# Is “The writing on the wall” in the Bible?

> Yes. “The writing on the wall” comes from the Bible, from Daniel 5:5.

Source: https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/the-writing-on-the-wall
By Andrew Kittridge · November 9, 2026

It is a scene, not a line: a hand appears and writes on the wall at King Belshazzar’s feast.

## The verse

> At that very moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand. The king watched the hand as it wrote.
>
> — [Daniel 5:5](https://www.lumin.faith/read/daniel/5#5) (Lumin Translation)

The saying is not word for word. It shortens or reshapes the verse.

## What it means there

Daniel reads the words to the king: his kingdom has been numbered and ended, he has been weighed and found lacking, and his kingdom is divided (Daniel 5:25-28). He is killed that night. Today the phrase means a clear sign that the end is coming.

## Also in the Bible

> This is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin.
>
> — [Daniel 5:25](https://www.lumin.faith/read/daniel/5#25) (Lumin Translation)

> This is the interpretation of the words: Mene: God has numbered your kingdom and brought it to an end.
>
> — [Daniel 5:26](https://www.lumin.faith/read/daniel/5#26) (Lumin Translation)

## Common questions

### Is “The writing on the wall” in the Bible?

Yes. “The writing on the wall” comes from the Bible, from Daniel 5:5. The saying is not word for word. It shortens or reshapes the verse. It is a scene, not a line: a hand appears and writes on the wall at King Belshazzar’s feast.

### Where in the Bible is “The writing on the wall”?

In Daniel 5:5, and also Daniel 5:25 and Daniel 5:26. In the Lumin Translation, Daniel 5:5 reads: “At that very moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand. The king watched the hand as it wrote.”

### Who said “The writing on the wall”?

It is a scene, not a line: a hand appears and writes on the wall at King Belshazzar’s feast.

### What does “The writing on the wall” mean in the Bible?

Daniel reads the words to the king: his kingdom has been numbered and ended, he has been weighed and found lacking, and his kingdom is divided (Daniel 5:25-28). He is killed that night. Today the phrase means a clear sign that the end is coming.

## More

- [Where is “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/they-that-wait-upon-the-lord-shall-renew-their-strength.md)
- [Where is “If God is for us, who can be against us” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/if-god-is-for-us-who-can-be-against-us.md)
- [Where is “Do not worry about tomorrow” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/do-not-worry-about-tomorrow.md)
- [Where is “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/weeping-may-endure-for-a-night-but-joy-comes-in-the-morning.md)
- [Where is “Fearfully and wonderfully made” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/fearfully-and-wonderfully-made.md)
- [Where is “Bless the Lord, O my soul” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/bless-the-lord-o-my-soul.md)
- [Where is “His mercies are new every morning” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/his-mercies-are-new-every-morning.md)
- [Where is “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/hope-deferred-makes-the-heart-sick.md)
- [Check any word or a whole song](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-verse-checker)