Daniel 5
1. Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a
thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. 2.
Belshazzar, 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 princes, his
wives, and his concubines, might drink from them. 3. Then 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 princes, his wives, and
his concubines, drank in them. 4. They drank wine, and praised the gods
of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. 5. In
the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against
the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and
the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6. Then the king's
facial expression was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the
joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees struck one against
another. 7. The 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 the
interpretation of it, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of
gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. 8.
Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the
writing, nor make known to the king its interpretation. 9. Then
was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his visage was changed in
him, and his lords were astounded. 10. Now the queen by reason of the
words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the
queen spoke and said, O king, live for ever: let not your thoughts
trouble you, nor let your expression be changed: 11. There 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; 12. For as much as an excellent spirit, and
knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of
hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel,
whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will
show the interpretation. 13. Then was Daniel brought in before the king.
And the king spoke and said to Daniel, Art you that Daniel, which are of
the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought
out of Jewry? 14. I have heard of you, that the spirit of
the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent
wisdom is found in you. 15. And now the wise men, the astrologers, have
been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make
known to me its interpretation: but they could not show the
interpretation of the thing: 16. And I have heard of you, that you can make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if
you can read
the writing, and make known to me the 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. 17. Then 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 to the king, and make known to
him the interpretation. 18. O king, the most high God gave
Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor:
19. And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and
languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he killed; and
whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he
would he put down. 20. But 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: 21. And he was driven from the sons of men; and his
heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild
asses: 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 appointed over it whomsoever he will. 22. And you
his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all
this; 23. But 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 hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and
stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand your
breath is, and whose are all thy ways, have you not glorified: 24.
Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was
written. 25. And this is the writing that was written, Mene, Mene, Tekel,
Upharsin. 26. This is the interpretation of the thing: Mene; God has
numbered your kingdom, and finished it. 27. Tekel; You art weighed in
the balances, and are found lacking. 28. Peres; Your kingdom is divided,
and given to the Medes and Persians. 29. Then 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. 30. In that night was Belshazzar the king of
the Chaldeans slain. 31. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being
about sixtey-two years old.
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