1 BELSHAZZAR the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
2 Belshazzar, whiles 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 therein.
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 plaister of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
6 Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, 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 the interpretation thereof.
9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.
10 Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:
11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing 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 shew the interpretation.
13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?
14 I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.
15 And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:
16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
18 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:
19 And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; 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 appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou 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 thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou 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 hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
28 PERES; Thy 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 threescore and two years old.

1Belshazzar the King made a great feast to a thousand of his Lords, and dranke wine before the thousand.

2Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commaunded to bring the golden and siluer vessels, which his father Nebuchad-nezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Ierusalem, that the king and his princes, his wiues, and his concubines might drinke therein.

3Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God, which was at Ierusalem, and the king and his princes, his wiues, and his concubines dranke in them.

4They drunke wine, and praised the gods of gold and of siluer, of brasse, of yron, of wood, and of stone.

5 In the same houre came forth fingers of a mans hand, and wrote ouer against the candlesticke vpon the plaister of the wall of the Kings palace, and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

6Then the kings countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the ioints of his loines were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

7The king cried aloud to bring in the Astrologers, the Caldeans, and the soothsayers: and the king spake and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoeuer shall reade this writing, and shewe me the interpretation thereof, shall bee clothed with scarlet, and haue a chaine of gold about his necke, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdome.

8Then came in all the kings wise men, but they could not reade the writing, nor make knowen to the king the interpretation thereof.

9Then was King Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lordes were astonied.

10 Now the queene, by reason of the wordes of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house, and the queene spake and said, O king, liue for euer: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed.

11There is a man in thy kingdom, in whome is the spirit of the holy gods, and in the dayes of thy father light and vnderstanding and wisedome like the wisedome of the gods, was found in him: whom the king Nebuchad-nezzar thy father, the king, Isay, thy father made master of the magicians, astrologers, Caldeans, and soothsayers,

12Forasmuch as an excellent spirit and knowledge and vnderstanding, interpreting of dreames, and shewing of hard sentences, & dissoluing of doubts were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shewe the interpretation.

13Then was Daniel brought in before the king, and the king spake and said vnto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captiuity of Iudah, whom the king my father brought out of Iewrie?

14I haue euen heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light, and vnderstanding, and excellent wisedome is found in thee.

15And now the wise men, the astrologers haue bene brought in before me, that they should reade this writing, and make knowen vnto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shewe the interpretation of the thing.

16And I haue heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolue doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make knowen to mee the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, & haue a chaine of gold about thy necke, and shalt bee the third ruler in the kingdome.

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thy selfe, and giue thy rewards to an other, yet I will reade the writing vnto the king, and make knowen to him the interpretation.

18O thou king, the most high God gaue Nebuchad-nezzar thy father a kingdome, and maiestie, and glory, and honour.

19And for the maiestie that hee gaue him, all people, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him: whom he would, he slew, & whom he would, he kept aliue, and whom he would hee set vp, and whom he would hee put downe.

20But when his heart was lifted vp, and his minde hardened in pride: hee was deposed from his kingly throne, and they tooke his glory from him.

21And hee was driuen from the sonnes of men, and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wilde asses: they fed him with grasse like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heauen, till hee knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdome of men, and that hee appointeth ouer it whomsoeuer he will.

22And thou his sonne, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this:

23But hast lifted vp thy selfe against the Lord of heauen, and they haue brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou and thy lords, thy wiues and thy concubines haue drunke wine in them, and thou hast praised the gods of siluer, and golde, of brasse, yron, wood and stone, which see not, nor heare, nor knowe: and the God in whose hande thy breath is, and whose are all thy wayes, hast thou not glorified.

24Then 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 VPHARSIN.

26This is the interpretation of the thing, MENE, God hath numbred thy kingdome, and finished it.

27TEKEL, thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

28PERES, thy kingdome is diuided, and giuen to the Medes and Persians.

29Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chaine of gold about his necke, and made a Proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdome.

30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Caldeans slaine.

31And Darius the Median tooke the kingdome, being about threescore and two yeere old.

I == Esth 1:3

II == 2n Sam 9:7 ; 2nd Chr 15:16 ; Jer 27:7 ; 52:19 ; Dan 1:2 ; 5:11 , 13

IV == Rev 9:20

V == Dan 4:31

VI == Isa 5:27 ; Dan 5:9 ; Nah 2:10

VII == Isa 47:13 ; Dan 2:2 ; 4:6 ; 6:2

VIII == Dan 2:27 ; 4:7

IX == Dan 2:1 ; 5:6

X == Dan 2:4 ; 3:9

XI == Dan 2:48 ; 4:8-9 , 18 ; 5:2

XII == Dan 1:7 ; 6:3

XIV == Dan 5:11-12

XV == Dan 5:7-8

XVI == Dan 5:7

XVII == Dan 2:6

XVIII == Dan 2:37-38 ; 4:17 , 22 , 25

XIX == Jer 27:7 ; Dan 3:4

XX == Ex 18:11 ; Dan 4:30 , 37

XXI == Dan 4:17 , 25 , 32-37

XXII == 2nd Chr 33:23 ; 36:12

XXIII == Ps 115:5-6 ; Jer 10:23 ; Dan 5:3-4

XXVII == Job 31:6 ; Ps 62:9 ; Jer 6:30

XXVIII == Isa 21:2 ; Dan 5:31 ; 6:28 ; 9:1

XXIX == Dan 5:73

XXX == Jer 51:31 , 39 , 57

XXXI == Dan 9:1

1 King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords, with whom he drank.

2 Under the influence of the wine, he ordered the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar, his father, had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, to be brought in so that the king, his lords, his wives and his entertainers might drink from them.

3 When the gold and silver vessels taken from the house of God in Jerusalem had been brought in, and while the king, his lords, his wives and his entertainers were drinking

4 wine from them, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.

5 Suddenly, opposite the lampstand, the fingers of a human hand appeared, writing on the plaster of the wall in the king's palace. When the king saw the wrist and hand that wrote,

6 his face blanched; his thoughts terrified him, his hip joints shook, and his knees knocked.

7 The king shouted for the enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers to be brought in. "Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means," he said to the wise men of Babylon, "shall be clothed in purple, wear a golden collar about his neck, and be third in the government of the kingdom."

8 But though all the king's wise men came in, none of them could either read the writing or tell the king what it meant.

9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly terrified; his face went ashen, and his lords were thrown into confusion.

10 When the queen heard of the discussion between the king and his lords, she entered the banquet hall and said, "O king, live forever! Be not troubled in mind, nor look so pale!

11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy God; during the lifetime of your father he was seen to have brilliant knowledge and god-like wisdom. In fact, King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers,

12 because of the extraordinary mind possessed by this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. He knew and understood how to interpret dreams, explain enigmas, and solve difficulties. Now therefore, summon Daniel to tell you what this means."

13 Then Daniel was brought into the presence of the king. The king asked him, "Are you the Daniel, the Jewish exile, whom my father, the king, brought from Judah?

14 I have heard that the spirit of God is in you, that you possess brilliant knowledge and extraordinary wisdom.

15 Now, the wise men and enchanters were brought in to me to read this writing and tell me its meaning, but they could not say what the words meant.

16 But I have heard that you can interpret dreams and solve difficulties; if you are able to read the writing and tell me what it means, you shall be clothed in purple, wear a gold collar about your neck, and be third in the government of the kingdom."

17 Daniel answered the king: "You may keep your gifts, or give your presents to someone else; but the writing I will read for you, O king, and tell you what it means.

18 The Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar a great kingdom and glorious majesty.

19 Because he made him so great, the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Whomever he wished, he killed or let live; whomever he wished, he exalted or humbled.

20 But when his heart became proud and his spirit hardened by insolence, he was put down from his royal throne and deprived of his glory;

21 he was cast out from among men and was made insensate as a beast; he lived with wild asses, and ate grass like an ox; his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of men and appoints over it whom he will.

22 You, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this;

23 you have rebelled against the Lord of heaven. You had the vessels of his temple brought before you, so that you and your nobles, your wives and your entertainers, might drink wine from them; and you praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, that neither see nor hear nor have intelligence. But the God in whose hand is your life breath and the whole course of your life, you did not glorify.

24 By him were the wrist and hand sent, and the writing set down.

25 "This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, TEKEL, and PERES. These words mean:

26 MENE, God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it;

27 TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting;

28 PERES, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians."

29 Then by order of Belshazzar they clothed Daniel in purple, with a gold collar about his neck, and proclaimed him third in the government of the kingdom.

30 The same night Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was slain:

Things went down hill in Babylon after the death of Nebuchadnezzar. His son, Evil-Merodach ruled two years and was murdered by Neriglissar, his brother-in-law. He ruled four years and is called Nergal-Sharezer in Jer. 39:3,13. When he died, his young son, Labashi Murduk reigned two months before he was assassinated by Nabonidus who reigned 17 years.  He restored idol temples and brought glory back to the faltering kingdom. He was gone 10 of his 17 years and appointed his oldest son Belshazzar as co-regent, so he is here called king and had kingly authority.

v 1. This feast was probably held in the 55’x165’ plastered wall room which has been excavated and would seat 1000 . Belshazzar felt secure because of the massive outer walls and the food supplies which would have lasted a siege of 20 years.

v 2-4. The feast itself showed contempt for the enemies outside, and drinking to false gods from the temple vessels showed his contempt for God.

v 5-9. Belshazzar was apparently standing addressing the group when all saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the wall. He probably fell from the violence of his knees knocking etc. As could be expected, he called for all diviners to interpret the writing, offering third position in the kingdom (he had second), but none were able.

v 10-12. The Queen Mother, his mother or grandmother, heard the noise of the terrified men and came into the banquet hall. By saying his “father” she is saying his ancestor. He was probably Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson through his mother. She counseled him to call Daniel, whose ability she has witnessed.

v 13-16. When the king was sure of Daniel’s identity, he made him the same offer.

v 17-21. Daniel is content to make the interpretation without the gifts. He details how the true God had prospered Nebuchadnezzar, humbled him for his pride, making him to act like a beast, and restored him when he recognized the sovereignty of God.

v 22-24. Daniel rebuked Belshazzar for knowing these things, (royalty would have known but the general population would not have.) yet he had defied God. 

v 25. After rebuking the king, Daniel reads the three simple words.

v 26,27. Using God’s standard of measurement, Belshazzar was too light on the balance scales. Found wanting could be read, found and condemned.

v 28. In interpreting the meaning, Daniel changes the plural, Uppharsin, to the singular, Peres. His kingdom would be broken up and given to Medes and Persians. By changing to singular, and changing the vowel, Peres results in Persian.

v 29-31. Instead of being angry, the king kept his word and rewarded Daniel. His title as third ruler was short lived though, because the king was killed when Babylon was taken that very night by Darius. Comments on him in chapter six.
Darius’ armies had built a canal up river to divert the water into a lake. When it went down, his armies were able to enter under the sluice gates at both the north and south ends of the city. This would have been a risky tactic if those areas had been guarded. They were able to conquer the city without a fight, and it was three days before some of the people knew the city had fallen. This fulfilled  prophecy of Daniel as well as Isa. 47:1-5. This fall is said to be Oct. 12, 539 BC.