Daniel 5

Weighed in the Balances and Found Wanting

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The Banquet of King Baltasar

5:prefaceKing Baltasar held a great reception on the day of the dedication of his royal buildings and invited two thousand men from among his magnates. On that day Baltasar, elated by wine and boasting, praised all the nations’ cast and carved gods in his place, but gave no praise to God Most High. That very night fingers like a human’s came out and inscribed on the plaster of his house’s wall, opposite the lamp, “Mane, Phares, Thekel.” Their interpretation is: Mane, “It has been numbered”; Phares, “It has been taken away”; Thekel, “It has been weighed.”

5:1King Baltasar held a great banquet for his companions and drank wine.

5:2His heart was exalted, and he ordered the gold and silver vessels of God’s house that his father Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem to be brought in, and wine poured in them for his companions.

5:3They were brought, and they drank from them,

5:4and blessed their handmade idols. But they did not bless the everlasting God, who had authority over their breath.

The Fingers Writing on the Wall

5:5At that very hour fingers like those of a human hand came out and wrote on the plaster of his house’s wall, opposite the light and before King Baltasar. He saw a hand writing.

5:6His appearance changed, and fears and apprehensions pressed upon him. The king hurried and rose to look at that writing, while his companions around him were boasting.

5:7The king cried out with a loud voice to summon the incantation-singers, sorcerers, Chaldeans, and gazarenes to report the writing’s interpretation. They came in to inspect the writing, but could not interpret it for the king. Then the king issued a decree: “Any man who explains the writing’s interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold necklace placed upon him, and he will be given authority over a third part of the kingdom.”

5:8The incantation-singers, sorcerers, and gazarenes came in, but no one could report the writing’s interpretation.

5:9Then the king summoned the queen about the sign and explained to her how great it was, and that no one could report the writing’s interpretation to the king.

The Queen Remembers Daniel

5:10Then the queen mentioned to him Daniel, who was from the captivity of Judea,

5:11and said to the king, “The man was knowledgeable and wise, surpassing all Babylon’s wise men,

5:12and a holy spirit is in him. In the days of your father the king, he explained extraordinary interpretations to Nebuchadnezzar your father.”

5:13Then Daniel was brought before the king, and the king addressed him:

5:16“O Daniel, can you explain the writing’s interpretation to me? I will clothe you in purple and place a gold necklace upon you, and you will have authority over a third part of my kingdom.”

Daniel Reads the Writing

5:17Then Daniel stood opposite the writing and read it. He answered the king in this way: “This is the writing: ‘It has been numbered, it was reckoned, it has been taken away.’ The hand that wrote came to a stop. This is their interpretation:

5:23O king, you held a banquet for your friends and drank wine. The vessels of the living God’s house were brought to you, and you and your magnates drank from them and praised all the idols made by human hands. But you did not bless the living God. Your breath is in His hand, and He gave you your kingdom, yet you neither blessed Him nor offered Him praise.

Your Time of Kingship Is Finished

5:26–28This is the writing’s interpretation: your time of kingship has been numbered; your kingdom is ending. Your kingdom has been cut short and brought to completion; it is given to the Medes and Persians.

Daniel Clothed in Purple

5:29Then King Baltasar clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold necklace upon him, and gave him authority over a third part of his kingdom.

5:30The interpretation came upon King Baltasar; the kingship was taken from the Chaldeans and given to the Medes and Persians.

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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.