Daniel Chapter 5
King James Version (KJV)
Other Translations
asv (asv) - eBible.org engASV USFM
1
that thou shalt be driven from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen, and shalt be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee; till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
2
And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.
3
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if there may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
4
All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
5
At the end of twelve months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon.
6
The king spake and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling-place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?
7
While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven,
8
saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from thee:
9
and thou shalt be driven from men; and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen; and seven times shall pass over thee; until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
10
The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hair was grown like eagles’
11
feathers, and his nails like birds’
12
claws.
13
And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation;
14
and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
15
At the same time mine understanding returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added unto me.
16
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
17
Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
18
Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink therefrom.
19
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 lords, his wives and his concubines, drank from them.
20
They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
21
In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
22
Then the king’s countenance was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
23
The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spake and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
24
Then came in all the king’s wise men; but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation.
25
Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed.
26
Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever; let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed.
27
There is a 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, were found in him; and the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king,
28
I say, thy father, made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
29
forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of dark sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.
30
Then was Daniel brought in before the king. The king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, who art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?
31
I have heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in thee.
darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext
1
Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his nobles, and drank wine before the thousand.
2
Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines, might drink in them.
3
Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house ofGod which was at Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines, drank in them.
4
They drank wine, and praised thegods of gold and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
5
In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
6
Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
7
The king cried aloud to bring in the magicians, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
8
Then came in all the king's wise men, but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation.
9
Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his nobles were confounded.
10
— The queen, by reason of the words of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet-house. The queen spoke and said, O king, live for ever! let not thy thoughts trouble thee, neither let thy countenance be changed.
11
There is a man in thy kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holygods; and in the days of thy father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of thegods was found in him; and the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, [even] the king thy father, made him master of the scribes, magicians, Chaldeans, [and] astrologers;
12
forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and solving of problems, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.
13
Then was Daniel brought in before the king. The king spoke and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?
14
And I have heard of thee, that the spirit of thegods is in thee, and [that] light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.
15
And now the wise men, the magicians, 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.
16
But I have heard of thee, that thou canst give interpretations, and solve problems. Now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
17
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet will I read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
18
O thou king, the Most HighGod gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty;
19
and for the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, 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 exalted, and whom he would he humbled.
20
But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit hardened unto presumption, he was deposed from the throne of his kingdom, and they took his glory from him;
21
and he was driven from the sons of men, and his 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 bathed with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the Most HighGod ruleth over the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
22
And thou, Belshazzar, his son, hast not humbled thy heart, although thou knewest all this;
23
but hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of the heavens; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou and thy nobles, thy wives and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised thegods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know; and theGod in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:
24
then from before him was sent the part of the hand, and this writing hath been written.
25
And this is the writing that is written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
26
This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE,God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it;
27
TEKEL, Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting;
28
PERES, Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
29
Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and [put] a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
30
In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.
31
And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, [being] about sixty-two years old.
vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)
1
Baltassar rex fecit grande convivium optimatibus suis mille: et unusquisque secundum suam bibebat ætatem.
2
Præcepit ergo iam temulentus ut afferrentur vasa aurea et argentea, quæ asportaverat Nabuchodonosor pater eius de templo, quod fuit in Ierusalem, ut biberent in eis rex, et optimates eius, uxoresque eius, et concubinæ.
3
Tunc allata sunt vasa aurea, et argentea, quæ asportaverat de templo, quod fuerat in Ierusalem: et biberunt in eis rex, et optimates eius, uxores et concubinæ illius.
4
Bibebant vinum, et laudabant deos suos aureos, et argenteos, æreos, ferreos, ligneosque et lapideos.
5
In eadem hora apparuerunt digiti, quasi manus hominis scribentis contra candelabrum in superficie parietis aulæ regiæ: et rex aspiciebat articulos manus scribentis.
6
Tunc facies regis commutata est, et cogitationes eius conturbabant eum: et compages renum eius solvebantur, et genua eius ad se invicem collidebantur.
7
Exclamavit itaque rex fortiter ut introducerent magos, Chaldæos, et aruspices. Et proloquens rex ait sapientibus Babylonis: Quicumque legerit scripturam hanc, et interpretationem eius manifestam mihi fecerit, purpura vestietur, et torquem auream habebit in collo, et tertius in regno meo erit.
8
Tunc ingressi omnes sapientes regis non potuerunt nec scripturam legere, nec interpretationem indicare regi.
9
Unde rex Baltassar satis conturbatus est, et vultus illius immutatus est. sed et optimates eius turbabantur.
10
Regina autem pro re, quæ acciderat regi, et optimatibus eius, domum convivii ingressa est: et proloquens ait: Rex in æternum vive: non te conturbent cogitationes tuæ, neque facies tua immutetur.
11
Est vir in regno tuo, qui spiritum deorum sanctorum habet in se: et in diebus patris tui scientia et sapientia inventæ sunt in eo: nam et rex Nabuchodonosor pater tuus principem magorum, incantatorum, Chaldæorum, et aruspicum constituit eum, pater, inquam, tuus, o rex:
12
quia spiritus amplior, et prudentia, intelligentiaque et interpretatio somniorum, et ostensio secretorum, ac solutio ligatorum inventæ sunt in eo, hoc est in Daniele: cui rex posuit nomen Baltassar. nunc itaque Daniel vocetur, et interpretationem narrabit.
13
Igitur introductus est Daniel coram rege. Ad quem præfatus rex ait: Tu es Daniel de filiis captivitatis Iudæ, quem adduxit pater meus rex de Iudæa?
14
Audivi de te quoniam spiritum deorum habeas: et scientia, intelligentiaque ac sapientia ampliores inventæ sunt in te.
15
Et nunc introgressi sunt in conspectu meo sapientes magi, ut scripturam hanc legerent, et interpretationem eius indicarent mihi: et nequiverunt sensum huius sermonis edicere.
16
Porro ego audivi de te, quod possis obscura interpretari, et ligata dissolvere: si ergo vales scripturam legere, et interpretationem eius indicare mihi, purpura vestieris, et torquem auream circa collum tuum habebis, et tertius in regno meo princeps eris.
17
Ad quæ respondens Daniel, ait coram rege: Munera tua sint tibi, et dona domus tuæ alteri da: scripturam autem legam tibi, rex, et interpretationem eius ostendam tibi.
18
O rex, Deus altissimus regnum, et magnificentiam, gloriam, et honorem dedit Nabuchodonosor patri tuo.
19
Et propter magnificentiam, quam dederat ei, universi populi, tribus, et linguæ tremebant, et metuebant eum: quos volebat, interficiebat: et quos volebat, percutiebat: et quos volebat, exaltabat: et quos volebat, humiliabat.
20
Quando autem elevatum est cor eius, et spiritus illius obfirmatus est ad superbiam, depositus est de solio regni sui, et gloria eius ablata est:
21
et a filiis hominum eiectus est, sed et cor eius cum bestiis positum est, et cum onagris erat habitatio eius: fœnum quoque ut bos comedebat, et rore cæli corpus eius infectum est, donec cognosceret quod potestatem haberet Altissimus in regno hominum: et quemcumque voluerit, suscitabit super illud.
22
Tu quoque filius eius Baltassar, non humiliasti cor tuum, cum scires hæc omnia:
23
sed adversum Dominatorem cæli elevatus es: et vasa domus eius allata sunt coram te: et tu, et optimates tui, et uxores tuæ, et concubinæ tuæ vinum bibistis in eis: deos quoque argenteos, et aureos, et æreos, ferreos, ligneosque et lapideos, qui non vident, neque audiunt, neque sentiunt, laudasti: porro Deum, qui habet flatum tuum in manu sua, et omnes vias tuas, non glorificasti.
24
Idcirco ab eo missus est articulus manus, quæ scripsit hoc, quod exaratum est.
25
Hæc est autem scriptura, quæ digesta est: MANE, THECEL, PHARES.
26
Et hæc est interpretatio sermonis. MANE: numeravit Deus regnum tuum, et complevit illud.
27
THECEL: appensus es in statera, et inventus es minus habens.
28
PHARES: divisum est regnum tuum, et datum est Medis, et Persis.
29
Tunc iubente rege indutus est Daniel purpura, et circumdata est torques aurea collo eius: et prædicatum est de eo quod haberet potestatem tertius in regno suo.
30
Eadem nocte interfectus est Baltassar rex Chaldæus.
31
Et Darius Medus successit in regnum annos natus sexagintaduos.
web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV
1
Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
2
Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded that the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem be brought to him, that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink from them.
3
Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of God’s house which was at Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, drank from them.
4
They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of bronze, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
5
In the same hour, the fingers of a man’s hand came out and wrote near the lamp stand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace. The king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
6
Then the king’s face was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his thighs were loosened, and his knees struck one against another.
7
The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and shows me its interpretation shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
8
Then all the king’s wise men came in; but they could not read the writing, and couldn’t make known to the king the interpretation.
9
Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, and his face was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed.
10
The queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house. The queen spoke and said, “O king, live forever; don’t let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your face be changed.
11
There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him. The king, Nebuchadnezzar, your father—yes, the king, your father—made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers,
12
because an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting of dreams, showing of dark sentences, and dissolving of doubts were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.”
13
Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?
14
I have heard of you, that the spirit of the gods is in you and that light, understanding, and excellent wisdom are found in you.
15
Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known to me its interpretation; but they could not show the interpretation of the thing.
16
But I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and dissolve doubts. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
17
Then Daniel answered before the king, “Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
18
“To you, king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty.
19
Because of the greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. He killed whom he wanted to, and he kept alive whom he wanted to. He raised up whom he wanted to, and he put down whom he wanted to.
20
But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.
21
He was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the animals’, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the sky, until he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and that he sets up over it whomever he will.
22
“You, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this,
23
but have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. You have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which don’t see, or hear, or know; and you have not glorified the God in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your ways.
24
Then the part of the hand was sent from before him, and this writing was inscribed.
25
“This is the writing that was inscribed: ‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.’
26
“This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE: God has counted your kingdom, and brought it to an end.
27
TEKEL: you are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting.
28
PERES: your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29
Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
30
In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean King was slain.
31
Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8
1
Belshazzar the king hath made a great feast to a thousand of his great men, and before the thousand he is drinking wine;
2
Belshazzar hath said--while tasting the wine--to bring in the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple that <FI>is<Fi> in Jerusalem, that drink with them may the king, and his great men, his wives, and his concubines.
3
Then they have brought in the vessels of gold that had been taken out of the temple of the house of God that <FI>is<Fi> in Jerusalem, and drunk with them have the king and his great men, his wives and his concubines;
4
they have drunk wine, and have praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
5
In that hour come forth have fingers of a man's hand, and they are writing over-against the candlestick, on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king is seeing the extremity of the hand that is writing;
6
then the king's countenance hath changed, and his thoughts do trouble him, and the joints of his loins are loosed, and his knees are smiting one against another.
7
Call doth the king mightily, to bring up the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. Answered hath the king, and said to the wise men of Babylon, that, `Any man who doth read this writing, and its interpretation doth shew me, purple he putteth on, and a bracelet of gold <FI>is<Fi> on his neck, and third in the kingdom he doth rule.'
8
Then coming up are all the wise men of the king, and they are not able to read the writing, and the interpretation to make known to the king;
9
then the king Belshazzar is greatly troubled, and his countenance is changing in him, and his great men are perplexed.
10
The queen, on account of the words of the king and his great men, to the banquet-house hath come up. Answered hath the queen, and said, `O king, to the ages live; let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor thy countenance be changed:
11
there is a man in thy kingdom in whom <FI>is<Fi> the spirit of the holy gods: and, in the days of thy father, light, and understanding, and wisdom--as the wisdom of the gods--was found in him; and king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, chief of the scribes, enchanters, Chaldeans, soothsayers, established him--thy father, O king--
12
because that an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of enigmas, and loosing of knots was found in him, in Daniel, whose name the king made Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and the interpretation he doth show.'
13
Then Daniel hath been caused to come up before the king; answered hath the king, and said to Daniel, `Thou art that Daniel who <FI>art<Fi> of the sons of the Removed of Judah, whom the king my father brought in out of Judah?
14
And I have heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods <FI>is<Fi> in thee, and light, and understanding, and excellent wisdom have been found in thee.
15
`And now, caused to come up before me have been the wise men, the enchanters, that this writing they may read, and its interpretation to cause me to know: and they are not able to shew the interpretation of the thing:
16
and I--I have heard of thee, that thou art able to give interpretations, and to loose knots: now, lo--thou art able to read the writing, and its interpretation to cause me to know--purple thou dost put on, and a bracelet of gold <FI> is<Fi> on thy neck, and third in the kingdom thou dost rule.'
17
Then hath Daniel answered and said before the king, `Thy gifts be to thyself, and thy fee to another give; nevertheless, the writing I do read to the king, and the interpretation I cause him to know;
18
thou, O king, God Most High, a kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and honour, gave to Nebuchadnezzar thy father:
19
and because of the greatness that He gave to him, all peoples, nations, and languages were trembling and fearing before him: whom he willed he was slaying, and whom he willed he was keeping alive, and whom he willed he was raising up, and whom he willed he was making low;
20
and when his heart was high, and his spirit was strong to act proudly, he hath been caused to come down from the throne of his kingdom, and his glory they have caused to pass away from him,
21
and from the sons of men he is driven, and his heart with the beasts hath been like, and with the wild asses <FI>is<Fi> his dwelling; the herb like oxen they cause him to eat, and by the dew of the heavens is his body wet, till that he hath known that God Most High is ruler in the kingdom of men, and whom He willeth He raiseth up over it.
22
`And thou, his son, Belshazzar, hast not humbled thy heart, though all this thou hast known;
23
and against the Lord of the heavens thou hast lifted up thyself; and the vessels of His house they have brought in before thee, and thou, and thy great men, thy wives, and thy concubines, are drinking wine with them, and gods of silver, and of gold, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone, that are not seeing, nor hearing, nor knowing, thou hast praised: and the God in whose hand <FI>is<Fi> thy breath, and all thy ways, Him thou hast not honoured.
24
`Then from before Him sent is the extremity of the hand, and the writing is noted down;
25
and this <FI>is<Fi> the writing that is noted down: Numbered, Numbered, Weighed, and Divided.
26
This <FI>is<Fi> the interpretation of the thing: Numbered--God hath numbered thy kingdom, and hath finished it.
27
Weighed--Thou art weighed in the balances, and hast been found lacking.
28
Divided--Divided is thy kingdom, and it hath been given to the Medes and Persians.'
29
Then hath Belshazzar said, and they have clothed Daniel with purple, and a bracelet of gold <FI>is<Fi> on his neck, and they have proclaimed concerning him that he is the third ruler in the kingdom.
30
In that night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans is slain,
31
and Darius the Mede hath received the kingdom, when a son of sixty and two years.
Explanations by Age Level
Explain Like I'm 5
A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!
Explain Like I'm 10
Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.
Explain Like I'm 15
Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).