Daniel 5:27
Daniel 5:27 in Multiple Translations
TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.
TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
TEKEL; thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
Tekel; you have been put in the scales and seen to be under weight.
Weighed—you have been weighed on the balances and you were found lacking.
TEKEL, thou art wayed in the balance, and art found too light.
Weighed — Thou art weighed in the balances, and hast been found lacking.
TEKEL: you are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting.
TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
THECEL: thou art weighed in the balance, and art found wanting.
Tekel means ‘weighed’. It is as though God has weighed you on a scale, and you do not weigh what you should, which means that you have not been doing what you should; you are not fit to be a king [MET].
Berean Amplified Bible — Daniel 5:27
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Daniel 5:27 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
תְּקֵ֑ל
תְּקִ֥ילְתָּה
בְ/מֹֽאזַנְיָ֖/א
וְ/הִשְׁתְּכַ֥חַתְּ
חַסִּֽיר
תְּקֵ֑ל
tᵉqal
H8625
to weigh
Adj
תְּקִ֥ילְתָּה
tᵉqal
H8625
to weigh
Adj
בְ/מֹֽאזַנְיָ֖/א
môʼzên
H3977
scale
Adj | N-mp | Art
וְ/הִשְׁתְּכַ֥חַתְּ
shᵉkach
H7912
to find
Adj | V-u-Perf-2ms
חַסִּֽיר
chaççîyr
H2627
lacking
Adj
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Daniel 5:27
תְּקֵ֑ל
tᵉqal
H8625
"to weigh"
Adj
This word refers to a shekel, a unit of weight or balance. In the Bible, it is used to describe a standard unit of measurement, like a pound or ounce. The KJV translates it as shekel or Tekel.
Definition: v 1) to weigh 1a) (P'il) to be weighed
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: Tekel, be weighed. See also: Daniel 5:25; Daniel 5:27.
תְּקִ֥ילְתָּה
tᵉqal
H8625
"to weigh"
Adj
This word refers to a shekel, a unit of weight or balance. In the Bible, it is used to describe a standard unit of measurement, like a pound or ounce. The KJV translates it as shekel or Tekel.
Definition: v 1) to weigh 1a) (P'il) to be weighed
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: Tekel, be weighed. See also: Daniel 5:25; Daniel 5:27.
בְ/מֹֽאזַנְיָ֖/א
môʼzên
H3977
"scale"
Adj | N-mp | Art
This word refers to a single scale, often used in the book of Daniel to represent God's judgment. It's about being fair and balanced in our actions.
Definition: scale, balance Aramaic of mo.zen (מֹאזֵן "balance" H3976)
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: balances. See also: Daniel 5:27.
וְ/הִשְׁתְּכַ֥חַתְּ
shᵉkach
H7912
"to find"
Adj | V-u-Perf-2ms
This word means to find or discover something, either literally or figuratively. It's used in the Bible to describe finding things, like wisdom or God's favor. The KJV translates it simply as 'find'.
Definition: 1) to find 1a) (Aphel) to find 1b) (Ithp'al) to be found
Usage: Occurs in 15 OT verses. KJV: find. See also: Ezra 4:15; Daniel 5:12; Daniel 6:24.
חַסִּֽיר
chaççîyr
H2627
"lacking"
Adj
In the original Hebrew, this word means lacking or wanting something, as seen in Psalm 34:10 where it says the righteous will not lack anything. It implies a sense of need or deficiency.
Definition: lacking, wanting, deficient
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: wanting. See also: Daniel 5:27.
Study Notes — Daniel 5:27
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Daniel 5:27 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Daniel 5:27
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Daniel 5:27
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Daniel 5:27
- Trapp's Commentary on Daniel 5:27
- Cambridge Bible on Daniel 5:27
- Barnes' Notes on Daniel 5:27
- Sermons on Daniel 5:27
Context — Daniel Interprets the Handwriting
25Now this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.
26And this is the interpretation of the message: MENE means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
27TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.
28PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.” 29Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 31:6 | let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my integrity. |
| 2 | 1 Corinthians 3:13 | his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. |
| 3 | Psalms 62:9 | Lowborn men are but a vapor, the exalted but a lie. Weighed on the scale, they go up; together they are but a vapor. |
| 4 | Ezekiel 22:18–20 | “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me. All of them are copper, tin, iron, and lead inside the furnace; they are but the dross of silver. Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because all of you have become dross, behold, I will gather you into Jerusalem. Just as one gathers silver, copper, iron, lead, and tin into the furnace to melt with a fiery blast, so I will gather you in My anger and wrath, leave you there, and melt you. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 6:30 | They are called rejected silver, because the LORD has rejected them.” |
| 6 | Matthew 22:11–12 | But when the king came in to see the guests, he spotted a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But the man was speechless. |
Daniel 5:27 Summary
[This verse, Daniel 5:27, tells us that the king was found lacking when God weighed his actions, similar to how we are all held accountable for our actions, as seen in Romans 14:12. The king's failure to humble himself before God led to his downfall, as seen in Daniel 5:22-23. We can learn from this by striving to live a life that is pleasing to God, by walking in humility and righteousness, as encouraged in Micah 6:8. By doing so, we can avoid being 'found deficient' before God, and instead receive His blessings and approval.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does TEKEL mean in Daniel 5:27?
TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient, indicating that God has judged the king's actions and found them lacking, as seen in Daniel 5:27, similar to how God judges all people according to their deeds, as written in Revelation 20:12-13.
Why was the king found deficient?
The king was found deficient because he did not humble himself before God, despite knowing the history of his father Nebuchadnezzar's experience with God, as recorded in Daniel 4:34-37, and instead continued in his sinful ways, leading to his downfall, as seen in Daniel 5:22-23.
What is the significance of being weighed on the scales?
Being weighed on the scales is a metaphor for God's judgment, where our actions and hearts are measured against His standards, as seen in Daniel 5:27, and also in other parts of the Bible, such as in Job 31:6, where Job asks to be weighed on the scales to demonstrate his integrity.
How does this verse relate to our lives today?
This verse reminds us that we will all be held accountable for our actions before God, as written in Romans 14:12, and that we should strive to live a life that is pleasing to Him, by walking in humility and righteousness, as encouraged in Micah 6:8.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in my life where I may be 'found deficient' before God, and how can I seek to improve in those areas?
- How can I apply the principle of being 'weighed on the scales' to my daily decisions and actions, to ensure that I am living a life that is pleasing to God?
- What does it mean to be 'weighed on the scales' in the context of my relationship with God, and how can I prepare myself for that judgment?
- In what ways can I demonstrate humility and a willingness to learn from my mistakes, like the king should have done, and how can I avoid the pitfalls of pride and arrogance?
Gill's Exposition on Daniel 5:27
TEKEL,.... 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
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Daniel 5:27
TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances. The Egyptians thought that Osiris weighed the actions of the dead in a literal balance.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Daniel 5:27
Thou art weighed in a hanging balance, alluding to the weighing of goods exactly in scales; and God is said to weigh the mountains in scales: it shows his just proceeding; God is not hasty in punishing, but will give just allowance in weighing, he will hold the scales, he will do it fairly before all the world. Art found wanting; thou dost not hold weight, but comest short vastly. There is no weight nor worth in thee. Thou hast made light of God in his honour, people, vessels; and the Lord makes light of thee, thou art reprobate silver, false coin; thou art of no value.
Trapp's Commentary on Daniel 5:27
Daniel 5:27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. Ver. 27. TEKEL; thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.] As the former was a term taken from creditors, so this from light coin; deprehensus es minus habere, thou art not current. Others may think thee weighty enough and worthy, but God pondereth the hearts, and thinketh thee fit to be refused, ut nummus reprobus so money rejected. Iupiter ipse duas aequato examine lances Sustinet. - Virg.
Cambridge Bible on Daniel 5:27
25–28. The reading and interpretation of the writing.
Barnes' Notes on Daniel 5:27
Tekel - This word (תקל teqēl) is also, according to Gesenius, a passive participle (from תקל teqal - “to poise, to weigh”), and means “weighed.” It would be used with reference to anything placed in
Sermons on Daniel 5:27
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Weighed and Found Wanting by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, Daniel preaches to Belshazzar, the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, about the consequences of pride and disobedience to God. He reminds Belshazzar of how Nebuchadnezzar |
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(Daniel: The Man God Uses #1) Christ the Goal by Ed Miller | In this sermon, the speaker makes three non-controversial observations about the book of Daniel. These observations are agreed upon by people who love the Lord. The first observati |
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Prerequisites for Approaching God by J.C. Hibbard | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the concept of time running out and the importance of not neglecting things that should not be neglected. He emphasizes the need for a real h |
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Men Tried and Found Defective by Edward Payson | Edward Payson preaches about the story of Belshazzar from the book of Daniel, emphasizing the consequences of provoking God and failing to glorify Him. He challenges the congregati |
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To Whom Shall We Liken Him? by Martin Knapp | Martin Knapp preaches about the remarkable similarities between Mr. Weber and various biblical figures, highlighting his evangelistic zeal, family's conversion, deliverance mission |
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Letter 69 by James Bourne | James Bourne preaches about the spiritual battle against sin and the importance of enduring hardships as a good soldier of Christ. He emphasizes the need to cling to God in the mid |
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Belshazzar's Feast in Its Application to the Great Exhibition by John Gifford Bellett | John Gifford Bellett preaches on the moral corruption witnessed by Jeremiah in Jerusalem, the discipline experienced by Ezekiel among the remnant, and Daniel's placement among the |