5:5 At that very moment the fingers of a human hand appeared 1 and wrote on the plaster of the royal palace wall, opposite the lampstand. 2 The king was watching the back 3 of the hand that was writing. 5:6 Then all the color drained from the king’s face 4 and he became alarmed. 5 The joints of his hips gave way, 6 and his knees began knocking together. 5:7 The king called out loudly 7 to summon 8 the astrologers, wise men, and diviners. The king proclaimed 9 to the wise men of Babylon that anyone who could read this inscription and disclose its interpretation would be clothed in purple 10 and have a golden collar 11 placed on his neck and be third ruler in the kingdom.
5:8 So all the king’s wise men came in, but they were unable to read the writing or to make known its 12 interpretation to the king. 5:9 Then King Belshazzar was very terrified, and he was visibly shaken. 13 His nobles were completely dumbfounded.
1 tn Aram “came forth.”
2 sn The mention of the lampstand in this context is of interest because it suggests that the writing was in clear view.
3 tn While Aramaic פַּס (pas) can mean the palm of the hand, here it seems to be the back of the hand that is intended.
4 tn Aram “[the king’s] brightness changed for him.”
5 tn Aram “his thoughts were alarming him.”
6 tn Aram “his loins went slack.”
7 tn Aram “in strength.”
8 tn Aram “cause to enter.”
9 tn Aram “answered and said.”
10 sn Purple was a color associated with royalty in the ancient world.
11 tn The term translated “golden collar” here probably refers to something more substantial than merely a gold chain (cf. NIV, NCV, NRSV, NLT) or necklace (cf. NASB).
12 tc Read וּפִשְׁרֵהּ (ufishreh) with the Qere rather than וּפִשְׁרָא (ufishra’) of the Kethib.
13 tn Aram “his visage altered upon him.” So also in v. 10.