Daniel 5:25

25 "And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

Daniel 5:25 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 5:25

And this is the writing that was written
They are such and such letters, and so to be read, as follows: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN;
which are Chaldee words, and may be literally rendered, "he hath numbered, he hath numbered"; that is, God hath certainly, perfectly, and exactly numbered; "he hath weighed", God hath weighed thee, Belshazzar; "and they divide the kingdom"; that is, the Medes and Persians, as appears from the following interpretation:

Daniel 5:25 In-Context

23 And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified.

24 Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.

25 "And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

26 This is the interpretation of each word. Mene: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it;

27 Tekel: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting;

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally a mina (50 shekels) from the verb "to number"
• [b]. Literally a shekel from the verb "to weigh"
• [c]. Literally a mina (50 shekels) from the verb "to number"