Daniel 5

Belshazzar's Feast and the Writing on the Wall

¹Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

²Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded that the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem be brought to him, that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink from them.

³Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of God’s house which was at Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, drank from them.

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

⁵In the same hour, the fingers of a man’s hand came out and wrote near the lamp stand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace. The king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

⁶Then the king’s face was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his thighs were loosened, and his knees struck one against another.

⁷The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and shows me its interpretation shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

⁸Then all the king’s wise men came in; but they could not read the writing, and couldn’t make known to the king the interpretation.

⁹Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, and his face was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed.

¹⁰The queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house. The queen spoke and said, “O king, live forever; don’t let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your face be changed.

¹¹There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him. The king, Nebuchadnezzar, your father—yes, the king, your father—made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers,

¹²because an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting of dreams, showing of dark sentences, and dissolving of doubts were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.”

Daniel's Interpretation of the Writing

¹³Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?

¹⁴I have heard of you, that the spirit of the gods is in you and that light, understanding, and excellent wisdom are found in you.

¹⁵Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known to me its interpretation; but they could not show the interpretation of the thing.

¹⁶But I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and dissolve doubts. 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.”

¹⁷Then Daniel answered before the king, “Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

¹⁸“To you, king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty.

¹⁹Because of the greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. He killed whom he wanted to, and he kept alive whom he wanted to. He raised up whom he wanted to, and he put down whom he wanted to.

²⁰But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.

²¹He was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the animals’, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the sky, until he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and that he sets up over it whomever he will.

²²“You, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this,

²³but have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. You have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which don’t see, or hear, or know; and you have not glorified the God in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your ways.

²⁴Then the part of the hand was sent from before him, and this writing was inscribed.

²⁵“This is the writing that was inscribed: ‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.’

²⁶“This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE: God has counted your kingdom, and brought it to an end.

²⁷TEKEL: you are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting.

²⁸PERES: your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”

The Fall of Babylon

²⁹Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

³⁰In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean King was slain.

³¹Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

Previous Daniel 4

Next Daniel 6

King Belshazzar hosts a lavish feast where he defiles the sacred vessels taken from Jerusalem's temple, using them to drink wine while praising pagan gods. God responds by sending a mysterious hand to write on the palace wall, terrifying the king and his guests. When Babylon's wise men cannot interpret the writing, Daniel is summoned and reveals that the message announces God's judgment on Belshazzar and the fall of his kingdom, which occurs that very night when the Persians conquer Babylon.

Context

This chapter continues the theme of God's sovereignty over earthly kingdoms from Daniel 4, while setting up the transition from Babylonian to Persian rule that frames the remaining chapters.

Key Themes

Outline

1-4
Belshazzar's Sacrilegious Feast The king uses Jerusalem temple vessels for drinking while praising pagan gods at his banquet.
5-9
The Mysterious Writing Appears A divine hand writes on the palace wall, terrifying Belshazzar and baffling his wise men.
10-16
Daniel Summoned to Interpret The queen mother recommends Daniel, who is brought before the king to read the writing.
17-24
Daniel's Rebuke and Warning Daniel refuses rewards and condemns Belshazzar's pride and sacrilege against God.
25-28
The Writing Interpreted Daniel reveals the message announces God's judgment and the transfer of the kingdom to the Medes and Persians.
29-31
Babylon Falls That Night Belshazzar honors Daniel but is killed as the Persians conquer Babylon, fulfilling the prophecy.

Belshazzar's Feast and the Writing on the Wall

5:1–5:12

narrative narration fearful

King Belshazzar desecrates temple vessels from Jerusalem during a feast, prompting a supernatural hand to write on the wall. The terrified king seeks interpretation from his wise men but they cannot read the mysterious writing.

person_contrast

Nebuchadnezzar appears here not as the proud king receiving divine judgment, but as the cautionary example whose humbling before God Belshazzar fatally ignores.

Daniel's Interpretation of the Writing

5:13–5:28

narrative speech solemn

Daniel interprets the writing on the wall, rebuking Belshazzar for his pride and failure to learn from Nebuchadnezzar's humbling. He declares God's judgment that the kingdom will be divided and given to the Medes and Persians.

person_contrast

Daniel's rebuke of Belshazzar uniquely positions him as both prophet and political advisor, directly confronting royal power with divine judgment in real-time rather than distant apocalyptic visions.

The Fall of Babylon

5:29–5:31

narrative narration solemn

Belshazzar honors Daniel with royal garments and position, but that same night the king is killed and Darius the Mede takes control of the kingdom, fulfilling Daniel's prophecy.

person_contrast

Daniel receives royal honors and political authority in verse 29, yet within hours becomes the highest-ranking official under a completely different empire, illustrating how divine sovereignty transcends human political transitions.

Insight Character Study

Nebuchadnezzar appears here not as the proud king receiving divine judgment, but as the cautionary example whose humbling before God Belshazzar fatally ignores.

Insight Character Study

Daniel's rebuke of Belshazzar uniquely positions him as both prophet and political advisor, directly confronting royal power with divine judgment in real-time rather than distant apocalyptic visions.

Daniel 5

Belshazzar's Feast and the Writing on the Wall

Daniel's Interpretation of the Writing

The Fall of Babylon

Belshazzar's Feast and the Writing on the Wall

Daniel's Interpretation of the Writing

The Fall of Babylon

Insights

Cross-References

Daniel 5:1 5 references

Daniel 5:2 5 references

Daniel 5:3 5 references

Daniel 5:4 5 references

Daniel 5:5 5 references

Daniel 5:6 5 references

Daniel 5:7 5 references

Daniel 5:8 5 references

Daniel 5:9 5 references

Daniel 5:10 5 references

Daniel 5:11 5 references

Daniel 5:12 5 references

Daniel 5:13 5 references

Daniel 5:14 5 references

Daniel 5:15 5 references

Daniel 5:16 5 references

Daniel 5:17 5 references

Daniel 5:18 5 references

Daniel 5:19 5 references

Daniel 5:20 5 references

Daniel 5:21 5 references

Daniel 5:22 5 references

Daniel 5:23 5 references

Daniel 5:24 5 references

Daniel 5:26 5 references

Daniel 5:28 1 reference

Daniel 5:29 5 references

Interlinear

Historical Context