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Daniel

Chapter 5
1~~Belshazzar the king held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand.

{Note: Nebuchadnezzar died in 562 BC. The Chaldean Empire staggered and eventually collapsed. His son Amel-Marduk ruled for a while but was so detrimental to the nation, his brother-in-law, Neriglissar, had him killed and took control. He ruled briefly and was succeeded by his son Labashi-Marduk who was assassinated after nine months. In 556 BC a noble, Nabonidus cam to the throne. In 1856, the British archeologist, Sir H. C. Rawlinson translated cuneiform inscriptions naming Belshazzar as the eldest son of Nabonidus. At the time of this party, in early 539BC, General Gobryas, a Persian commander under Cyrus, defeated the Chaldeans at Opis and Sippar. Only the double-walled city of Babylon remained to be captured.}

2~~When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar, his father {grandfather} had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; in order that the king, and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines, might drink from them.

3~~Then they brought the gold vessels that were taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king, and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines, drank from them.

4~~They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of bronze, iron, wood, and of stone.

5~~Suddenly the fingers of a man's hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing.

6~~Then the king's face grew pale, and his thoughts alarmed him; and his hip joints went slack, and his knees began knocking together.

7~~The king called aloud to bring in the conjurers, the Chaldeans, and the diviners. And the king spoke, and said to the wise men of Babylon, "Any man who can read this inscription and explain its interpretation to me will be clothed with purple, and have a necklace of gold around his neck, and have authority as third ruler in the kingdom."

8~~Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or make known its interpretation to the king.

9~~Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his face grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed.

10~~The queen entered the banquet hall because of the words of the king and his nobles; the queen spoke and said, "O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you or your face be pale."

11~~"There is a man in your kingdom in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father {grandfather} illumination, insight, and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. And, King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father the king, appointed him chief of the magicians, conjurers, Chaldeans, and diviners."

12~~"This was because an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanations of enigmas, and solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be summoned, and he will declare the interpretation."

13~~Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Are you that Daniel, who is the one of the exiles from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah?"

14~~"Now I have heard about you . . . that a spirit of the gods is in you . . . and that illumination, insight, and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you."

15~~"Just now the wise men {and} the conjurers were brought in before me that they might read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not declare the interpretation of the message."

16~~"And I personally have heard about you . . . that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read the inscription and make its interpretation known to me, you will be clothed with purple and {wear} a necklace of gold around your neck and you will have authority as the third {ruler} in the kingdom."

17~~Then Daniel answered and said before the king, "Keep your gifts for yourself, or give your rewards to another, however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the interpretation known to him."

18~~"O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty, grandeur, glory and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father."

19~~"And because of the grandeur which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations, and {men of every} language feared and trembled before him; whomever he wished he killed, and whomever he wished he spared alive, and whomever he wished he elevated, and whomever he wished he humbled."

20~~"But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne, and {his} glory was taken away from him."

21~~"He was also driven away from mankind, and his heart was made like {that of} beasts, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind, and that He sets over it whomever He wishes."

22~~"Yet you his son, O Belshazzar, has not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this."

23~~"But you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heavens; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But the God in whose hand are your life-breath {nishmetk} and your ways, you have not glorified."

24~~"Then the hand was sent from Him {Jesus Christ}; and this inscription was written out/recorded."

{Daniel sees that 4 Chaldean words are to be added to the Word of God}
25~~ "And this is the writing that was written, 'MENE {'MENE' represents the leaders at this party are being numbered} . . . MENE {'MENE again -being numbered now are the- others within the walls of Babylon}, TEKEL {'TEKEL'- means being weighed - for Belshazzar himself - an unbeliever} . . . UPHARSIN {it is SHATTERED - 'UPHARSIN' - the empire will be broken in pieces}."

26~~"This is the interpretation of the message . . . MENE . . . God has numbered your kingdom, and caused it to come to an end."

27~~ "TEKEL . . . YOU are weighed on the scales, and are found wanting/deficient."

{Note: Without Jesus Christ the scales are weighed against Divine Judgement - condemnation of the unbeliever,}

28~~"PERES . . . The kingdom has now received division . . . and given to the Medes and Persians."

{Note: Daniel is saying the attack now is already underway.}

{Daniel made 3rd in power}
29~~Then Belshazzar gave orders, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and {put} a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he {now} had the authority as the third {ruler} in the kingdom.

30~~That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain.

31~~So Darius the Median received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.