Daniel 5:5-9

Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Handwriting on the Wall

⁵ At that moment the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the king’s palace wall next to the lampstand. As the king watched the hand^[a] that was writing, ⁶ his face turned pale,^[b] and his thoughts so terrified him that his hip joints shook and his knees knocked together. ⁷ The king called out to bring in the mediums, Chaldeans, and astrologers. He said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and gives me its interpretation will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around his neck,^(A) and have the third highest position in the kingdom.” ⁸ So all the king’s wise men came in, but none could read the inscription or make its interpretation known to him. ⁹ Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face turned pale,^[c] and his nobles were bewildered.^(B)