Daniel 5:5-9
Context5:5 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.
[5:5] 2 sn The mention of the lampstand in this context is of interest because it suggests that the writing was in clear view.
[5:5] 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.
[5:6] 4 tn Aram “[the king’s] brightness changed for him.”
[5:6] 5 tn Aram “his thoughts were alarming him.”
[5:6] 6 tn Aram “his loins went slack.”
[5:7] 7 tn Aram “in strength.”
[5:7] 8 tn Aram “cause to enter.”
[5:7] 9 tn Aram “answered and said.”
[5:7] 10 sn Purple was a color associated with royalty in the ancient world.
[5:7] 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).
[5:8] 12 tc Read וּפִשְׁרֵהּ (ufishreh) with the Qere rather than וּפִשְׁרָא (ufishra’) of the Kethib.
[5:9] 13 tn Aram “his visage altered upon him.” So also in v. 10.