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he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the
royal palace in Babylon. 30 As he looked out
across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great
city of Babylon! By my own mighty power,
I have built this beautiful city as my royal
residence to display my majestic splendor.’
31 “While these words were still in his
mouth, a voice called down from heaven,
‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for
you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom.
32 You will be driven from human society. You
will live in the fields with the wild animals,
and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven
periods of time will pass while you live this
way, until you learn that the Most High rules
over the kingdoms of the world and gives
them to anyone he chooses.’
33 “That same hour the judgment was
fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven
from human society. He ate grass like a
cow, and he was drenched with the dew
of heaven. He lived this way until his hair
was as long as eagles’ feathers and his
nails were like birds’ claws.
Nebuchadnezzar Praises God
34 “After this time had passed,
I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven.
My sanity returned, and I praised and
worshiped the Most High and honored
the one who lives forever.
35
His rule is everlasting,
and his kingdom is eternal.
All the people of the earth
are nothing compared to him.
He does as he pleases
among the angels of heaven
and among the people of the earth.
No one can stop him or say to him,
‘What do you mean by doing these
things?’
36 “When my sanity returned to me, so
did my honor and glory and kingdom. My
advisers and nobles sought me out, and I
was restored as head of my kingdom, with
even greater honor than before.
37 “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and
glorify and honor the King of heaven. All
his acts are just and true, and he is able
to humble the proud.”
The Writing on the Wall
Many years later King Belshazzar gave a
great feast for 1,000 of his nobles, and he
drank wine with them. 2 While Belshazzar was
drinking the wine, he gave orders to bring in the
gold and silver cups that his predecessor,* Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem. He wanted to drink from them with his
5
5:2 Aramaic father; also in 5:11, 13, 18. 5:7 Or Chaldeans;
also in 5:11.
DANIEL 5
nobles, his wives, and his concubines. 3 So they
brought these gold cups taken from the Temple,
the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and
his nobles, his wives, and his concubines drank
from them. 4 While they drank from them they
praised their idols made of gold, silver, bronze,
iron, wood, and stone.
5 Suddenly, they saw the fingers of a human
hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s
palace, near the lampstand. The king himself
saw the hand as it wrote, 6 and his face turned
pale with fright. His knees knocked together in
fear and his legs gave way beneath him.
7 The king shouted for the enchanters, astrologers,* and fortune-tellers to be brought before
him. He said to these wise men of Babylon,
“Whoever can read this writing and tell me
what it means will be dressed in purple robes
of royal honor and will have a gold chain placed
around his neck. He will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom!”
8 But when all the king’s wise men had come
in, none of them could read the writing or tell
him what it meant. 9 So the king grew even more
alarmed, and his face turned pale. His nobles,
too, were shaken.
10 But when the queen mother heard what
was happening, she hurried to the banquet
hall. She said to Belshazzar, “Long live the
king! Don’t be so pale and frightened. 11 There
is a man in your kingdom who has within him
the spirit of the holy gods. During Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, this man was found to have
insight, understanding, and wisdom like that
of the gods. Your predecessor, the king—your
predecessor King Nebuchadnezzar—made him
chief over all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers of Babylon. 12 This
man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has exceptional ability and is filled with
divine knowledge and understanding. He can
interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell
you what the writing means.”
Daniel Explains the Writing
13 So Daniel was brought in before the king. The
king asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the
exiles brought from Judah by my predecessor,
King Nebuchadnezzar? 14 I have heard that you
have the spirit of the gods within you and that
you are filled with insight, understanding, and
wisdom. 15 My wise men and enchanters have
tried to read the words on the wall and tell me
their meaning, but they cannot do it. 16 I am told
that you can give interpretations and solve difficult problems. If you can read these words and
tell me their meaning, you will be clothed in
purple robes of royal honor, and you will have
a gold chain placed around your neck. You will
become the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”