Belshazzer, The Condemned King

King Belshazzer seen here gripping one of his many drunken wives while he swears to give away a third of his kingdom to the man who can interpret the message written in code above his throne. A hand appeared out of nowhere a wrote the inscription, ""Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin!" One of King Belshazzer's wives claims that the elderly prophet Daniel can interpret the writing.

 

Description of Photograph:  taken from the old Silent Film, "Intolerance" and paired with the following "Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom." Daniel 5:7

"Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote.  His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking."

"The king summoned the enchanters, astrologers and diviners. Then he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means 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.” 

"Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant. So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled." 

"The queen, hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “May the king live forever!” she said. “Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale! ¹¹ There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. ¹² He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.” Daniel 5 1-12

Daniel 5:7 in mauve.

Tan version of Daniel 5:7.

Blue version of Daniel 5:7.

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