Daniel 5:4 net — As they drank wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

NET Bible

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

— Daniel 5:4, NET Bible

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Daniel 5:4 in Other Translations

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Daniel 5 — Context

1

Belshazzar Sees Mysterious Handwriting on a Wall King Belshazzar prepared a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in front of them all.

2

While under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar issued an order to bring in the gold and silver vessels– the ones that Nebuchadnezzar his father had confiscated from the temple in Jerusalem– so that the king and his nobles, together with his wives and his concubines, could drink from them.

3

So they brought the gold and silver vessels that had been confiscated from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, together with his wives and concubines, drank from them.

4

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

5

At that very moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the royal palace wall, opposite the lampstand. The king was watching the back of the hand that was writing.

6

Then all the color drained from the king’s face and he became alarmed. The joints of his hips gave way, and his knees began knocking together.

7

The king called out loudly to summon the astrologers, wise men, and diviners. The king proclaimed to the wise men of Babylon that anyone who could read this inscription and disclose its interpretation would be clothed in purple and have a golden collar placed on his neck and be third ruler in the kingdom.

Daniel 5:4 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Daniel 5:4 say?
Daniel 5:4 in the NET Bible reads: “As they drank wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.”
Where is Daniel 5:4 in the Bible?
Daniel 5:4 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Daniel, chapter 5, verse 4.
Who wrote Daniel?
Daniel is traditionally attributed to Daniel (traditional). Conservative scholarship dates Daniel to the 6th century BC; critical scholarship often proposes a 2nd-century-BC date for the apocalyptic portions. It was written c. 605–530 BC.
What is the book of Daniel about?
Daniel is a young exile in Babylon who, with his three friends, refuses to bow to the world's gods. The book combines courageous narratives — the fiery furnace, the lions' den — with sweeping prophetic visions of the kingdoms of earth giving way to the everlasting kingdom of the Son of Man.
What are the major themes of Daniel?
Daniel explores themes including Sovereignty, Faithfulness, Prophecy, Kingdoms, Son of Man. These themes shape the meaning and context of Daniel 5:4.
What translation should I read Daniel 5:4 in?
Daniel 5:4 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Daniel 5:4?
Daniel 5:4 reads (NET): “As they drank wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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