DAN 5:9 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) Then King Belshatstsar became more afraid, his face went whiter still, and his nobles also had no idea what to do.

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his noblemen were perplexed.

UST So King Belshazzar became more afraid. His face became even paler. And all his officials who were there at the feast did not know what to do.

OEB No OEB DAN book available

WEBBE Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, and his face was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Then King Belshazzar was very terrified, and he was visibly shaken. His nobles were completely dumbfounded.

LSV then King Belshazzar is greatly troubled, and his countenance is changing in him, and his great men are perplexed.

FBV This made King Belshazzar even more frightened and his face grew even paler. His nobles also were in panic.

T4T So King Belshazzar became more afraid. His face became even paler/whiter. And all his officials who were there at the feast did not know what to do.

LEB Then the king, Belshazzar, became greatly terrified, and _⌊his facial features_⌋[fn] changed upon him, and his lords[fn] were perplexed.

5:9 Literally “shining of his face”

5:9 Or “nobles”

BBE Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled and the colour went from his face, and his lords were at a loss.

Moff At this king Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, his colour paled, and his lords were at their wits’ end.

JPS Then was king Belshazzar greatly affrighted, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed.

ASV Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed.

DRA Wherewith king Baltasar was much troubled, and his countenance was changed: and his nobles also were troubled.

YLT then the king Belshazzar is greatly troubled, and his countenance is changing in him, and his great men are perplexed.

Drby Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his nobles were confounded.

RV Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed.

SLT Then king Belshazzar being greatly terrified, and his brightnesses being changed upon him, and his nobles being perplexed.

Wbstr Then was the king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonished.

KJB-1769 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.[fn]
(Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonished. )

5.9 countenance: Chaldee, brightnesses

KJB-1611 [fn]Then was King Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lordes were astonied.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and footnotes)

5:9 Calde. brightnesse.

Bshps Then was king Balthasar greatly troubled, and his countenaunce was chaunged in him, and his princes were astonied.
(Then was king Balthasar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his princes were astonished.)

Gnva Then was King Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his princes were astonied.
(Then was King Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his princes were astonished. )

Cvdl The was the kynge sore afrayed, in so moch, that his coloure chaunged, and his lordes were sore vexed.
(The was the king sore afraid, in so much, that his colour changed, and his lords were sore vexed.)

Wycl Wherof kyng Balthasar was disturblid ynow, and his cheer was chaungid, but also hise beste men weren disturblid.
(Wherof king Balthasar was disturbed ynow, and his cheer was changed, but also his best men were disturbed.)

Luth Des erschrak der König Belsazer noch härter und verlor ganz seine Gestalt, und seinen Gewaltigen ward bange.
(Des frightened the/of_the king Belsazer still harder and verlor all his shape(n), and his mighty_(ones) what/which afraid.)

ClVg Unde rex Baltassar satis conturbatus est, et vultus illius immutatus est; sed et optimates ejus turbabantur.
(From_where/who king Baltassar enough troubled it_is, and face of_that immutatus it_is; but and aristocracy his crowdbantur. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 5:1–31: God judged King Belshazzar

The author continued to write in the Aramaic language. He wrote about how King Belshazzar gave a big banquet and made use of the sacred treasures from the Jerusalem temple. Belshazzar saw a hand writing a mysterious message on the wall. Only Daniel was able to explain the message, that God was about to punish Belshazzar. That same night an army of Medes and Persians conquered the city and killed Belshazzar.

English versions give different headings to Daniel 5. These include:

The Handwriting on the Wall (GW)

The Writing on the Wall (NIV)

King Belshazzar’s Banquet (CEV)

In some languages it may be more natural to write the heading in the form of a clause. For example, you could say:

King Belshazzar saw a hand write on the wall.

King Belshazzar had/gave a banquet/feast.

Some versions give headings to the subsections of Daniel 5. For example, the NLT has two headings:

The Writing on the Wall (5:1)

Daniel explains the writing (5:13)

The NRSV has three headings:

Belshazzar’s Feast (5:1)

The Writing on the Wall (5:5)

The Writing on the Wall Interpreted (5:13)

You should decide the number of headings that is best in your translation. The purpose of headings is to help readers to follow the events of the story. Headings also help the reader understand the relationships between the different parts of the story. You should try not to have more headings than necessary.

Historical Background:

Nabonidus was the king of Babylon from 556 to 539 B.C. Historical records indicate that he married Nitocris, the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar, and that Belshazzar was their oldest son.See the ancient Greek historian Herodotus and the Nabonidus Chronicles. While Nabonidus was absent from Babylon during the last ten years of his reign, Belshazzar acted as king in his place.

Daniel 5 describes the last night of the Babylonian empire. From other historic sources we know that Cyrus, the king of Persia, attacked the Babylonian army during the 7th month of the year 539 B.C. On the 15th day of that month, they attacked the town of Sippar and King Nabonidus fled. The next day Cyrus’ army entered the city of Babylon without any battle and killed its ruler, Belshazzar. Daniel 5 describes what Belshazzar was doing on the last day of the Babylonian empire.

Paragraph 5:7–9

The king summoned his advisers to interpret the writing on the wall. A number of English versions begin a new paragraph at this verse.

5:9a

Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified,

So the king became more afraid than before,
As a result the king’s fear increased
This made the king even more alarmed

Then: The Aramaic connector that the BSB translates as Then here introduces a new stage in the action. Here is another way to translate this:

So (NIV)

King Belshazzar became even more terrified: The Aramaic verb that the BSB translates as terrified is an intensive form of the verb translated as “so alarmed him” in 5:6b.This is the same verb as in 5:6 but in a different form. Here the verb is a participle. In 5:6 it was an imperfect. Here are some other ways to translate this:

Became greatly terrified (NRSV)

The king grew even more alarmed (NLT)

the king was more afraid than ever before (CEV)

You should use a way that is natural in your language to describe a stronger reaction than in 5:6b.

5:9b

his face grew even more pale,

and his face changed color even more.
and his face became even whiter.

his face grew even more pale: This is the same expression as in 5:6a, except here the Aramaic text says that “his brightness/face changed over him.” The added phrase “over him” adds emphasis. English versions have expressed this emphasis in different ways. For example:

grew even paler (GNT)

And his face became even whiter (NCV)

Each language has its own way to describe a person’s face when they become very afraid. Choose an expression that is natural in your language and indicates an increase in fear.

5:9c

and his nobles were bewildered.

His nobles/officials were confused.
His important/leading men did not know what to do.

his nobles were bewildered: English versions interpret the Aramaic verb that the BSB translates as were bewildered in several ways:

It means “were confused.” The nobles did not know what to say or do. This was a big problem. For example:
his lords were perplexed (RSV) (BSB, NIV, NCV, RSV/NRSV, GW, GNT, REB, NASB, ESV, CEV, NET)
It means “disturbed.” The nobles were shocked and distressed. For example:
His noblemen were equally disturbed (NJB) (NJB, NLT, KJV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with the majority of English versions. Other ways to translate this include:

they were completely puzzled (CEV)

and his noblemen had no idea what to do

his nobles were perplexed

nobles: The nobles were the men whom the king had invited to the banquet in 5:1. See the Notes at 5:1a.

Parallel DAN 5:9

Section 5:1–31: God judged King Belshazzar

Paragraph 5:7–9

5:9a

5:9b

5:9c