Daniel (warning..thought required)

The "king of astrologers": Daniel
King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. While Belshazzar was drinking, they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king, his nobles and his family drank from them. As they drank, they praised the gods of gold, silver, etc.. [1-4]
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 knees knocked together and his legs gave way. [5-6]
The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers and diviners to be brought and 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'll be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom." [7]
Then all the king's wise men came in, but they couldn't read the writing or tell the king what it meant. [8]
The queen came in and said. "There's a man around who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. Your father appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. [9-11]
This man Daniel has a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Let Daniel tell you what the writing means." [12]
So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said: [13]
"You have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you'll be clothed in purple and be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom." [14-6]
Then Daniel answered the king, "You may keep your gifts for yourself. You've set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which can't see or hear or understand. But you didn't honour the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. [17-23]
Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription. "MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN" [24-5]
"These words mean:
"God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. You've been weighed on the scales and found wanting (etc.)." [26-8]
Then at Belshazzar's command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom. That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain. [Daniel 5:1-30]

The king of wise men, the king of astrologers, is much esteemed in Israel and in the Church.


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