In the Book of Daniel, Belshazzar plays a significant role in the tale of Belshazzar's feast, a variation on the story of Nebuchadnezzar's madness showing what happens when a gentile king does not repent.[17] During a feast, Babylonians eat and drink from the holy vessels of Yahweh's temple, and "king" Belshazzar sees a hand writing the words mene, mene, tekel, upharsin on a wall.[18] Daniel interprets the writing as a judgment from Yahweh, the god of Israel, foretelling the fall of Babylon.[19] Daniel tells Belshazzar that because he has not given honor to God, his kingdom will be given to the Medes and Persians.[18] Belshazzar is killed that night, and Darius the Mede takes the kingdom.[20]