Belshazzar’s Feast 2 UDB While he was drinking, he commanded that his servants bring him the gold and silver cups that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem. He did this so that he and his officials, his wives, and his concubines could drink from them. BSB BSB: Under 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.
3 UDB So his servants brought in all those gold cups that had been taken from the temple in Jerusalem. Then the king and his officials and his wives and his concubines drank wine from those cups. BSB BSB: Thus 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.
4 UDB They drank wine and praised their idols that were made of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. BSB BSB: As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.
The Handwriting on the Wall 5 UDB Suddenly they saw across from the lampstand a man's hand and fingers. The hand was writing on the plaster wall in the palace. The king saw the hand as it was writing. BSB BSB: At 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,
6 UDB He became very frightened, and his face became pale. His knees started shaking and his legs became very weak and could not support him. BSB BSB: his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together.
7 UDB Then he shouted to his servants to bring those who claimed to speak with the dead, the wise men, and the astrologers in Babylon. He said, "I will greatly honor any one of you who can read this writing and tell me what it means. I will give that person a purple robe like I wear because I am the king, and I will put a gold chain around his neck. I will make him the third most powerful ruler in my kingdom." BSB BSB: The 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.”
8 UDB But when all those wise men came in, none of them could read the writing or tell him what it meant. BSB BSB: So all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or interpret it for him.
9 UDB So King Belshazzar became more afraid. His face was changed and he looked different. None of his officials knew how they could help him. BSB BSB: Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face grew even more pale, and his nobles were bewildered.
10 UDB The queen came to the place where they were eating. She heard what the king had said and that his nobles did not know how to help him. She said, "O king, may you live forever! Do not be upset about this or let this change the way you look. BSB BSB: Hearing 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.
11 UDB There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. When Nebuchadnezzar was ruling, he found that this man understood many things and was wise, just like the gods. Nebuchadnezzar appointed him to be in charge of the magicians, of those who speak with the dead, of the wise men, and of the astrologers. BSB BSB: There 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,
12 UDB His name is Daniel, but the king gave him the name Belteshazzar. He is a person who can be trusted. He is very intelligent and understands many hidden things. He is able to tell the meaning of dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems that few others can solve. Call for him to come here, and he will tell you what this writing means." BSB BSB: did 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.”
Daniel Interprets the Handwriting 13 UDB So they went and brought Daniel in. The king asked him, "You are the famous Daniel, are you not?—one of those that my father brought here from Judah. BSB BSB: So Daniel was brought before the king, who asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah?
14 UDB I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you and that you understand many things and have excellent wisdom. BSB BSB: I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom.
15 UDB There were men who are known for their wisdom and others who speak with the dead, and they tried to read the writing on this wall and to tell me what it means, but they could not do it. BSB BSB: 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 UDB Someone told me that you can explain what dreams mean and that you can make things understandable that others cannot know. If you can read these words and tell me what they mean, I will give you a purple robe like I wear because I am the king, and I will put a gold chain around your neck, and I will make you the third most powerful ruler in the kingdom." BSB BSB: 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 UDB Daniel replied and said to the king, "I do not want your gifts. Keep them for yourself and give the rewards to some other person. I will read what is written on the wall for you, but not because you give me any reward. BSB BSB: In 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.
18 UDB Your Majesty, the Most High God caused Nebuchadnezzar, the man who was king before you, to become a great ruler. He was greatly praised and honored. BSB BSB: As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.
19 UDB Because God made him very great, everyone—every nation, no matter what language they spoke—was afraid of him, and they trembled at what he could do. He put to death those whom he decreed should die, and he kept alive those whom he decreed should live. He honored those whom he chose to honor, and he brought disgrace to those whom he wanted to humble. BSB BSB: 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 UDB But when he became very proud and stubborn, he was unable to rule any longer. BSB BSB: But 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.
21 UDB He had to go away from other human beings because he lost his sanity. God caused him to have a mind like animals have. He lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like an ox, and dew from the sky made his body wet every morning. He was like that until he learned that the Most High God is the only one who rules the kingdoms of this world and that he appoints whomever he chooses to rule those kingdoms. BSB BSB: 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 UDB Now, Belshazzar, you have become king in your father's place. You knew all these things, but you have not made yourself humble. BSB BSB: But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this.
23 UDB You have put yourself above the Lord who rules in heaven. You called for the cups from the house of God in Jerusalem so that you could use them to drink wine. You and your officials and your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from these cups and toasting your own gods—gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. Those gods cannot see, they cannot hear, and they do not know anything! But you have not honored God, who gives you breath and who controls everything that happens to you. BSB BSB: 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 UDB So God sent this hand to write a message for you on the wall. BSB BSB: Therefore He sent the hand that wrote the inscription.
25 UDB This is the message that it wrote: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Pharsin. BSB BSB: Now this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.
26 UDB This is what those words mean: 'Mene' means 'numbered.' That means that God has been counting the days that you will rule, and he has decided that you will not rule anymore. BSB BSB: And this is the interpretation of the message: MENE means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
27 UDB 'Tekel' means 'weighed.' God has weighed you on a scale, and you do not weigh what you should. BSB BSB: TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.
28 UDB 'Peres' means 'divided.' God has divided your kingdom. It will be ruled by people from Media and by people from Persia." BSB BSB: PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”
31 UDB Darius, king of Media, became the king of Babylonia when he was sixty-two years old. BSB BSB: and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.