exiles whom my grandfather the king brought from Judah!

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?

14I've heard about you, that a spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, discernment, and extraordinary wisdom.

14"Now 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.

15Take note that the advisors and enchanters were brought before me to read the writing and explain its meaning, but they were unable to do so.

15"Just 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.

16However, I've heard that you can provide meaning and interpretation, and that you can solve difficult problems. If you are able to read the writing and report its meaning, you will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom."

16"But 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."

17At this, Daniel answered, speaking directly to the king, "Let your gifts and rewards be given to someone else. However, I'll read the writing for the king and tell him its meaning.

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.

18Your majesty, the Most High God gave your grandfather Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty, as well as greatness, glory, and splendor.

18"O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty, grandeur, glory and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father.

19And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages revered and feared him. He executed those whom he desired to execute, he spared those whom he wished to spare, he promoted those whom he desired to promote, and he humbled those whom he wished to humble.

19"Because 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 he became arrogant and his spirit hardened, he was removed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him.

20"But 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 driven away from human society and given the mind of an animal. He lived with wild donkeys, ate grass like cattle, and his body was soaked with dew from the sky until he realized that the Most High God is sovereign over human kingdoms and places over them whomever he desires.

21"He 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.

22"But you, Belshazzar, his grandson, haven't humbled yourself, even though you knew all of this.

22"Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this,

23"You've exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. "You've had the vessels from his Temple brought into your presence. "And you, your officials, and your wives and mistresses drank wine from them. "You praised gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which can't see, hear, or demonstrate knowledge. "But you didn't honor God, who holds in his power your very life and all your ways.

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 your ways, you have not glorified.

24"Therefore, the hand that wrote this inscription was sent from his presence.

24"Then the hand was sent from Him and this inscription was written out.

25This is the written inscription: MENE, MENE, TEKEL AND PARSIN

25"Now this is the inscription that was written out: 'MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.'

26These are the meanings of the words: MENE: God has audited your kingdom—and has ended it.

26"This is the interpretation of the message: 'MENE '-- God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it.

27TEKEL: You've been weighed on the scales—and you don't measure up.

27"'TEKEL '-- you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.

28PERES: Your kingdom has been divided—and will be given to the Medes and Persians."

28"'PERES '-- your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians."

29Then Belshazzar gave orders to clothe Daniel in purple, to place a chain of gold around his neck, and to proclaim him the third highest ruler of the kingdom.

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 night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was killed,

30That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain.

31 and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of 62.

31So Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org