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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Daniel 5 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/daniel/5.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/daniel/5-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > Daniel 5</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../daniel/4.htm" title="Daniel 4">◄</a> Daniel 5 <a href="../daniel/6.htm" title="Daniel 6">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s1">King Belshazzar's Banquet</h3><p class="par"><span class="v27_5_1"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.1" class="v27_5_1">1</span>One evening, King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his highest officials, and he drank wine with them. </span><span class="v27_5_2"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.2" class="v27_5_2">2</span>He got drunk and ordered his servants to bring in the gold and silver cups his father Nebuchadnezzar<a href="#fn" id="link_Dan.5.2!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> had taken from the temple in Jerusalem. Belshazzar wanted the cups, so that he and all his wives and officials could drink from them.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_5_3"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.3-Dan.5.4" class="v27_5_3">3-4</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Dan.5.3-Dan.5.4!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> When the gold cups were brought in, everyone at the banquet drank from them and praised their idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_5_5"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.5" class="v27_5_5">5</span>Suddenly a human hand was seen writing on the plaster wall of the palace. The hand was just behind the lampstand, and the king could see it writing. </span><span class="v27_5_6"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.6" class="v27_5_6">6</span>He was so frightened that his face turned pale, his knees started shaking, and his legs became weak.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_5_7"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.7" class="v27_5_7">7</span>The king called in his advisors, who claimed they could talk with the spirits of the dead and understand the meanings found in the stars. He told them, “The man who can read this writing and tell me what it means will become the third most powerful man in my kingdom. He will wear robes of royal purple and a gold chain around his neck.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_5_8"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.8" class="v27_5_8">8</span>All of King Belshazzar's highest officials came in, but not one of them could read the writing or tell what it meant, </span><span class="v27_5_9"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.9" class="v27_5_9">9</span>and they were completely puzzled. Now the king was more afraid than ever before, and his face turned white as a ghost.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_5_10"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.10" class="v27_5_10">10</span>When the queen heard the king and his officials talking, she came in and said:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v27_5_10">Your Majesty, I hope you live forever! Don't be afraid or look so pale. </span><span class="v27_5_11"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.11" class="v27_5_11">11</span>In your kingdom there is a man who has been given special powers by the holy gods. When your father Nebuchadnezzar was king, this man was known to be as smart, intelligent, and wise as the gods themselves. Your father put him in charge of all who claimed they could talk with the spirits or understand the meanings in the stars or tell about the future. </span><span class="v27_5_12"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.12" class="v27_5_12">12</span>He also changed the man's name from Daniel to Belteshazzar. Not only is he wise and intelligent, but he can explain dreams and riddles and solve difficult problems. Send for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_5_13"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.13" class="v27_5_13">13</span>When Daniel was brought in, the king said:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v27_5_13">So you are Daniel, one of the captives my father brought back from Judah! </span><span class="v27_5_14"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.14" class="v27_5_14">14</span>I was told that the gods have given you special powers and that you are intelligent and very wise. </span><span class="v27_5_15"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.15" class="v27_5_15">15</span>Neither my advisors nor the men who talk with the spirits of the dead could read this writing or tell me what it means. </span><span class="v27_5_16"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.16" class="v27_5_16">16</span>But I have been told that you understand everything and that you can solve difficult problems. Now then, if you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will become the third most powerful man in my kingdom. You will wear royal purple robes and have a gold chain around your neck.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_5_17"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.17" class="v27_5_17">17</span>Daniel answered:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v27_5_17">Your Majesty, I will read the writing and tell you what it means. But you may keep your gifts or give them to someone else. </span><span class="v27_5_18"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.18" class="v27_5_18">18</span>Sir, the Most High God made your father a great and powerful man and brought him much honor and glory. </span><span class="v27_5_19"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.19" class="v27_5_19">19</span>God did such great things for him that people of all nations and races shook with fear.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v27_5_19">Your father had the power of life or death over everyone, and he could honor or ruin anyone he chose. </span><span class="v27_5_20"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.20" class="v27_5_20">20</span>But when he became proud and stubborn, his glorious kingdom was taken from him. </span><span class="v27_5_21"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.21" class="v27_5_21">21</span>His mind became like that of an animal, and he was forced to stay away from people and live with wild donkeys. Your father ate grass like an ox, and he slept outside where his body was soaked with dew. He was forced to do this until he learned that the Most High God rules all kingdoms on earth and chooses their kings.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v27_5_22"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.22" class="v27_5_22">22</span>King Belshazzar, you knew all of this, but you still refused to honor the Lord who rules from heaven. </span><span class="v27_5_23"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.23" class="v27_5_23">23</span>Instead, you turned against him and ordered the cups from his temple to be brought here, so that you and your wives and officials could drink wine from them. You praised idols made of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, even though they cannot see or hear or think. You refused to worship the God who gives you breath and controls everything you do. </span><span class="v27_5_24"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.24" class="v27_5_24">24</span>That's why he sent the hand to write this message on the wall.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v27_5_25"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.25-Dan.5.28" class="v27_5_25">25-28</span>The words written there are <span class="it">mene</span>, which means “numbered,” <span class="it">tekel</span>, which means “weighed,” and <span class="it">parsin</span>,<a href="#fn" id="link_Dan.5.25-Dan.5.28!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> which means “divided.” God has numbered the days of your kingdom and has brought it to an end. He has weighed you on his balance scales, and you fall short of what it takes to be king. So God has divided your kingdom between the Medes and the Persians.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_5_29"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.29" class="v27_5_29">29</span>Belshazzar gave a command for Daniel to be made the third most powerful man in his kingdom and to be given a purple robe and a gold chain.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_5_30"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.30" class="v27_5_30">30</span>That same night, the king was killed. </span><span class="v27_5_31"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.5.31" class="v27_5_31">31</span>Then Darius the Mede, who was 62 years old, took over his kingdom.</span></p> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">5.2 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">his father Nebuchadnezzar: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Belshazzar was actually the son of King Nabonidus, who was from another family. But in ancient times, it was possible to refer to a previous king as the “father” of the present king.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">5.25-28 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">mene … tekel … parsin: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">In the Aramaic text of verse 25, the words “mene, tekel, parsin,” are used, and in verses 26-28 the words “mene, tekel, peres” (the singular of “parsin”) are used. “Parsin” means “divided,” but “peres” can mean either “divided” or “Persia.”</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Bible text from the Contemporary English Version 2nd Edition (CEV®) is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by American Bible Society, 101 North Independence Mall East, Floor 8, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2155 (<a href="http://www.americanbible.org">www.americanbible.org</a>). Learn more at <a href="http://www.cev.bible">www.cev.bible</a>. 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