“Therefore, G-d is now foretelling your future. This is the meaning of the words: Mene – G-d has numbered your kingdom and finished it. Tekel – You are weighed in the balances and are found wanting. Pharsin – Your kingdom is divided and will be given to the Medes and Persians.”
Balshatzar was so awed with Daniel that he clothed him with scarlet and placed a chain of gold around his neck and he proclaimed that Daniel should be the third ruler in his kingdom.
The King Is Slain
Balshatzar began to fear for his life. He posted guards about his palace and instructed them to let no person enter without his permission.
“If you see a person trying to enter at a late hour, even if he tells you that he is your king, don’t believe him but immediately remove his head.”
That night Balshatzar could not sleep. Perhaps his guards were lax. Slipping out of his room, he quietly passed through his guards to test them if they were alert. But when he tried to get back into his room he was accosted by a soldier.
“I am your king, you fool!” he cried.
“We were warned against such an incident,” replied the soldier. “You can’t fool me, you are an imposter, for the king would not be wandering about at this hour.” Drawing his sword, he killed the king.
When the other soldiers gathered around the slain king they soon realized what had happened. Fearing retribution, they cut off his head and placed it in a sack and ran towards the camps of Cyrus and Darius.
Approaching the camps of the opposing warriors, they were stopped, and when they explained their mission they were immediately ushered in. They then explained everything that had transpired.
Darius arose and exclaimed; “Now I am convinced that the G-d of Israel is the true G-d. If He is willing, when I will become king of Babylon, I will permit the Jews to return to their land and I will give them back all the vessels which were taken from them.”
G-d listened to his pleas and he became the next king of Babylon.
