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Daniel 5:5-12
English Standard Version
Daniel 5:5-12
English Standard Version
5 (A)Immediately (B)the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw (C)the hand as it wrote. 6 (D)Then the king's color changed, (E)and his thoughts alarmed him; (F)his limbs gave way, and (G)his knees knocked together. 7 (H)The king called loudly to bring in (I)the enchanters, the (J)Chaldeans, and (K)the astrologers. The king declared[a] to the wise men of Babylon, (L)“Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and (M)shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” 8 Then all the king's wise men came in, but (N)they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly (O)alarmed, and his (P)color changed, and his (Q)lords were perplexed.
10 The queen,[b] because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, (R)“O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you (S)or your color change. 11 There is a man in your kingdom (T)in whom is the spirit of the holy gods.[c] In the days of your father, (U)light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king—(V)made him chief of the magicians, (W)enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, 12 (X)because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and (Y)understanding (Z)to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and (AA)solve problems were found in this Daniel, (AB)whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Daniel 5:7 Aramaic answered and said; also verse 10
- Daniel 5:10 Or queen mother; twice in this verse
- Daniel 5:11 Or Spirit of the holy God
Daniel 5:5-12
New International Version
Daniel 5:5-12
New International Version
5 Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. 6 His face turned pale(A) and he was so frightened(B) that his legs became weak(C) and his knees were knocking.(D)
7 The king summoned the enchanters,(E) astrologers[a](F) and diviners.(G) Then he said to these wise(H) men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck,(I) and he will be made the third(J) highest ruler in the kingdom.”(K)
8 Then all the king’s wise men(L) came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant.(M) 9 So King Belshazzar became even more terrified(N) and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled.
10 The queen,[b] hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “May the king live forever!”(O) she said. “Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale! 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods(P) in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom(Q) like that of the gods.(R) Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners.(S) 12 He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar,(T) was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles(U) and solve difficult problems.(V) Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.(W)”
Footnotes
- Daniel 5:7 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 11
- Daniel 5:10 Or queen mother
Daniel 5:5-12
King James Version
Daniel 5:5-12
King James Version
5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister 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, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, 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 thereof.
9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.
10 Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:
11 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, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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