That very night: in some languages it will be more natural to say “During the night that followed.” This indicates that Belshazzar’s death took place after he had gone to bed and immediately following the events described in this chapter. It does not necessarily mean that the banquet itself took place or started after dark (see comments on the Good News Translation rendering of 1.1).

Chaldean: or “Babylonian.” The Aramaic word used here is to be taken in its geographical sense as in 1.4, and not in its cultural sense as in 2.2.

Was slain: the agent of this passive form is not clear. In some languages it will be better to say simply “died.” But it is also possible to say “someone killed” or “they (impersonal) killed.” What is important is not the identity of the assassin but the fact that what Daniel predicted actually did happen.

We know from ancient history that the city of Babylon was conquered in the night of October 11 in the year 539 B.C. It was probably during the course of the taking of this city that King Belshazzar died.

At the time when the Aramaic text was divided into chapters and verses, between the 13th and 16th centuries A.D., the following verse was unfortunately attached to the story of chapter 6 and became verse 1 of that chapter. But because it is a part of the account of Belshazzar’s Feast, most English versions follow another ancient tradition of chapter and verse division and include it as verse 31 of this chapter. Note, however, that New Jerusalem Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and New American Bible follow the numbering system of the Aramaic text.

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René & Ellington, John. A Handbook on Daniel. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .