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Daniel 5:27

27 Tekel[a] : You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.

Daniel 5:27 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
English Standard Version (ESV)
27 TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting;
New Living Translation (NLT)
27 means ‘weighed’—you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up.
The Message Bible (MSG)
27 "Teqel: You have been weighed on the scales and you don't weigh much.
American Standard Version (ASV)
27 TEKEL; thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
27 Weighed--you have been weighed on a scale and found to be too light.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
27 TEKEL [means that] you have been weighed in the balance and found deficient.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
27 Tekel" means that you have been weighed on scales. And you haven't measured up to God's standard.

Daniel 5:27 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 5:27

TEKEL,
&C.] As for the meaning of this word, and what it points at, it is this: thou art weighed in the balances:
of justice and truth, in the holy righteous law of God; as gold, and jewels, and precious stones, are weighed in the scales by the goldsmith and jeweller with great exactness, to know the worth of them: and art found wanting;
found to be adulterated gold, reprobate silver, bad coin, a false stone; found to be a worthless man, a wicked prince, wanting the necessary qualifications of wisdom, goodness, mercy, truth, and justice. The Scriptures of truth, the word of God, contained in the books of the Old and New Testament, are the balances of the sanctuary, in which persons, principles, and practices, are to be weighed; and sad it is where they are found light and wanting: men, both of high and low degree, when put here, are lighter than vanity. The Pharisee, or self-righteous person, when weighed in the balance of God's law, which is holy, just, and good, will be found wanting of that holiness and righteousness he pretends to, and appear to be an unholy and an unrighteous man; his righteousness, neither for the matter of it, nor manner of performing it, being agreeable to that law, and so no righteousness in the sense of it, ( Deuteronomy 6:25 ) , it being imperfect, and so leaves him to the curse of it, ( Galatians 3:10 ) , and not being performed in a pure and spiritual manner that it requires, is rejected by it; and miserable will be the case of such a man at the day of judgment, when his works will be found wanting, and not answerable to the demands of a righteous law, and he without the wedding garment of Christ's righteousness, and so naked and speechless. The hypocrite, and formal professor, when weighed in the balance of the Scripture, will be found wanting the true grace of God; his faith will appear to be feigned, and his hope groundless, and his love to be in word and in tongue only, and not at all to answer to the description of true grace given in the word of God; and bad will it be with such persons at last, when at the bridegroom's coming they will be destitute of the oil of true and real grace; only have that which is counterfeit, and the mere lamp of an outward profession, which will then stand them in no stead, or be of any avail unto them: in the same balances are the doctrines and principles of men to be weighed; and, such as are according to them are solid and weighty, and are comparable to gold, silver, and precious stones; but such as are not are light, and like wood, hay, and stubble, which the fire of the word will reveal, try, and burn up, not being able to stand against it; and if these are weighed in the balances, they will be found wanting of real truth and goodness, and be but as chaff to wheat; and what is the one to the other? there is no comparison between them; and dreadful will be the case of false teachers, that make and teach an abomination and a lie; and of those that are given up to believe them, these will not be able to stand the trying hour of temptation, and much less the last and final judgment. Sad for preachers of the word to be found wanting in their ministry, and hearers to be wanting in their duty; not taking care neither what they hear, nor how they hear, or whether they put in practice the good they do hear.

Daniel 5:27 In-Context

25 “This is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN
26 “Here is what these words mean: Mene : God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
27 Tekel : You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.
28 Peres : Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.

Cross References 2

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. "Tekel" can mean "weighed" or "shekel" .
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