Daniel 5:1-16 ▼

1 Baltasar the king made a great supper for his thousand nobles, and there was wine before the thousand.

2 And Baltasar drinking gave orders as he tasted the wine that they should bring the gold and silver vessels, which Nabuchodonosor his father had brought forth from the temple in Jerusalem; that the king, and his nobles, and his mistresses, and his concubines, should drink out of them.

3 So the gold and silver vessels were brought which Nabuchodonosor had taken out of the temple of God in Jerusalem; and the king, and his nobles, and his mistresses, and his concubines, drank out of them.

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

5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote in front of the lamp on the plaster of the wall of the king's house: and the king saw the knuckles of the hand that wrote.

6 Then the king's countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one another.

7 And the king cried aloud to bring in the magicians, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; and he said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and make known to me the interpretation, shall be clothed with scarlet, and there shall be a golden chain upon his neck, and he shall be the third ruler in my kingdom.

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

9 And king Baltasar was troubled, and his countenance changed upon him, and his nobles were troubled with him.

10 Then the queen came into the banquet house, and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, and let not thy countenance be changed.

11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the Spirit of God; and in the days of thy father watchfulness and understanding were found in him; and king Nabuchodonosor thy father made him chief of the enchanters, magicians, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.

12 For there is an excellent spirit in him, and sense and understanding in him, interpreting dreams as he does , and answering hard questions , and solving difficulties: it is Daniel, and the king gave him the name of Baltasar: now then let him be called, and he shall tell thee the interpretation of the writing.

13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king: and the king said to Daniel, Art thou Daniel, of the children of the captivity of Judea, which the king my father brought?

14 I have heard concerning thee, that the Spirit of God is in thee, and that watchfulness and understanding and excellent wisdom have been found in thee.

15 And now, the wise men, magicians, and soothsayers, have come in before me, to read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation: but they could not tell it me.

16 And I have heard concerning thee, that thou art able to make interpretations: now then if thou shalt be able to read the writing, and to make known to me the interpretation of it, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and there shall be a golden chain upon thy neck, and thou shalt be third ruler in my kingdom.