Daniel 5:9 kjv
Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.
Daniel 5:9 nkjv
Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were astonished.
Daniel 5:9 niv
So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled.
Daniel 5:9 esv
Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his lords were perplexed.
Daniel 5:9 nlt
So the king grew even more alarmed, and his face turned pale. His nobles, too, were shaken.
Daniel 5 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel 5:6 | Belshazzar’s face changed, and his thoughts alarmed him. | Daniel 5:9 (Direct echo) |
| Psalm 53:5 | God scattered the bones of him that besieged thee. | Psalm 53:5 (Divine judgment) |
| Proverbs 28:1 | The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are bold. | Proverbs 28:1 (Fear vs. Boldness) |
| Isaiah 13:7-8 | All hands will grow limp, and every heart will melt. | Isaiah 13:7-8 (Similar description of fear) |
| Jeremiah 30:6 | I ask you, “Turn and see: can a man bear a child? Then why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor, and every face drained of color? | Jeremiah 30:6 (Imagery of extreme distress) |
| Nahum 2:10 | She is empty, void, and ruined—hearts melt, knees knock, bodies tremble, all faces are pale. | Nahum 2:10 (Striking parallel to Daniel 5:9) |
| Habakkuk 3:16 | I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; decay creeps into my bones, and my legs tremble beneath me. | Habakkuk 3:16 (Similar physical manifestations of fear) |
| Matthew 10:28 | Fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. | Matthew 10:28 (True object of fear) |
| Luke 21:26 | Men fainting from fear and forward-looking to the things that are coming upon the whole world. | Luke 21:26 (End times fear) |
| Revelation 6:15-17 | kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave, and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling out to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” | Revelation 6:15-17 (Universal fear of God's judgment) |
| Exodus 15:14-16 | Nations hear and tremble; anguish seizes Philistia. Then the chiefs of Edom are | Exodus 15:14-16 (Fear of God's power over nations) |
| Deuteronomy 28:65-67 | The LORD will give you there a trembling heart, failing eyes, and despair in your soul. Your life shall hang in doubt before you. You shall fear day and night, and have no assurance of your life. In the morning you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were evening!’ and in the evening you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were morning!’ because of the dread of your heart and the desolation that your eyes shall see. | Deuteronomy 28:65-67 (Consequences of disobedience include fear and despair) |
| Jeremiah 51:34 | Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has devoured us; he has crushed us; he has put us on a pedestal; he has made us an empty vessel; he has swallowed us like a monster; he has filled his maw with our delicacies; he has poured us out. | Jeremiah 51:34 (Context of Babylonian dominion, implying a coming reversal) |
| Isaiah 21:3-4 | Therefore my loins are in great anguish; pangs seize me, like the pangs of a woman in labor. I am bent over in pain so that I cannot stand upright. My mind reels, and horror overwhelms me. | Isaiah 21:3-4 (Prophecy against Babylon using similar imagery) |
| Psalm 2:4 | He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. | Psalm 2:4 (God's sovereign control over rulers) |
| Daniel 4:33 | Immediately what had been prophesied about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven from mankind and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of birds. | Daniel 4:33 (Nebuchadnezzar's madness, a parallel for judgment) |
| Acts 2:16-17 | No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh...’ | Acts 2:16-17 (The outpouring of the Spirit contrasts with the fear of judgment) |
| John 14:27 | Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. | John 14:27 (Contrast with Belshazzar's lack of peace) |
| Revelation 18:10 | Standing at a distance, filled with awe and terror, crying out, ‘Woe! Woe to you, great city, Babylon! In one hour your doom has come!’ | Revelation 18:10 (Prophecy against Babylon's fall) |
Daniel 5 verses
Daniel 5 9 Meaning
The verse describes a sudden change in King Belshazzar's demeanor and appearance upon witnessing the mysterious writing on the wall. His face turned pale with fear, and his joints became weak. This physiological reaction highlights the overwhelming terror the divine judgment instilled in him.
Daniel 5 9 Context
Chapter 5 recounts the final feast of Belshazzar, the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Belshazzar, in a display of arrogance and defiance, desecrated the sacred vessels taken from Jerusalem by using them for drinking wine during his festival. This act provoked divine judgment. The writing on the wall appeared, striking terror into the king and all present. This verse describes Belshazzar's immediate physical and emotional response to seeing this supernatural manifestation, which heralded the downfall of his kingdom and his own imminent death.
Daniel 5 9 Word analysis
- And (וְ, wə): A conjunctive particle, linking clauses. Here, it connects the general state of alarm to the specific physical reactions.
- his countenance (פני, pənê): Refers to his face, his outward appearance, his expression. The change here signifies an internal upheaval.
- was changed (הִשְׁתְּנִי, hištənê): From the root שׁנה (šînâ), meaning to change, alter, repeat. It implies a visible alteration, a transformation due to overwhelming emotion.
- and (וְ, wə): Connects the change in his countenance to the distress caused by his thoughts.
- his thoughts (רַעְיוֹנוֹהִי, ra‘yônôhî): Refers to his cogitations, his meditations, the rapid succession of alarming ideas. These were not just any thoughts, but ones that acutely troubled him.
- afflicted (זַעְזְעוֹהִי, za‘za‘yôhî): From the root זוע (zûa‘), meaning to tremble, to be agitated, to be disquieted. This signifies being shaken profoundly, thrown into a state of deep unease and fear by his thoughts.
- him (יָתֵהּ, yâteh): The direct object.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- his countenance was changed: This phrase captures a visceral, involuntary reaction to terror. The king's regal composure was instantly shattered, revealing his inner turmoil. It suggests a draining of color and a contortion of his features due to extreme fear.
- his thoughts alarmed him: This emphasizes the cognitive aspect of his terror. The writing on the wall triggered a cascade of frightening realizations, likely about the meaning of the words and the supernatural power behind them. His own intelligence and imagination fueled his dread.
- the pangs of the parthian: A parallel phrase from some translations (not present in the Masoretic text of Daniel 5:9, but common in commentaries when linking to similar Hebrew idioms) would indicate sharp, acute pains associated with deep anxiety or a significant physical shock, akin to labor pains or severe internal distress. The text states the king’s thoughts alarmed or agitated him, causing his joints to weaken. The concept is one of being struck by severe distress that impacts his physical stability.
Daniel 5 9 Bonus section
The phenomenon described is consistent with the physiological effects of acute fear, often termed the "fight or flight" response, where the body is flooded with adrenaline. In a theological sense, this demonstrates God's power to unnerve even the mightiest earthly ruler, exposing the fragility of human authority when confronted with divine omnipotence. The specific wording mirrors prophetic descriptions of terror found throughout the Old Testament, underscoring the consistency of God's prophetic language concerning judgment on defiant nations and rulers. This immediate reaction sets the stage for Daniel’s interpretation and the subsequent downfall of Babylon.
Daniel 5 9 Commentary
Belshazzar's fear was not of an invading army, but of divine judgment revealed supernaturally. His changed countenance and troubled thoughts directly show the impact of understanding the gravity of the writing on the wall. The physical reaction, including weakened joints, is a classic sign of intense fear and dread, highlighting that even the most powerful rulers are subject to God’s authority and judgment. This fear demonstrates a stark contrast to the steadfastness of faith in God's people.