Daniel 5 — The feast and the writing on the wall — Hebrew, Aramaic and Old Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 5:17, 5:30
Each card keeps the independently rendered source readings above their shared comparison and reception notes. The badge records the source’s governing classification; disparate readings are marked in red. Each reading retains its original reference.
Daniel 5 — The feast and the writing on the wall
Source texts for Daniel 5: Hebrew / Aramaic
Source texts for Daniel 5: Old Greek
Verse [No corresponding Aramaic prefatory unit.] Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[No corresponding Aramaic prefatory unit.]
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:preface] King Baltasar held a great reception on the day of the dedication of his royal buildings and invited two thousand men from among his magnates. On that day Baltasar, elated by wine and boasting, praised all the nations’ cast and carved gods in his place, but gave no praise to God Most High. That very night fingers like a human’s came out and inscribed on the plaster of his house’s wall, opposite the lamp, “Mane, Phares, Thekel.” Their interpretation is: Mane, “It has been numbered”; Phares, “It has been taken away”; Thekel, “It has been weighed.”
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: The selected Old Greek opens with this unnumbered prefatory account before verse one. It specifies a dedication and two thousand guests, unlike the thousand in Aramaic verse one, and anticipates both writing and interpretation. Preface is an editorial locator, not an ancient verse number. Greek hestatai in the final gloss is provisionally weighed, with the underlying stand/set semantic range requiring lexical review.
Verse 5:1 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:1] King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine before the thousand.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:1] King Baltasar held a great banquet for his companions and drank wine.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Aramaic states and repeats a thousand; Greek’s numbered verse gives no quantity, although its distinct prefatory account names two thousand. Baltasar is the Greek form here and also Daniel’s imposed name elsewhere; the persons are not conflated.
Verse 5:2 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:2] Belshazzar, under the influence of the wine, ordered the gold and silver vessels that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem to be brought, so that the king, his nobles, his wives, and his concubines could drink from them.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:2] His heart was exalted, and he ordered the gold and silver vessels of God’s house that his father Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem to be brought in, and wine poured in them for his companions.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek makes the raised heart explicit and names companions; Aramaic names the king, nobles, wives, and concubines and connects the order to the wine’s influence. Both retain the stated father relationship without historical replacement.
Verse 5:3 Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:3] Then they brought the gold vessels taken from the temple of God’s house in Jerusalem, and the king, his nobles, his wives, and his concubines drank from them.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:3] They were brought, and they drank from them,
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek compresses the carrying and drinking into a short continuation, without repeating the vessel material, sanctuary, or participants.
Verse 5:4 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:4] They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:4] and blessed their handmade idols. But they did not bless the everlasting God, who had authority over their breath.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Aramaic lists six materials and repeats wine. Greek calls the idols handmade and explicitly contrasts them with the everlasting God’s authority over human breath.
Verse 5:5 Similar
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:5] At that very hour the fingers of a human hand came out and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace. The king saw the part of the hand that was writing.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:5] At that very hour fingers like those of a human hand came out and wrote on the plaster of his house’s wall, opposite the light and before King Baltasar. He saw a hand writing.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both locate the writing on plaster opposite the light and describe the king seeing the hand. Greek uses a likeness expression and names Baltasar; Aramaic’s pas denotes the visible portion or palm of the hand.
Verse 5:6 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:6] Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him. The joints of his hips loosened, and his knees knocked together.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:6] His appearance changed, and fears and apprehensions pressed upon him. The king hurried and rose to look at that writing, while his companions around him were boasting.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Aramaic details bodily collapse and knocking knees. Greek describes his rising to inspect the writing and retains the companions’ continuing boasting, not an invented shared terror.
Verse 5:7 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:7] The king called loudly for the enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners to be brought in. He answered and said to Babylon’s wise men, “Whoever reads this writing and tells me its interpretation will be clothed in purple, wear a gold chain around his neck, and rule as third in the kingdom.”
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:7] The king cried out with a loud voice to summon the incantation-singers, sorcerers, Chaldeans, and gazarenes to report the writing’s interpretation. They came in to inspect the writing, but could not interpret it for the king. Then the king issued a decree: “Any man who explains the writing’s interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold necklace placed upon him, and he will be given authority over a third part of the kingdom.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek adds sorcerers and an initial failed inspection before the reward. Aramaic’s third rank is provisionally distinguished from Greek’s explicit one-third territorial share; the Aramaic office terminology remains open to review.
Verse 5:8 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:8] Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make its interpretation known to the king.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:8] The incantation-singers, sorcerers, and gazarenes came in, but no one could report the writing’s interpretation.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Aramaic explicitly includes inability to read as well as interpret; Greek repeats named specialists and their inability to give the interpretation.
Verse 5:9 Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:9] Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, his color changed, and his nobles were bewildered.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:9] Then the king summoned the queen about the sign and explained to her how great it was, and that no one could report the writing’s interpretation to the king.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek introduces the queen through a royal summons and explanation. Aramaic describes the king and nobles’ distress before her arrival in the next verse.
Verse 5:10 Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:10] The queen entered the banquet hall because of the words of the king and his nobles. The queen answered and said, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you, and do not let your color change.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:10] Then the queen mentioned to him Daniel, who was from the captivity of Judea,
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Aramaic gives the queen’s entrance, greeting, and reassurance. Greek proceeds directly to Daniel and his Judean captivity.
Verse 5:11 Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:11] There is a man in your kingdom in whom is a spirit of holy gods. In your father’s days, illumination, understanding, and wisdom like the gods’ wisdom were found in him. King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king—appointed him chief of magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners,
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:11] and said to the king, “The man was knowledgeable and wise, surpassing all Babylon’s wise men,
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek summarizes Daniel’s superior knowledge and wisdom. Aramaic adds illumination, a spirit of holy gods, comparison with divine wisdom, and the repeated father designation in recounting his appointment.
Verse 5:12 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:12] because an exceptional spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpretation of dreams, explanation of riddles, and untying of knots were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:12] and a holy spirit is in him. In the days of your father the king, he explained extraordinary interpretations to Nebuchadnezzar your father.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek expressly has a holy spirit, while Aramaic here has exceptional spirit and enumerates skills, the imposed name, and a summons. Neither indefinite phrase is automatically expanded into a later doctrinal title.
Verse 5:13 Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:13] Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah whom my father the king brought from Judah?
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:13] Then Daniel was brought before the king, and the king addressed him:
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Both introduce Daniel, but Greek omits the king’s question identifying him among Judah’s exiles, already mentioned by its queen.
Verse 5:14 Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:14] I have heard about you, that a spirit of gods is in you, and that illumination, understanding, and exceptional wisdom have been found in you.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[No Old Greek counterpart at this position.]
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: The selected Greek passes from verse thirteen to sixteen without this statement. Aramaic says spirit of gods here without the holy modifier used earlier.
Verse 5:15 Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:15] Now the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not explain the matter’s interpretation.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[No Old Greek counterpart at this position.]
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks this repeated report of the court specialists’ failure in the king’s address.
Verse 5:16 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:16] But I have heard that you can interpret interpretations and untie knots. Now, if you can read the writing and make its interpretation known to me, you will be clothed in purple, wear a gold chain around your neck, and rule as third in the kingdom.”
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:16] “O Daniel, can you explain the writing’s interpretation to me? I will clothe you in purple and place a gold necklace upon you, and you will have authority over a third part of my kingdom.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek asks directly and specifies a third part of the kingdom. Aramaic repeats the skills and the requirement to read as well as interpret, with third rank provisionally retained.
Verse 5:17 Disparate
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:17] Then Daniel answered before the king, “Let your gifts remain yours, and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make the interpretation known to him.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:17] Then Daniel stood opposite the writing and read it. He answered the king in this way: “This is the writing: ‘It has been numbered, it was reckoned, it has been taken away.’ The hand that wrote came to a stop. This is their interpretation:
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Aramaic explicitly refuses the rewards before agreeing to interpret. Greek has no refusal and instead immediately reads the writing in explanatory Greek terms and describes the hand stopping. That ethical and narrative difference is not harmonized.
Verse 5:18 Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:18] As for you, O king, God Most High gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship, greatness, honor, and majesty.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[No Old Greek counterpart in this speech.]
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek passes from verse seventeen to twenty-three without the Aramaic review of Nebuchadnezzar’s divinely given power.
Verse 5:19 Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:19] Because of the greatness He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he killed; whomever he wished, he kept alive. Whomever he wished, he raised up; whomever he wished, he humbled.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[No Old Greek counterpart in this speech.]
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Aramaic’s repeated clauses on the king’s power over life, death, promotion, and humiliation are absent from this Greek speech.
Verse 5:20 Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:20] But when his heart was exalted and his spirit hardened in arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne, and his honor was taken from him.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[No Old Greek counterpart in this speech.]
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Aramaic recalls Nebuchadnezzar’s pride and deposition; Greek contains no matching verse here, despite its own preceding chapter’s expanded humiliation narrative.
Verse 5:21 Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:21] He was driven away from humankind; his heart was made like the animals’, and his dwelling was with the wild asses. They fed him grass like oxen, and his body was drenched with heaven’s dew, until he knew that God Most High rules over human kingship and appoints over it whomever He wills.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[No Old Greek counterpart in this speech.]
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Aramaic adds this retrospective account, explicitly naming wild asses, grass, dew, and the lesson about divine appointment. It is not imported into the shortened Greek speech.
Verse 5:22 Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:22] Yet you, his son Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[No Old Greek counterpart in this speech.]
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Aramaic explicitly makes Belshazzar culpable despite knowledge of his father’s experience. Greek moves directly to the banquet accusation without this father–son comparison.
Verse 5:23 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:23] You have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels of His house were brought before you, and you, your nobles, your wives, and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which neither see nor hear nor know. But the God in whose hand is your breath and to whom belong all your ways, you have not honored.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:23] O king, you held a banquet for your friends and drank wine. The vessels of the living God’s house were brought to you, and you and your magnates drank from them and praised all the idols made by human hands. But you did not bless the living God. Your breath is in His hand, and He gave you your kingdom, yet you neither blessed Him nor offered Him praise.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Aramaic names wives and concubines, six idol materials, the idols’ incapacity, and all the king’s ways. Greek calls God living, says He gave the kingdom, and repeats the failure to bless and praise Him.
Verse 5:24 Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:24] Therefore the part of the hand was sent from before Him, and this writing was inscribed.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[No Old Greek counterpart at this position.]
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Aramaic expressly identifies God as the sender of the writing hand. Greek proceeds from its accusation to the combined interpretation without this verse.
Verse 5:25 Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:25] This is the writing that was inscribed: ‘Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin.’
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[No Old Greek counterpart at this position; the writing is already given in its preface and verse seventeen.]
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Aramaic repeats Mene and ends with plural Parsin preceded by and. Greek places different presentations earlier; neither is duplicated here or changed to the Aramaic sequence.
Verse 5:26–28 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:26–28] This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene—God has numbered your kingship and brought it to an end. Tekel—you have been weighed in the balances and found deficient. Peres—your kingdom has been divided and given to Media and Persia.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:26–28] This is the writing’s interpretation: your time of kingship has been numbered; your kingdom is ending. Your kingdom has been cut short and brought to completion; it is given to the Medes and Persians.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Three Aramaic verses are paired with the publisher’s single Greek unit labeled twenty-six through twenty-eight. Aramaic links each word with a gloss and explicitly weighs the king as deficient; Greek addresses the kingdom’s measured, shortened, completed duration without the balances or personal deficiency. Aramaic Peres also echoes Persia; its earlier plural Parsin is not erased.
Verse 5:29 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:29] Then Belshazzar gave the order, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed concerning him that he should rule as third in the kingdom.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:29] Then King Baltasar clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold necklace upon him, and gave him authority over a third part of his kingdom.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Aramaic has the king order others to clothe Daniel and publicly proclaim his third rank. Greek directly attributes the acts to the king and grants a third part of the kingdom.
Verse 5:30 Disparate
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[5:30] That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was killed.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[5:30] The interpretation came upon King Baltasar; the kingship was taken from the Chaldeans and given to the Medes and Persians.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Aramaic explicitly reports the king’s death that night. Greek reports the interpretation’s fulfillment through transfer of kingship to Medes and Persians, without stating his death or the night.