Discovery BoxDaniel 5:6-9 
Context5:6 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.
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.
