Daniel 5:5 kjva — In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wa…

King James Version with Apocrypha

"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."

— Daniel 5:5, King James Version with Apocrypha

Read in Another Translation

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Daniel 5:5 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • 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.”

  • ASV

    “In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. ”

  • WEB

    “In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.”

  • NET

    “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.”

  • DRB

    “In the same hour there appeared fingers, as it were of the hand of a man, writing over against the candlestick, upon the surface of the wall of the king's palace: and the king beheld the joints of the hand that wrote.”

  • BBE

    “In that very hour the fingers of a man's hand were seen, writing opposite the support for the light on the white wall of the king's house, and the king saw the part of the hand which was writing.”

Daniel 5 — Context

2

Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

3

Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.

4

They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

5

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.

6

Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

7

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.

8

Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.

Daniel 5:5 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Daniel 5:5 say?
Daniel 5:5 in the King James Version with Apocrypha reads: “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.”
Where is Daniel 5:5 in the Bible?
Daniel 5:5 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Daniel, chapter 5, verse 5.
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 5:5.
What translation should I read Daniel 5:5 in?
Daniel 5:5 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 5:5?
Daniel 5:5 reads (KJVA): “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.” 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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