Belshazzar was the most terrified of them all. He it was who above all others had been responsible for the rebellion against God which that night had reached its height in the Babylonian realm. In the presence of the 527 unseen Watcher, the representative of Him whose power had been challenged and whose name had been blasphemed, the king was paralyzed with fear. Conscience was awakened. "The joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another." Belshazzar had impiously lifted himself up against the God of heaven and had trusted in his own might, not supposing that any would dare say, "Why doest thou thus?" but now he realized that he must render an account of the stewardship entrusted him, and that for his wasted opportunities and his defiant attitude he could offer no excuse.

Belsazzar var den mest skrækslagne af dem alle sammen. Han bar hovedansvaret for det oprør, som var rettet imod Gud og nåede sit højdepunkt i det babyloniske rige i denne nat. Kongen blev lammet af skræk, da han stod over for den usynlige vægter, som repræsenterede ham, hvis magt man havde udfordret, og hvis navn man havde bespottet. Nu vågnede kongens samvittighed. "Hans hofter snappedes, og hans knæ slog imod hinanden." Belsazzar havde i sin formastelse sat sig op imod Himmelens Gud. Han havde stolet på sin egen magt, og det faldt ham end ikke ind, at nogen turde vove at sige: "Hvorfor bærer du dig således ad?" Men nu stod det ham klart, at han skulle aflægge regnskab for den måde, hvorpå han havde forvaltet de midler, som var blevet betroet ham, og at der ikke var nogen undskyldning for de anledninger, som han havde forspildt, og den trodsige holdning, som han havde indtaget.