Daniel 5:25-28

5:25 “This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEQEL, and PHARSIN. 5:26 This is the interpretation of the words: As for mene – God has numbered your kingdom’s days and brought it to an end. 5:27 As for teqel – you are weighed on the balances and found to be lacking. 5:28 As for peres – your kingdom is divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”


tc The Greek version of Theodotion lacks the repetition of מְנֵא (mÿne’, cf. NAB).

tc The Aramaic word is plural. Theodotion has the singular (cf. NAB “PERES”).

tn Or “word” or “event.” See HALOT 1915 s.v. מִלָּה.

tn The Aramaic term מְנֵא (mÿne’) is a noun referring to a measure of weight. The linkage here to the verb “to number” (Aram. מְנָה, mÿnah) is a case of paronomasia rather than strict etymology. So also with תְּקֵל (tÿqel) and פַרְסִין (farsin). In the latter case there is an obvious wordplay with the name “Persian.”

sn Peres (פְּרֵס) is the singular form of פַרְסִין (pharsin) in v. 25.