Belshazzar’s Feast
Later, 1King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. Est 1:3Gen 40:20Mrk 6:21-22Isa 21:4-5Isa 22:12Isa 22:14Jer 51:39Jer 51:57 Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father 2had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. Dan 1:22Ki 24:132Ki 25:15Dan 5:23Ezr 1:7-11Jer 27:16-222Ch 11:202Ch 15:16
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. As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone. Dan 5:23Hab 2:19Psa 135:15-18Rev 9:20-21Act 17:29Isa 40:19-20Isa 42:8Isa 46:6-7
The Handwriting on the Wall
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, Dan 4:31Dan 5:24-281Th 5:2-3Col 2:14Job 20:5Dan 4:33Dan 5:15Dan 5:8 his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together. Dan 7:28Ezk 7:17Nam 2:10Dan 4:5Ezk 21:7Psa 69:23Dan 4:19Dan 5:9-10
The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, 3 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.” Dan 5:16Dan 5:29Dan 2:48Gen 41:42-44Dan 2:6Dan 6:2-3Dan 2:2Est 10:2-3
So all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or interpret it for him. Dan 2:27Dan 4:7Gen 41:8Dan 5:15Isa 47:12-15Isa 47:9 Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face grew even more pale, and his nobles were bewildered. Dan 5:6Dan 2:1Isa 13:6-8Isa 21:2-4Jer 6:24Dan 10:8Jer 30:6Job 18:11-14
Hearing the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen 4entered the banquet hall. “O king, may you live forever!” she said. “Do not let your thoughts terrify you, or your face grow pale. Dan 3:9Dan 2:4Dan 6:61Ki 1:311Sa 4:20-22Dan 6:21Gen 35:17-18Job 13:4 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. Dan 4:8-9Dan 2:47-48Dan 4:18Dan 5:142Sa 14:17Act 12:22Dan 2:11Gen 41:11-15
Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your own father, the king, 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.” Dan 5:14Dan 6:3Dan 1:7Dan 5:16Pro 12:26Dan 4:8Psa 16:32Ch 9:1-2
Daniel Interprets the Handwriting
So Daniel was brought before the king, who asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? Dan 6:13Dan 5:11Dan 2:25Ezr 10:16Ezr 4:1Ezr 6:16Ezr 6:19-20Jhn 7:3 I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom. Dan 5:11-12
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. Dan 5:7-8Isa 47:12Dan 2:3-11Isa 29:10-12 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.” Dan 5:7Dan 5:29Gen 40:8Act 8:18
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. 2Ki 5:16Gen 14:232Ki 3:132Ki 5:26Act 8:20Dan 2:6Dan 5:29Psa 119:46 As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor. Dan 2:37-38Dan 4:17Dan 4:22-25Act 26:13Act 26:19Act 7:48Dan 3:17-18Dan 4:2 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. Dan 2:12-13Dan 3:6Dan 3:4Dan 3:20-21Dan 3:29Dan 4:22Hab 2:5Jer 25:9-14
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. 2Ki 17:142Ch 36:13Exo 9:17Heb 3:13Jer 13:18Pro 16:18Isa 14:12-17Jer 19:15 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. Dan 4:25Ezk 17:24Dan 4:17Dan 4:35Dan 4:32-33Exo 9:14-16Job 30:3-7Psa 83:17-18
But you his son, 5 O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this. 2Ch 33:23Exo 10:32Ch 36:12Jas 4:171Pe 5:5-6Jas 4:6Act 4:8-13Act 5:29-33 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. Job 12:10Dan 4:37Isa 2:12Isa 37:23Jer 10:23Jer 50:29Job 31:4Pro 20:24 Therefore He sent the hand that wrote the inscription. Dan 5:5
Now this is the inscription that was written:
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.
And this is the interpretation of the message: Isa 47:1-15Jer 25:11-12Jer 27:7Act 15:18Dan 9:2Isa 13:1-14Isa 21:1-10Jer 50:1-46
MENE 6means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
TEKEL 7means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. Job 31:61Co 3:13Psa 62:9Ezk 22:18-20Jer 6:30Mat 22:11-12
PERES 8means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.” Dan 6:28Isa 13:17Dan 5:31Isa 21:2Isa 45:1-2Dan 8:20Dan 9:1Dan 8:3-4
Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom. Dan 5:16Dan 5:7
That very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans 9was slain, Jer 51:31Jer 51:39Jer 51:57Dan 5:1-2Isa 21:4-9Isa 47:9Jer 51:11 and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two. Dan 9:1Dan 6:1