Daniel 5
Expanded Bible
The Writing on the Wall
5 King Belshazzar [C along with his father, Nabonidus, the last ruler of Babylon] ·gave a big banquet [L served a large meal] for a thousand ·royal [noble; important] guests and drank wine with ·them [L the thousand]. 2 As Belshazzar ·was drinking his wine [L tasted the wine; C he was under the influence of the wine], he gave orders to bring the gold and silver cups that his ·ancestor Nebuchadnezzar [L father; predecessor; C not his literal father; v. 1] had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem [1:2]. This was so the king, his ·royal [noble; important] guests, his wives, and his ·slave women [L concubines; C secondary wives] could drink from those cups. 3 So they brought the gold cups that had been taken from the Temple of God in Jerusalem. And the king and his ·royal [noble; important] guests, his wives, and his ·slave women [L concubines; v. 2] drank from them. 4 As they were drinking, they praised their gods, which were made from gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5 Suddenly the fingers of a person’s hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote.
6 ·King Belshazzar was very frightened [L The king’s thoughts terrified him]. His face turned ·white [pale], his knees knocked together, and ·he could not stand up because his legs were too weak [the strength left his legs; L his hips went loose; C the idiom may mean he wet himself]. 7 The king called loudly for the ·magicians [enchanters], ·wise men [L Chaldeans; C a group of astrologers], and ·wizards [exorcists] of Babylon and said to ·them [L the wise men of Babylon], “Anyone who can read this writing and explain ·it [L its interpretation] will be clothed in purple [C befitting a king] and have a gold chain around his neck. And I will make that person the third highest ruler in the kingdom [C after Nabonidus and Belshazzar; v. 1; Gen. 41:42; Esth. 8:15].”
8 Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king ·what it meant [its interpretation]. 9 King Belshazzar became even more ·afraid [terrified], and his face became even ·whiter [paler]. His ·royal [important; noble] guests were ·confused [agitated].
10 Then the queen [C the queen mother, since the king’s wives were already present], who had heard the ·voices [discussion] of the king and his ·royal [noble; important] guests, came into the banquet room. She said, “O king, live forever! Don’t ·be afraid [L let your thoughts terrify you] or let your face ·be white with fear [turn pale]! 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has ·the spirit of the holy gods [or a holy, divine spirit in him]. In the days of your father [v. 2], this man showed understanding, knowledge, and wisdom like the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, put this man in charge of all the ·wise men [L Chaldeans; C a group of astrologers], ·fortune-tellers [enchanters], ·magicians [diviners], and ·wizards [exorcists]. 12 The man I am talking about is named Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar [1:7]. He ·was very wise [L has an excellent spirit] and had knowledge and understanding. He could ·explain [interpret] dreams and ·secrets [riddles] and ·could answer very hard [unravel] problems. Call for Daniel. He will tell you ·what the writing on the wall means [its interpretation].”
13 So they brought Daniel to the king, and the king asked, “Are you Daniel one of the ·captives [exiles] my father the king brought from Judah [C trying to put Daniel in his place]? 14 I have heard that ·the spirit of the gods [or a divine spirit] is in you, and that you are very wise and have knowledge and ·extraordinary [excellent] understanding. 15 The wise men and ·magicians [enchanters] were brought to me to read this writing and to explain ·what it means [its interpretation], but they could not ·explain it [give me its interpretation]. 16 I have heard that you are able to ·explain what things mean [give interpretations] and can ·find the answers to hard [unravel] problems. Read this writing on the wall and ·explain it to me [give me its interpretation]. If you can, I will clothe you in purple [C befitting a king] and give you a gold chain to wear around your neck. And you will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom [v. 7].”
17 Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself, or you may give those rewards to someone else. But I will read the writing [C on the wall] for you and will explain to you ·what it means [its interpretation].
18 “O king, the Most High God ·made your father Nebuchadnezzar a great, important, and powerful king [L gave your father Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, greatness, splendor, and glory]. 19 Because God made him ·important [great], all the people, nations, and ·those who spoke every language [L tongues] ·were very frightened [L trembled with fear in front] of Nebuchadnezzar. If he wanted someone to die, he killed that person. If he wanted someone to live, he let that person live. Those he wanted to ·promote [honor], he ·promoted [honored]. Those he wanted to ·be less important [abase; degrade], he ·made less important [abased; degraded].
20 “But ·Nebuchadnezzar became too proud [L his heart was exalted/lifted up] and ·stubborn [L his spirit became hard with insolence], so he was taken off his royal throne. His glory was ·taken [stripped] away. 21 He was ·forced away [driven] from people, and his mind became like the mind of an animal. He lived with the wild donkeys and was fed grass like an ox and became wet with dew. These things happened to him until he learned: The Most High God ·rules [is sovereign] over every kingdom ·on earth [L of humans], and he sets anyone he chooses over those kingdoms.
22 “Belshazzar, you, his [C Nebuchadnezzar’s] ·son [descendant; or successor; C not his literal son; v. 1], already knew these things. Still you have not ·been sorry for what you have done [L humbled your heart]. 23 Instead, you have ·set yourself [exalted yourself] against the Lord of heaven. You ordered the drinking cups from the Temple of the Lord to be brought to you. Then you and your ·royal [important; noble] guests, your wives, and your ·slave women [concubines; C secondary wives] drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone that cannot see or hear or understand anything [C they are not really gods]. You did not honor God, who has power over your ·life [very breath] and ·everything you do [all your ways]. 24 So ·God sent [L before his presence was sent] the hand that wrote.
25 “These are the words that were written: ‘Mene, mene, tekel, and parsin.’
26 “This is ·what the words mean [L the interpretation of the matter]: Mene [C “Numbered”]: God has ·counted [numbered] the days until your kingdom will end. 27 Tekel [C “Weighed”]: You have been weighed on the scales and found ·not good enough [deficient; lacking; T wanting]. 28 Parsin [C “Divided”]: Your kingdom is being divided and will be given to the Medes and the Persians [C from the Iranian plateau].”
29 Then Belshazzar gave an order for Daniel to be dressed in purple clothes [C befitting a king] and to have a gold chain put around his neck. And it was announced that Daniel was the third highest ruler in the kingdom [v. 7]. 30 That very same night Belshazzar, king of the ·Babylonian people [L Chaldeans], was killed. 31 So Darius the Mede ·became the new king [L received the kingdom] when he was sixty-two years old [C when the Persians defeated the Babylonians; 539 bc].
Daniel 5
New King James Version
Belshazzar’s Feast
5 Belshazzar the king (A)made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. 2 While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels (B)which his [a]father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought the gold (C)vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank wine, (D)and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.
5 (E)In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster 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 changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his (F)knees knocked against each other. 7 (G)The king cried [b]aloud to bring in (H)the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; (I)and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” 8 Now all the king’s wise men came, (J)but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly (K)troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were [c]astonished.
10 The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came to the banquet hall. The queen spoke, saying, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change. 11 (L)There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your [d]father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your [e]father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. 12 Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and [f]explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, (M)whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”
The Writing on the Wall Explained
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke, and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel [g]who is one of the captives from Judah, whom my [h]father the king brought from Judah? 14 I have heard of you, that (N)the [i]Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now (O)the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not give the interpretation of the thing. 16 And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and [j]explain enigmas. (P)Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
17 Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O king, (Q)the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your [k]father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor. 19 And because of the majesty that He gave him, (R)all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he (S)executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down. 20 (T)But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. 21 Then he was (U)driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, (V)till he [l]knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.
22 “But you his son, Belshazzar, (W)have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. 23 (X)And you have [m]lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the (Y)vessels of [n]His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, (Z)which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand (AA)and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. 24 Then the [o]fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.
25 “And this is the inscription that was written:
[p]MENE, MENE, [q]TEKEL, [r]UPHARSIN.
26 This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; 27 TEKEL: (AB)You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; 28 PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the (AC)Medes and (AD)Persians.”[s] 29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him (AE)that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Belshazzar’s Fall
30 (AF)That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. 31 (AG)And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
Footnotes
- Daniel 5:2 Or ancestor
- Daniel 5:7 Lit. with strength
- Daniel 5:9 perplexed
- Daniel 5:11 Or ancestor
- Daniel 5:11 Or ancestor
- Daniel 5:12 Lit. untying knots
- Daniel 5:13 Lit. who is of the sons of the captivity
- Daniel 5:13 Or ancestor
- Daniel 5:14 Or spirit of the gods
- Daniel 5:16 Lit. untie knots
- Daniel 5:18 Or ancestor
- Daniel 5:21 Recognized
- Daniel 5:23 Exalted
- Daniel 5:23 The temple
- Daniel 5:24 Lit. palm
- Daniel 5:25 Lit. a mina (50 shekels) from the verb “to number”
- Daniel 5:25 Lit. a shekel from the verb “to weigh”
- Daniel 5:25 Lit. and half-shekels from the verb “to divide”; pl. of Peres, v. 28
- Daniel 5:28 Aram. Paras, consonant with Peres
Daniel 5
English Standard Version
The Handwriting on the Wall
5 (A)King Belshazzar (B)made a great feast for a thousand of his (C)lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.
2 (D)Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that (E)the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father[a] had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought in (F)the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank wine and (G)praised the (H)gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5 (I)Immediately (J)the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw (K)the hand as it wrote. 6 (L)Then the king's color changed, (M)and his thoughts alarmed him; (N)his limbs gave way, and (O)his knees knocked together. 7 (P)The king called loudly to bring in (Q)the enchanters, the (R)Chaldeans, and (S)the astrologers. The king declared[b] to the wise men of Babylon, (T)“Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and (U)shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” 8 Then all the king's wise men came in, but (V)they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly (W)alarmed, and his (X)color changed, and his (Y)lords were perplexed.
10 The queen,[c] because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, (Z)“O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you (AA)or your color change. 11 There is a man in your kingdom (AB)in whom is the spirit of the holy gods.[d] In the days of your father, (AC)light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king—(AD)made him chief of the magicians, (AE)enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, 12 (AF)because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and (AG)understanding (AH)to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and (AI)solve problems were found in this Daniel, (AJ)whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.”
Daniel Interprets the Handwriting
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “You are that Daniel, one of (AK)the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. 14 I have heard of you that (AL)the spirit of the gods[e] is in you, and that (AM)light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now (AN)the wise men, the (AO)enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but (AP)they could not show the interpretation of the matter. 16 (AQ)But I have heard that you can give interpretations and (AR)solve problems. (AS)Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, (AT)you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and (AU)shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, (AV)“Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O king, the (AW)Most High God (AX)gave (AY)Nebuchadnezzar your father (AZ)kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. 19 And because of the greatness that he gave him, (BA)all peoples, nations, and languages (BB)trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. 20 But (BC)when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, (BD)he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. 21 (BE)He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, (BF)until he knew that the (BG)Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. 22 And you his son,[f] (BH)Belshazzar, (BI)have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, 23 but you have lifted up yourself against (BJ)the Lord of heaven. And (BK)the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. (BL)And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, (BM)but the God in whose hand is your breath, and (BN)whose are all your ways, (BO)you have not honored.
24 “Then from his presence (BP)the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. 25 And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. 26 This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered[g] the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; 27 Tekel, (BQ)you have been weighed[h] in the balances and found wanting; 28 Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to (BR)the Medes and (BS)Persians.”[i]
29 Then (BT)Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel (BU)was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
30 (BV)That very night (BW)Belshazzar the (BX)Chaldean king was killed. 31 [j] And (BY)Darius (BZ)the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
Footnotes
- Daniel 5:2 Or predecessor; also verses 11, 13, 18
- Daniel 5:7 Aramaic answered and said; also verse 10
- Daniel 5:10 Or queen mother; twice in this verse
- Daniel 5:11 Or Spirit of the holy God
- Daniel 5:14 Or Spirit of God
- Daniel 5:22 Or successor
- Daniel 5:26 Mene sounds like the Aramaic for numbered
- Daniel 5:27 Tekel sounds like the Aramaic for weighed
- Daniel 5:28 Peres (the singular of Parsin) sounds like the Aramaic for divided and for Persia
- Daniel 5:31 Ch 6:1 in Aramaic
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
