Daniel 5:26

5:26 This is the interpretation of the words: ¹  As for mene ²  – God has numbered your kingdom’s days and brought it to an end.

Daniel 6:1

Daniel is Thrown into a Lions’ Den

6:1 It seemed like a good idea to Darius ³  to appoint over the kingdom 120 satraps ⁴  who would be in charge of the entire kingdom.

[5:26]  ¹ tn Or “word” or “event.” See HALOT 1915 s.v. מִלָּה.

[5:26]  ² 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.”

[6:1]  ³ tn Aram “It was pleasing before Darius.”

[6:1]  ⁴ tn This is a technical term for an official placed in charge of a region of the empire (cf. KJV, NLT “prince[s]”; NCV, TEV “governors”). These satraps were answerable to a supervisor, who in turn answered to Darius.