📖 Daniel — Chapter 5 (KJV)
Read the complete King James Version chapter below, then explore the passage sections, check what you remember, and keep your private study notes.
Scripture source: Project Gutenberg KJV, ebook 10.
Daniel 5:1 Belshazzar the king Rmade a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
Daniel 5:2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring Rthe golden and silver vessels which his Tfather Nebuchadnezzar had Ttaken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.
Daniel 5:3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.
Daniel 5:4 They drank wine, and Rpraised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
Daniel 5:5 In Rthe same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
Daniel 5:6 Then the king’s Tcountenance Twas changed, Rand his thoughts troubled him, so that the Tjoints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
Daniel 5:7 The king cried RTaloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with Tscarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Daniel 5:8 Then came in all the king’s wise men: Rbut they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.
Daniel 5:9 Then was king Belshazzar Rgreatly troubled, and his Tcountenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.
Daniel 5:10 Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, RO king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:
Daniel 5:11 There is Ra man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
Daniel 5:12 Forasmuch as Ran excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, Tinterpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and Tdissolving of Tdoubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.
Daniel 5:13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, RArt thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my Tfather brought out of Jewry?
Daniel 5:14 I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.
Daniel 5:15 And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:
Daniel 5:16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst Tmake interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, Rthou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Daniel 5:17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, RLet thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy Trewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
Daniel 5:18 RO thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:
Daniel 5:19 And for the majesty Rthat he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.
Daniel 5:20 But Rwhen his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened Tin pride, he was Tdeposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
Daniel 5:21 And Rhe was driven from the sons of men; and This heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
Daniel 5:22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, Rhast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
Daniel 5:23 But hast Rlifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:
Daniel 5:24 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.
Daniel 5:25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
Daniel 5:26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; RGod hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
Daniel 5:27 TEKEL; RThou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
Daniel 5:28 PERES; RThy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
Daniel 5:29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and Rthey clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Daniel 5:30 RIn that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.
Daniel 5:31 And RDarius the Median took the kingdom, Tbeing Tabout threescore and two years old.
📚 Study This Chapter
📖 What We’re Reading
Daniel 5:1–12 — Sacred vessels and sudden writing interrupt a feast
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
Belshazzar’s feast uses vessels taken from Jerusalem while praising manufactured gods. A hand writes on the wall, terrifying the king; failed counselors lead to the queen’s recommendation of Daniel.
Key Truth: Do not turn received privilege into contempt for holy things.
Check What You Remember
1. Complete the KJV wording: “____ the king made a great feast to a thousand of …” (Daniel 5:1)
Find it in Daniel 5:1 (KJV).
2. Complete the KJV wording: “They drank wine, and praised the gods of ____ , and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, …” (Daniel 5:4)
Find it in Daniel 5:4 (KJV).
3. Complete the KJV wording: “Forasmuch as an excellent ____ , and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing …” (Daniel 5:12)
Find it in Daniel 5:12 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
Daniel 5:13–23 — Daniel recalls a lesson the king has ignored
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
Offered gifts and position, Daniel first recalls Nebuchadnezzar’s power and humbling. Belshazzar knew that history but still exalted himself against the Lord of heaven rather than honoring the God who holds his breath.
Key Truth: Learn from known correction instead of repeating pride.
Check What You Remember
1. Complete the KJV wording: “… unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the ____ of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father …” (Daniel 5:13)
Find it in Daniel 5:13 (KJV).
2. Complete the KJV wording: “O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy ____ a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:” (Daniel 5:18)
Find it in Daniel 5:18 (KJV).
3. Complete the KJV wording: “… wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of ____ , and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which …” (Daniel 5:23)
Find it in Daniel 5:23 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
Daniel 5:24–31 — The writing announces a kingdom’s end
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
Daniel explains numbered days, a weighed and wanting king, and a kingdom divided to the Medes and Persians. Honors are given to Daniel, but Belshazzar dies that night and Darius receives the kingdom.
Key Truth: Do not confuse immediate honors with escape from accountability.
Check What You Remember
1. Complete the KJV wording: “____ was the part of the hand sent from him; and …” (Daniel 5:24)
Find it in Daniel 5:24 (KJV).
2. Complete the KJV wording: “____ ; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes …” (Daniel 5:28)
Find it in Daniel 5:28 (KJV).
3. Complete the KJV wording: “And ____ the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two …” (Daniel 5:31)
Find it in Daniel 5:31 (KJV).
Related Scripture (KJV)
Daniel 4:37 — The earlier testimony explicitly says proud people can be humbled.
This related passage is selected for its connection with this chapter. It is separate from the chapter text.
Reflect and Apply
What lesson you already know should now change your conduct?
Advanced Questions and Answers
Study this chapter’s wording, patterns, contrasts, and meaning in greater depth.
1. Which summary best distinguishes Daniel 5:1–12 (Sacred vessels and sudden writing interrupt a feast) from the chapter’s other sections?
2. Which summary best distinguishes Daniel 5:13–23 (Daniel recalls a lesson the king has ignored) from the chapter’s other sections?
3. Which summary best distinguishes Daniel 5:24–31 (The writing announces a kingdom’s end) from the chapter’s other sections?
4. What makes Belshazzar’s lack of humility especially accountable?
5. What does being weighed in the balances signify here?
Notes
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