Berean Study Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them.

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 the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.

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.

3Thus they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king drank from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.

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 their gods of gold and silver, bronze and 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 the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. As the king watched the hand that was writing,

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.

6his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way 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 called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made 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."

8So all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or interpret it for him.

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

9Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face grew even more pale, and his nobles were bewildered.

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

10Hearing the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen entered the banquet hall. “O king, may you live forever!” she said. “Do not let your thoughts terrify you, or your face grow pale.

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 who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your own father, the king,

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.

12did this because Daniel, the one he named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, as well as knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Summon Daniel, therefore, and he will give you the interpretation.”

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."

13So Daniel was brought before the king, who asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father 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 have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, 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.

15Now the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this inscription and interpret it for me, but they could not give its interpretation.

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.

16But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made 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."

17In response, Daniel said to the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him.

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.

18As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.

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

19Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted whom he wished and humbled whom he wished.

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 his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken 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 mankind, and his mind was like that of a beast. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, setting over it whom He wishes.

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.

22But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this.

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

23Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath 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.

24Therefore He sent the hand that wrote the inscription.

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

25Now this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.

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

26And this is the interpretation of the message: MENE means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.

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

27TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.

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

28PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”

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

29Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in 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 very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain,

30That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain.

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

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

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