Daniel 5:6

⁴ As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.

⁵ At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. As the king watched the hand that was writing,

his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together.

⁷ The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

⁸ So all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or interpret it for him.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together.
KJV: 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.
WEB: Then the king’s face was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his thighs were loosened, and his knees struck one against another.
ASV: Then the king`s countenance was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
DARBY: Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
BLB: Then the king, his countenance changed [about] him, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked, this against this.

ÅB: Da skiftet kongen farge, og hans tanker forferdet ham; hans lenders ledemot slappedes, og hans knær slo mot hverandre.
OTB: Kongens ansikt bleknet, og hans tanker skremte ham; hans ben sviktet, og knærne slo mot hverandre.
B1930: Da skiftet kongen farve, og hans tanker forferdet ham; hans lenders ledemot slappedes, og hans knær slo mot hverandre.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Daniel 7:28
Thus ends the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face turned pale. But I kept the matter to myself.”
Read in context
Nahum 2:10
She is emptied! Yes, she is desolate and laid waste! Hearts melt, knees knock, bodies tremble, and every face grows pale!
Read in context
Ezekiel 7:17
Every hand will go limp, and every knee will turn to water.
Read in context
Psalms 69:23
May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.
Read in context
Ezekiel 21:7
And when they ask, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you are to say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt, and every hand will go limp. Every spirit will faint, and every knee will turn to water.’ Yes, it is coming and it will surely happen, declares the Lord GOD.”
Read in context
Daniel 4:5
I had a dream, and it frightened me; while in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me.
Read in context
Daniel 4:19
For a time, Daniel, who was also known as Belteshazzar, was perplexed, and his thoughts alarmed him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.” “My lord,” replied Belteshazzar, “may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies!
Read in context
Isaiah 13:7–8
Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every man’s heart will melt.
Read in context