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 6who is one of the captives from Judah, whom my 7father the king brought from Judah? 14 I have heard of you, that nthe 8Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now othe 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 9explain enigmas. pNow 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, qthe Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your 1father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor. 19 And because of the majesty that He gave him, rall peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he sexecuted; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down. 20 tBut 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 udriven 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, vtill he 2knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.

22 “But you his son, Belshazzar, whave not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. 23 xAnd you have 3lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the yvessels of 4His 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, zwhich do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand aand owns all your ways, you have not glorified. 24 Then the 5fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.

25 “And this is the inscription that was written:

6MENE, MENE, 7TEKEL, 8UPHARSIN

26 This is the interpretation of each word. Mene: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; 27 Tekel: bYou have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; 28 Peres: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the cMedes and dPersians.” 929 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 ethat he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Belshazzar’s Fall

30 fThat very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. 31 gAnd Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

The Plot Against Daniel

6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; 2 and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, abecause an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. 4 bSo the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”

6 So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: c“King Darius, live forever! 7 All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have dconsulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the elaw of the Medes and Persians, which 1does not alter.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open ftoward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees gthree times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.

11 Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12 hAnd they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: “Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?”

The king answered and said, “The thing is true, iaccording to the law of the Medes and Persians, which 2does not alter.”

13 So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, jwho is 3one of the captives from Judah, kdoes not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”

14 And the king, when he heard these words, lwas greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he 4labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15 Then these men 5approached the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is mthe law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”

16 So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.” 17 nThen a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, oand the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.

Daniel Saved from the Lions

18 Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no 6musicians were brought before him. pAlso his sleep 7went from him. 19 Then the qking arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 And when he came to the den, he cried out with a 8lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, rhas your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”

21 Then Daniel said to the king, s“O king, live forever! 22 tMy God sent His angel and ushut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.”

23 Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, vbecause he believed in his God.