| | |
| RF DAN 5:1 | (538 B.C.) The Pride, Wickedness, and Fall of Bel-Shazzar.
The King Bel-Shazzar made a great supper for a thousand of his Nobles, and drank wine with the thousand Lords. |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:2 | Bel-Shazzar while excited by wine, commanded to bring the cups of gold and silver which Nebukadnezzar his ancestor had brought from the Temple at Jerusalem, that the King, his Nobles, his wives, and concubines might drink from them |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:3 | So they brought the cups of gold which had been carried from the Temple of the House of GOD, at Jerusalem, and the King and his Nobles, with his wives and concubines drank from them. |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:4 | They drank wine, and praised the Gods of gold, and silver, brass, iron, wood and stone. |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:5 | The Writing on the Wall.
In the same hour the fingers of a man's hand appeared, and wrote opposite the lamp on the wall of the Palace of the King,—and the King watched the portion of a hand as it wrote. |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:6 | Then the brightness of the King changed, and his thoughts troubled him, and the joints of his loins were relaxed, and his knees struck one against the other. |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:7 | The King therefore cried loudly to bring the Mathematicians, Astronomers, and Lawyers, whom the King addressed, and said to the Scientists of Babel;— "Whatever man can read that writing, and explain its meaning, shall be clothed in purple, and have a chain of gold put on his neck, and shall be one of the three Governors of the Empire! |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:8 | Then all the King's Scientists entered, but they were not able to read the writing, or to explain the meaning of it to the King. |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:9 | King BelShazzar was consequently greatly troubled and the brightness of his expression was changed, and his Advisers were perplexed. |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:10 | Because of the consternation of the King and his Counsellors, the Queen Dowager came into the banqueting house, and addressed the King and said, "May you live for ever, King! Let not your thoughts trouble you, or your expression change.— |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:11 | There is a man in your Empire in whom is the spirit of the HOLY GODS; and in the times of your ancestors, light and intelligence and science, like the science of the Gods, was found in him, and King Nebukadnezzar your ancestor appointed him chief of the Engineers, Enchanters, Astronomers, and Mathematicians, |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:12 | because a spirit of light, and knowledge, and understanding in the explanation of Dreams, the solution of problems, and loosening of difficulties was found in him,—in Daniel,—by the king, who appointed him as Prince of Bel. So let Daniel be called, and he will explain the problem." |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:13 | Bel-Shazzar's Offer to Daniel if he Reads the Writing on the Wall.
Daniel was therefore brought before the King; when the King addressed him and said to Daniel, "Are you the Daniel of the sons of the Captives who were brought by my Ancestor from Judea? |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:14 | For I have heard that the spirit of the Gods is in you, and light, and intelligence, and that supreme science is found in you. |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:15 | Now the Scientists, and Enchanters, have been brought to me to read that Inscription and explain its meaning, but they are not able to explain the meaning of the phenomenon. |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:16 | But I have heard about you, that you could explain it clearly, and solve its difficulties. Therefore if you are able to read the writing, and explain its meaning, you shall be clothed in purple, and a chain of gold be put on your neck, and be of the three who govern the Empire!" |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:17 | Daniel Refuses the Reward but Reads the Writing.
Daniel, however, answered and said to the king;— "Keep your gifts to yourself And your plunder for others!—However I will read the Inscription for the King; and explain its meaning.— |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:18 | As regards yourself, King, the HIGHEST GOD gave your ancestor Nebukadnezzar this Empire, and Greatness, and Power, and Majesty;— |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:19 | And at the Grandeur given to him, all the Peoples, Nations, and Languages were trembling and fearing before him.—Whoever he decided, was murdered; and whoever he decided should live, they did live; and he promoted whoever he chose, and threw down whoever he determined. |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:20 | But when his heart became exalted, and his mind overbearingly insolent, he was driven from the throne of his Empire, and they took his glory from him, |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:21 | and he was driven from mankind, and lived with the beasts, and dwelt among the wild asses, eating grass like oxen, and was wet with the dropping rain of the skies, until that he learnt that the HIGHEST GOD rules over the Kingdoms of Men, and places whoever He decides over them.— |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:22 | Yet you, Bel-Shazzar, his descendant, although you knew all this, have not humbled your heart, |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:23 | but have exalted yourself against the LORD of the HEAVENS and have brought the cups of His House out to yourself,—and you, your Nobles, your wives, and concubines, have drank wine from them, and honoured the Gods of silver and gold; brass, iron, wood, and stone,—who neither see, nor hear nor know;—but you have not thanked the GOD in Whose hand your breath is, and Who knows all your ways; |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:24 | from Whom, also, was sent the part of a hand that affixed this inscription. |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:25 | And this is the Inscription that is affixed:—"
'MENA, MENA, THEKEL; OH! FARSIN!'1 |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:26 | "This is the explanation of the Mandate.
"MENA. Decided-(GOD has decided about your kingdom, and destroyed it). |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:27 | "THEKEL. Weighed—(You have been weighed in the scales and found insufficient). |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:28 | "O! FARS! (Your empire is Persianized, and given to the Medes and Persians!)" |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:29 | Bel-Shazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel in scarlet, and put a chain of gold upon his neck, and proclaimed him as one of the three Rulers of the Empire! |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:30 | Bel-Shazzar King of the Kasdim was slain on that night, |
| | |
| RF DAN 5:31 | and Dariush the Mede seized the Empire, being then sixty-two years of age.
—————
1. NOTE: Ch. 5 v. 29 The exact meaning is, "Decided! Decided! Weighed—Ahoy! Persians! "—F.F.
2 NOTE: Ch. 6 v. 1, of A. V. is v. 31 of ch 5, in the original Chaldee.—F.F. |
