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Daniel 5:7

Babylon

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,

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

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.

9 Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face grew even more pale, and his nobles were bewildered.

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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.

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BSB
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.”
KJV
The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
WEB
The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and shows me its interpretation shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
ASV
The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spake and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
DARBY
The king cried aloud to bring in the magicians, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
BLB
The king called out with strength to bring in the enchanters, the astrologers, and the diviners. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon that, “Any man who can read this writing and show to me its interpretation, with purple he shall be clothed, and a chain of gold [shall be] around his neck, and [as] the third in the kingdom he shall rule!”
ÅB
Og kongen ropte med høy røst at de skulle hente åndemanerne, kaldeerne og sannsigerne. Så tok han da til orde og sa til Babels vismenn: Den mann som leser denne skrift og kunngjør meg dens uttydning, han skal klæs i purpur og få en gullkjede om sin hals, og i makt skal han være den tredje i riket.
OTB
Kongen ropte ut at man skulle hente inn åndemanerne, kaldeerne og spåmennene. Han erklærte for de vise menn i Babylon: "Den som leser denne skriften og forklarer dens mening, skal bli kledd i purpur, få en gullkjede om halsen og bli den tredje høyeste herskeren i riket."
B1930
Og kongen ropte med høi røst at de skulde hente åndemanerne, kaldeerne og sannsigerne. Så tok han da til orde og sa til Babels vismenn: Den mann som leser denne skrift og kunngjør mig dens uttydning, han skal klæs i purpur og få en gullkjede om sin hals, og i makt skal han være den tredje i riket.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Daniel 5:16

    But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

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  • Daniel 5:29

    Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom.

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  • Daniel 2:48

    Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many generous gifts. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.

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  • Genesis 41:42–44

    Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck.

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  • Daniel 2:6

    But if you tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and its interpretation.”

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  • Daniel 6:2–3

    and over them three administrators, including Daniel, to whom these satraps were accountable so that the king would not suffer loss.

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  • Ezekiel 16:11

    I adorned you with jewelry, and I put bracelets on your wrists and a chain around your neck.

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  • Daniel 2:2

    So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers to explain his dreams. When they came and stood before the king,

    Read in context