Daniel 5:6-9

5:6 Then all the color drained from the king’s face ¹  and he became alarmed. ²  The joints of his hips gave way, ³  and his knees began knocking together. 5:7 The king called out loudly ⁴  to summon ⁵  the astrologers, wise men, and diviners. The king proclaimed ⁶  to the wise men of Babylon that anyone who could read this inscription and disclose its interpretation would be clothed in purple ⁷  and have a golden collar ⁸  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 ⁹  interpretation to the king. 5:9 Then King Belshazzar was very terrified, and he was visibly shaken. ¹⁰  His nobles were completely dumbfounded.

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¹ tn Aram “[the king’s] brightness changed for him.”

² tn Aram “his thoughts were alarming him.”

³ tn Aram “his loins went slack.”

⁴ tn Aram “in strength.”

⁵ tn Aram “cause to enter.”

⁶ tn Aram “answered and said.”

⁷ sn Purple was a color associated with royalty in the ancient world.

⁸ 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).

⁹ tc Read וּפִשְׁרֵהּ (ufishreh) with the Qere rather than וּפִשְׁרָא (ufishra’) of the Kethib.

¹⁰ tn Aram “his visage altered upon him.” So also in v. 10.