The Meaning of Daniel 5:6 Explained

Daniel 5:6

KJV: 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.

YLT: then the king's countenance hath changed, and his thoughts do trouble him, and the joints of his loins are loosed, and his knees are smiting one against another.

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

ASV: Then the king's countenance was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Daniel 5:6 Mean?

Context Summary

Daniel 5:1-16 - The Handwriting On The Wall
The name of Belshazzar has been deciphered in inscriptions found at Babylon, from which it is inferred that he was associated with his father in the kingdom, and was left to defend Babylon. He was therefore a grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, the word "father," Daniel 5:11, being used in the sense of "ancestor." The great walls of the banqueting hall covered with sculptures and sumptuous decorations; the tablets covered by cuneiform descriptions of the triumphs of former kings; what a feast this was with the thousand lords; the most beautiful women of the land; the concourse of magnates of religion and the state! The wine flowed in rivers, and laughter rang through the vaulted hall. Upon the table stood the vessels of the Temple, and notably the seven-branched candlestick, which cast its radiance on the wall, clearly illumining the fingers of the hand that wrote. The words, though Chaldee, may have been written in Hebrew characters. Conscience anticipated Daniel, and filled the king's heart with foreboding. The queen may have been the great Nitocris, wife of Nebuchadnezzar, the ancestor of the present king. God has His own way of bringing His people to the front when He needs them. [source]

Chapter Summary: Daniel 5

1  Belshazzar's impious feast
5  A hand-writing unknown to the magicians, troubles the king
10  At the commendation of the queen Daniel is brought
17  He, reproving the king of pride and idolatry,
25  reads and interprets the writing
30  The monarchy is translated to the Medes

What do the individual words in Daniel 5:6 mean?

Then king's the countenance changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees this against this knocked
אֱדַ֤יִן מַלְכָּא֙ זִיוֺ֣הִי שְׁנ֔וֹהִי וְרַעיֹנֹ֖הִי‪‬ יְבַהֲלוּנֵּ֑הּ וְקִטְרֵ֤י חַרְצֵהּ֙ מִשְׁתָּרַ֔יִן וְאַ֨רְכֻבָּתֵ֔הּ דָּ֥א לְדָ֖א נָֽקְשָֽׁן

מַלְכָּא֙  king's  the 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: מֶלֶךְ  
Sense: king.
זִיוֺ֣הִי  countenance 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: זִיו  
Sense: brightness, splendour.
שְׁנ֔וֹהִי  changed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine plural, third person masculine singular
Root: שְׁנָה  
Sense: to change, be altered, be changed.
וְרַעיֹנֹ֖הִי‪‬  and  his  thoughts 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רַעְיׄון  
Sense: thought.
יְבַהֲלוּנֵּ֑הּ  troubled  him 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, third person masculine singular
Root: הִתְבְּהָלָה 
Sense: (Pual) to frighten, alarm, dismay.
וְקִטְרֵ֤י  so  that  the  joints 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: קְטַר  
Sense: knot, joint, problem.
חַרְצֵהּ֙  of  his  hips 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֲרַץ  
Sense: loin, hip, hip joint.
מִשְׁתָּרַ֔יִן  were  loosened 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שְׁרָה  
Sense: to loosen, abide, begin.
וְאַ֨רְכֻבָּתֵ֔הּ  and  his  knees 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אַרְכֻבָּה  
Sense: knee.
דָּ֥א  this 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: דָּא  
Sense: this, one … to … another.
לְדָ֖א  against  this 
Parse: Preposition-l, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: דָּא  
Sense: this, one … to … another.
נָֽקְשָֽׁן  knocked 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine plural
Root: נְקַשׁ  
Sense: (P’al) to knock (of knees).