Daniel 5:1-19

Daniel 5:1-19

[1] Belshazzar  the king  made  a great  feast  to a thousand  of his lords,  and drank  wine  before  the thousand.  [2] Belshazzar,  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  [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,  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.  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  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