Daniel 5:15-31 ▼

15 Now 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.

16 But 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.”

17 In response, Daniel (God is my judge) 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.

18 As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar (may Nebo protect the crown) sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.

19 Because 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.

20 But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit {ruacheh} was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him.

21 He 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.

22 But you his son (descendant), O Belshazzar (Bel protect the king), have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this.

23 Instead, 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.

24 Therefore He sent the hand that wrote the inscription.

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

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

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

28 PERES (Persia) means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes (middle land) and Persians (pure / splendid).”

29 Then Belshazzar (Bel protect the king) gave the command, and they clothed Daniel (God is my judge) in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom.

30 That very night Belshazzar (Bel protect the king) king of the Chaldeans (the Babylonians) was slain,

31 and Darius (lord) the Mede (middle land) received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.