Daniel 5:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote.

NIV: Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote.

NASB: Suddenly the fingers of a human hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing.

CSB: At that moment the fingers of a man's hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the king's palace wall next to the lampstand. As the king watched the hand that was writing,

NLT: Suddenly, they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, near the lampstand. The king himself saw the hand as it wrote,

KJV: In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

NKJV: In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

This incident is the origin of expressions such as "I can read the writing on the wall" or "the writing is on the wall." These refer to signs of a negative outcome or impending disaster. The man who sees these letters will learn that they predict a dire fate (Daniel 5:25–28), which comes to pass that same night (Daniel 5:30).

In modern speech, the word "immediately" usually means "happening with no delay before." The ancient words from which the Bible was translated also use it this way, but the concept can also mean "suddenly." In this case, the Babylonian king is holding a drunken party (Daniel 5:1). As part of the fun, guests desecrate sacred Israelite vessels (Exodus 30:22–29) which had been captured years before (Daniel 1:1–2). They use these for idolatry as well as entertainment (Daniel 5:3–4). Clearly, the carousing and blasphemy took place over some time. This supernatural sign, as the guests are wallowing in sin, happens without warning or foreshadowing.

Archaeologists have unearthed large banquet halls in Babylon, which had plastered walls. This would have been an ideal surface onto which letters could be carved. This verse notes that the writing occurs directly "opposite" a lampstand: where the wall is most brightly illuminated. Further, Scripture makes a point of noting that it was only the fingers which were seen: this makes the supernatural event clear, leaving no doubt that this is more than a prank.

Some Bible teachers believe this lampstand was the seven-branched lampstand that had been in the temple at Jerusalem. That is not impossible, but such a detail is not given, nor it is necessary for the purposes of Daniel's record.

Daniel 5:1–9 portrays Babylon's king, Belshazzar, as both proud and profane. During a wine-laden, idol-worshipping celebration, the king uses captured Jewish religious articles as drinking cups. A disembodied hand suddenly appears and writes on the wall. This terrifies Belshazzar, even more so when his wise men cannot explain what has happened. What follows is Daniel's explanation, predicting God's judgment of Belshazzar.

After Nebuchadnezzar's humiliation, a succeeding ruler, Belshazzar, fails to learn the proper lesson. During a drunken party, he brings out Jewish objects to use in idolatry. The celebration is interrupted by disembodied fingers leaving strange markings on the wall. Daniel is summoned when no one else can read or interpret these. After boldly rebuking Belshazzar's immorality, Daniel explains the event as a prophecy of doom. That same night, Belshazzar dies, and the kingdom eventually comes under a new leader.

The first four chapters of Daniel occur under the rule of Babylon's king, Nebuchadnezzar. This chapter falls between his reign and when the Medo-Persians conquered in 539 BC. This chapter focuses on Belshazzar, who may have ruled Babylon concurrently with his father Nabonidus. This was probably from 553 BC until his death in 539 BC, when the city was captured. After this, Daniel serves under Darius and / or Cyrus.

The book of Daniel contains famous Old Testament stories and prophecies. Daniel was taken from the Israelite people and made an advisor for a conquering empire. He demonstrates faithfulness and wisdom during many years serving in this role. Though Daniel does not deliver a public message, Jesus refers to him as a "prophet" (Matthew 24:15). The first portion of the book mostly describes Daniel's interpretations of dreams and other events. The second portion looks ahead to the end times. Daniel is classified in English Bibles as a "major" prophet, meaning the book is relatively long and the content has broad implications. The book of Revelation echoes and expands on many of the same themes.