Daniel 5:9

Contemporary English Version

and they were completely puzzled. Now the king was more afraid than ever before, and his face turned white as a ghost.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face turned pale, and his nobles were bewildered.

Hebrew Names Version
Then was king Belshatztzar greatly troubled, and his face was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed.

King James Version
Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.

English Standard Version
Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his lords were perplexed.

New American Standard Bible
Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, his face grew even more pale, and his nobles were perplexed.

New Century Version
King Belshazzar became even more afraid, and his face became even whiter. His royal guests were confused.

Amplified Bible
Then King Belshazzar was greatly perplexed, his face became even paler, and his nobles were bewildered and alarmed.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then was King Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his princes were astonied.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, his face grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed.

Berean Standard Bible
Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face grew even more pale, and his nobles were bewildered.

Complete Jewish Bible
Then King Belshatzar became terrified; his face turned pale, and his lords were thrown into confusion.

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

Easy-to-Read Version
King Belshazzar's officials were confused, and the king became even more afraid and worried. His face was white from fear.

George Lamsa Translation
Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled and his countenance changed and his princes were bewildered.

Good News Translation
In his distress King Belshazzar grew even paler, and his noblemen had no idea what to do.

Lexham English Bible
Then the king, Belshazzar, became greatly terrified, and his facial features changed upon him, and his lords were perplexed.

Literal Translation
Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, and his face was changing on him, and his nobles were perplexed.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The was the kynge sore afrayed, in so moch, that his coloure chaunged, and his lordes were sore vexed.

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

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

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then was king Belshazzar greatly affrighted, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed.

King James Version (1611)
Then was King Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lordes were astonied.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then was king Balthasar greatly troubled, and his countenaunce was chaunged in him, and his princes were astonied.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And king Baltasar was troubled, and his countenance changed upon him, and his nobles were troubled with him.

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

World English Bible
Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his face was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Wherof kyng Balthasar was disturblid ynow, and his cheer was chaungid, but also hise beste men weren disturblid.

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

Webster's Bible Translation
Then was the king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonished.

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

New King James Version
Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were astonished.

New Living Translation
So the king grew even more alarmed, and his face turned pale. His nobles, too, were shaken.

New Life Bible
Then King Belshazzar was very afraid. His face lost even more of its color, and his important men did not know what to do.

New Revised Standard
Then King Belshazzar became greatly terrified and his face turned pale, and his lords were perplexed.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then, King Belshazzar, was greatly terrified, and, his bright looks, were changed upon him, - and, his nobles, were perplexed.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Wherewith king Baltasar was much troubled, and his countenance was changed: and his nobles also were troubled.

Revised Standard Version
Then King Belshaz'zar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed; and his lords were perplexed.

Young's Literal Translation
then the king Belshazzar is greatly troubled, and his countenance is changing in him, and his great men are perplexed.

Contextual Overview

¹ One evening, King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his highest officials, and he drank wine with them. ² He got drunk and ordered his servants to bring in the gold and silver cups his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem. Belshazzar wanted the cups, so that he and all his wives and officials could drink from them. ³When the gold cups were brought in, everyone at the banquet drank from them and praised their idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. ⁵ Suddenly a human hand was seen writing on the plaster wall of the palace. The hand was just behind the lampstand, and the king could see it writing. ⁶ He was so frightened that his face turned pale, his knees started shaking, and his legs became weak. ⁷ The king called in his advisors, who claimed they could talk with the spirits of the dead and understand the meanings found in the stars. He told them, "The man who can read this writing and tell me what it means will become the third most powerful man in my kingdom. He will wear robes of royal purple and a gold chain around his neck." ⁸ All of King Belshazzar's highest officials came in, but not one of them could read the writing or tell what it meant, ⁹ and they were completely puzzled. Now the king was more afraid than ever before, and his face turned white as a ghost.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

greatly: Daniel 5:6, Daniel 2:1, Job 18:11-14, Psalms 18:14, Revelation 6:15

countenance: Chal, brightness, Daniel 5:6, Daniel 10:8

changed: Psalms 48:6, Isaiah 13:6-8, Isaiah 21:2-4, Jeremiah 6:24, Jeremiah 30:6, Matthew 2:3

Cross-References

Luke 3:37
Methuselah, Enoch, Jared, Mahalaleel, Kenan,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then was King Belshazzar greatly troubled,.... A second time, and perhaps more than before; since he had conceived some hope that his wise men would have informed him what this writing was, and the meaning of it; but finding that they were nonplussed by it, it gave him still greater uneasiness:

and his countenance was changed in him; again; very likely, upon the coming in of the wise men, he had a little recovered himself, and became more composed and serene; which appeared in his countenance; but, upon this disappointment, his countenance changed again, and he turned pale, and looked ghastly:

and his lords were astonished; were in the utmost consternation and confusion, when they understood that the writing could neither be read nor interpreted; neither the dignity of their station, nor their numbers, nor their liquor, could keep up their spirits; so that the king had not one with him, to speak a comfortable word to him, or give him any advice in this his time of distress; they were all in the same condition with himself.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled - Not doubting that this was a Divine intimation of some fearful event, and yet unable to understand its meaning. We are quite as likely to be troubled by what is merely “mysterious” in regard to the future - by anything that gives us some undefined foreboding - as we are by what is really formidable when we know what it is. In the latter case, we know the worst; we can make some preparation for it; we can feel assured that when that is past, all is past that we fear - but who can guard himself, or prepare himself, when what is dreaded is undefined as well as awful; when we know not how to meet it, or how long it may endure, or how terrific and wide may be the sweep of its desolation?

And his countenance was changed in him - Margin, “brightnesses.” See the note at Daniel 5:6.

And his lords were astonied - Amazed. The Chaldee word means to perplex, disturb, trouble. They were doubtless as much perplexed and troubled as the king himself.