1King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them.
2As Belshazzar was drinking the wine, he ordered the gold and silver cups that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem to be brought out so that the king and his nobles, his wives and concubines, could drink from them.
3So they brought the gold cups that had been taken from the house of God’s temple in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and concubines, drank from them.
4As they drank wine, they praised the gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5Suddenly, the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the palace wall near the lampstand. The king saw the part of the hand as it wrote.
6Then the king's face turned pale, and his thoughts terrified him. His legs gave way, and his knees knocked together.
7The king loudly called for the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the fortunetellers to be brought in. The king spoke to the wise men of Babylon and said, “Whoever can read this writing and explain its meaning to me will be dressed in purple, wear a gold chain around his neck, and become the third most powerful ruler in the kingdom.”
8Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or explain its meaning to the king.
9King Belshazzar became very worried, and his face turned pale, and his nobles were confused.
10The queen, hearing the words of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. The queen spoke and said, “May the king live forever! Don’t let your thoughts trouble you, and don’t let your face be pale.
11There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods. In your father’s time, he was found to have insight, understanding, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, made him leader of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and fortunetellers.
12because Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, had an outstanding spirit, and knowledge, and understanding; he could interpret dreams, explain mysteries, and solve difficult problems. So, have Daniel called, and he will tell us the interpretation.
13Then Daniel was brought in to the king. The king asked Daniel, "Are you Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah?"
14I have heard about you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, understanding, and exceptional wisdom.
15Now, the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and explain its meaning, but they could not show its interpretation.
16But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve difficult problems. So now, if you can read the writing and explain its meaning to me, you will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around your neck, and be the third most powerful ruler in the kingdom.
17Then Daniel answered the king, "You can keep your gifts and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and explain its meaning."
18King, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar the kingdom, with greatness, glory, and majesty.
19Because of the greatness God gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. He killed whomever he wanted, and kept alive whomever he wanted; he promoted whomever he wanted, and humbled whomever he wanted.
20But when his heart became proud and his spirit stubborn, he was removed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him.
21He was driven away from people and lived with wild donkeys; he ate grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of men and appoints whomever he wishes over them.
22But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all of this.
23Instead, you have set yourself against the Lord of heaven. You had the vessels from his Temple brought before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines, drank wine from them. You praised gods of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which cannot see, hear, or know, but you have not honored the God who holds your very breath in his hand and controls all your ways.
24Therefore, the hand was sent from him, and this writing was inscribed.
25This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
26This is the interpretation of the words: MENE: God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end.
27TEKEL means you have been weighed on the scales and found to be too light.
28PERES means your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
29Then Belshazzar gave orders, and they dressed Daniel in purple clothes, put a gold chain around his neck, and announced that he would be the third most powerful ruler in the kingdom.
30That very night, Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans, was killed.
31Darius the Mede received the kingdom when he was about sixty-two years old.