Chapter
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Verse
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Daniel 5:9
ESV Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his lords were perplexed.
NIV So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled.
NASB Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, his face grew even more pale, and his nobles were perplexed.
CSB Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face turned pale, and his nobles were bewildered.
NLT So the king grew even more alarmed, and his face turned pale. His nobles, too, were shaken.
KJV Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.

What does Daniel 5:9 mean?

It was terrifying enough for Belshazzar to see a ghostly hand writing on the wall in the middle of his party (Daniel 5:1–7). New panic sets in when the king realizes that his court advisors—educated men—cannot even read the words, let alone explain them (Daniel 5:8). The many guests are also shocked to see Babylonian magicians and astrologers unable to even decipher the text. The mysterious event filled the entire banquet hall with dread and astonishment. Just as pagan occultists were helpless to interpret Nebuchadnezzar's dreams (Daniel 2:10–11; 4:7), Belshazzar's men are powerless here. Eventually, Daniel will be summoned and will explain the dire meaning of these words (Daniel 5:25–28).

Haggai 2:7 anticipates an end-time event when God will "shake all nations." Ezekiel 38:19–20 predicts a time when God will display wrath using an earthquake. All the power, glory, and wisdom of Babylon could not stop the mysterious hand from writing on the wall, and in the end time no unbelievers will escape God's judgment (Revelation 6:12–17; 20:11–15).
Expand
Expand
Expand
What is the Gospel?
Download the app:
BibleRef.com is part of Got Questions Ministries

For answers to your Bible questions, please visit