UNROLL
A bare whitewashed plaster wall in a vast dim hall, lit gold by a tall bronze lampstand; at the bottom the edge of a long banquet table with a gold cup fallen on its side.

The writing on the wall

Daniel 5

If your life were weighed tonight, what would matter?

31 verses≈ 7 min1 personBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1Exiles at courtBabylon, 605 BC: four young men and the king’s food
  2. 2The king’s dreamAbout 603 BC: a statue, a stone, a kingdom forever
  3. 3The fiery furnaceThree men who would not bow
  4. 4The great treeNebuchadnezzar humbled, then praising God
  5. 5The writing on the wall539 BC: Belshazzar’s feast, Babylon’s last nightChapter 5
  6. 6The lions’ denDarius the Mede, and a man who kept praying
  7. 7Four beasts and the Son of ManBelshazzar’s first year: the kingdoms again
  8. 8The ram and the goatMedia and Persia, Greece, and a proud horn
  9. 9Seventy weeksDarius’s first year: Daniel’s prayer and Gabriel’s answer
  10. 10–12The last visionCyrus’s third year: kings, the end, and the rising

Belshazzar’s Feast

Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them.

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The Handwriting on the Wall

Close on a whitewashed plaster wall beside a tall bronze lampstand, its lamp flames leaning as if in a draft; dark fresh gouges in the plaster lie in deep shadow, out of focus.

At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace.

As the king watched the hand that was writing, his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together.

Belshazzar

The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

So all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or interpret it for him. Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face grew even more pale, and his nobles were bewildered.

The queen
The queen

Hearing the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen entered the banquet hall. “O king, may you live forever!” she said. “Do not let your thoughts terrify you, or your face grow pale.

The queen

There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your own father, the king,

did this because Daniel, the one he named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, as well as knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Summon Daniel, therefore, and he will give you the interpretation.”

Question

Quick question

The wise men of Babylon could not read the writing, and the king was more terrified than ever.

Who told the king to send for Daniel?

Daniel Interprets the Handwriting

Belshazzar
Belshazzar

So Daniel was brought before the king, who asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom.

Belshazzar

Now the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this inscription and interpret it for me, but they could not give its interpretation. But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

Daniel

In response, Daniel said to the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him.

Daniel

As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor. Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted whom he wished and humbled whom he wished.

Daniel
Gray dawn in a wet open pasture: a lone man far off among grazing oxen, seen from behind, long matted hair, dew on the grass, the sky wide.

But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him. He was driven away from mankind, and his mind was like that of a beast. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, setting over it whom He wishes.

Daniel

But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this. Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand.

Daniel

But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.

Daniel 5:23

Daniel

Therefore He sent the hand that wrote the inscription.

Now this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.

Daniel

And this is the interpretation of the message: MENE means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”

Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom.

Gray dawn in an empty palace hall: lamps burned out, cushions scattered, a gold cup on its side on a low table, the plaster wall in shadow.

That very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain, and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.

0:09

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Reflect

Even though you knew

Belshazzar knew what had happened to Nebuchadnezzar and still did not humble his heart. What do you already know about God that you have not yet let change you? Write it down, and tell Him honestly.

You’ve experienced

Daniel 5

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A verse to carry with you

But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.

Daniel 5:23

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