Daniel 5:26
Daniel 5:26 in Multiple Translations
And this is the interpretation of the message: MENE means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and brought it to an end.
This is the sense of the words: Mene; your kingdom has been numbered by God and ended.
Here is the meaning: Number—God has numbered your reign and brought it to an end.
This is the interpretation of the thing, MENE, God hath nombred thy kingdome, and hath finished it.
This [is] the interpretation of the thing: Numbered — God hath numbered thy kingdom, and hath finished it.
“This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE: God has counted your kingdom, and brought it to an end.
This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
And this is the interpretation of the word. MANE: God hath numbered thy kingdom, and hath finished it.
This is what those words mean: Mene means ‘numbered/counted’. That means that God has been counting the days that you will rule, and he has now decided that you will not rule any more.
Berean Amplified Bible — Daniel 5:26
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 5:26 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
דְּנָ֖ה
פְּשַֽׁר
מִלְּתָ֑/א
מְנֵ֕א
מְנָֽה
אֱלָהָ֥/א
מַלְכוּתָ֖/ךְ
וְ/הַשְׁלְמַֽ/הּ
דְּנָ֖ה
dên
H1836
this
Adj
פְּשַֽׁר
pᵉshar
H6591
interpretation
Adj
מִלְּתָ֑/א
millâh
H4406
word
Adj | Art
מְנֵ֕א
mᵉnêʼ
H4484
mina
Adj
מְנָֽה
mᵉnâʼ
H4483
to reckon/appoint
Adj
אֱלָהָ֥/א
ʼĕlâhh
H426
god
Adj | Art
מַלְכוּתָ֖/ךְ
malkûw
H4437
kingdom
Adj | Suff
וְ/הַשְׁלְמַֽ/הּ
shᵉlam
H8000
be complete
Adj | V-Hiphil-Perf-3ms | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
Use ← → arrow keys to navigate between words.
Hebrew Word Reference — Daniel 5:26
דְּנָ֖ה
dên
H1836
"this"
Adj
This Hebrew word means 'this' or 'therefore' and is used to point to something specific. It is often used in the Bible to connect ideas or explain a reason.
Definition: demons pron 1) this, on account of this adv 2) therefore
Usage: Occurs in 53 OT verses. KJV: (afore-) time, [phrase] after this manner, here (-after), one...another, such, there(-fore), these, this (matter), [phrase] thus, where(-fore), which. See also: Ezra 4:11; Daniel 2:29; Jeremiah 10:11.
פְּשַֽׁר
pᵉshar
H6591
"interpretation"
Adj
This word refers to the explanation or meaning of something, like a dream. It is used in Daniel 2 and 4 to describe the interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dreams. The word is about finding the solution to a mystery.
Definition: interpretation (of dream) Aramaic of pit.ron (פִּתְרוֹן "interpretation" H6623)
Usage: Occurs in 26 OT verses. KJV: interpretation. See also: Daniel 2:4; Daniel 4:4; Daniel 7:16.
מִלְּתָ֑/א
millâh
H4406
"word"
Adj | Art
Similar to H4405, this word means a word, command, or subject. It's used in the Bible to describe what God commands or what people discuss.
Definition: 1) word, thing 1a) word, utterance, command 1b) thing, affair, matter
Usage: Occurs in 22 OT verses. KJV: commandment, matter, thing. word. See also: Daniel 2:5; Daniel 4:30; Daniel 7:28.
מְנֵ֕א
mᵉnêʼ
H4484
"mina"
Adj
A mina is a unit of weight or measurement, often 50 or 60 shekels, used in biblical times. In Daniel 5, the word 'Mene' is written on the wall, meaning a mina or unit of measurement. This term is used to signify a specific amount or weight.
Definition: 1) (P'al) mina, maneh 1a) a weight or measurement; usually 50 shekels but maybe 60 shekels
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: Mene. See also: Daniel 5:25; Daniel 5:26.
מְנָֽה
mᵉnâʼ
H4483
"to reckon/appoint"
Adj
To reckon or appoint means to count or assign something, like a number or a task, and is used in the Bible to describe God's actions and plans.
Definition: 1) to number, reckon 1a) (P'al) to number 1b) (Pael) to appoint
Usage: Occurs in 5 OT verses. KJV: number, ordain, set. See also: Ezra 7:25; Daniel 2:49; Daniel 5:26.
אֱלָהָ֥/א
ʼĕlâhh
H426
"god"
Adj | Art
This word means God, referring to the God of Israel or a heathen deity, as seen in various KJV translations. It is used to describe a divine being.
Definition: 1) god, God 1a) god, heathen deity 1b) God (of Israel)
Usage: Occurs in 78 OT verses. KJV: God, god. See also: Ezra 4:24; Daniel 2:19; Jeremiah 10:11.
מַלְכוּתָ֖/ךְ
malkûw
H4437
"kingdom"
Adj | Suff
A kingdom refers to the territory or area ruled by a king, like King David's kingdom in Israel. It can also mean the reign or period of time a king is in power. The word is used in the Bible to describe royal authority and dominion.
Definition: 1) royalty, reign, kingdom 1a) royalty, kingship, kingly authority 1b) kingdom 1c) realm (of territory) 1d) reign (of time)
Usage: Occurs in 43 OT verses. KJV: kingdom, kingly, realm, reign. See also: Ezra 4:24; Daniel 5:7; Daniel 7:27.
וְ/הַשְׁלְמַֽ/הּ
shᵉlam
H8000
"be complete"
Adj | V-Hiphil-Perf-3ms | Suff
This verb means to finish or complete something, like a task or a project. In the Bible, it's used to describe bringing something to an end or paying a debt in full.
Definition: 1) to be complete, be finished, be sound 1a) (P'al) finished (participle) 1b) (Aphel) to finish, bring to an end, render in full
Usage: Occurs in 3 OT verses. KJV: deliver, finish. See also: Ezra 5:16; Ezra 7:19; Daniel 5:26.
Study Notes — Daniel 5:26
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Daniel 5:26 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Daniel 5:26
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Daniel 5:26
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Daniel 5:26
- Trapp's Commentary on Daniel 5:26
- Cambridge Bible on Daniel 5:26
- Barnes' Notes on Daniel 5:26
- Sermons on Daniel 5:26
Context — Daniel Interprets the Handwriting
24Therefore He sent the hand that wrote the inscription.
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.”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 25:11–12 | And this whole land will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years. But when seventy years are complete, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their guilt, declares the LORD, and I will make it an everlasting desolation. |
| 2 | Isaiah 47:1–15 | “Go down and sit in the dust, O Virgin Daughter of Babylon. Sit on the ground without a throne, O Daughter of Chaldea! For you will no longer be called tender or delicate. Take millstones and grind flour; remove your veil; strip off your skirt, bare your thigh, and wade through the streams. Your nakedness will be uncovered and your shame will be exposed. I will take vengeance; I will spare no one.” Our Redeemer—the LORD of Hosts is His name— is the Holy One of Israel. “Sit in silence and go into darkness, O Daughter of Chaldea. For you will no longer be called the queen of kingdoms. I was angry with My people; I profaned My heritage, and I placed them under your control. You showed them no mercy; even on the elderly you laid a most heavy yoke. You said, ‘I will be queen forever.’ You did not take these things to heart or consider their outcome. So now hear this, O lover of luxury who sits securely, who says to herself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me. I will never be a widow or know the loss of children.’ These two things will overtake you in a moment, in a single day: loss of children, and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the potency of your spells. You were secure in your wickedness; you said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and knowledge led you astray; you told yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.’ But disaster will come upon you; you will not know how to charm it away. A calamity will befall you that you will be unable to ward off. Devastation will happen to you suddenly and unexpectedly. So take your stand with your spells and with your many sorceries, with which you have wearied yourself from your youth. Perhaps you will succeed; perhaps you will inspire terror! You are wearied by your many counselors; let them come forward now and save you— your astrologers who observe the stars, who monthly predict your fate. Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. There will be no coals to warm them or fire to sit beside. This is what they are to you— those with whom you have labored and traded from youth— each one strays in his own direction; not one of them can save you. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 27:7 | All nations will serve him and his son and grandson, until the time of his own land comes; then many nations and great kings will enslave him. |
| 4 | Daniel 9:2 | in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the sacred books, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. |
| 5 | Isaiah 21:1–10 | This is the burden against the Desert by the Sea: Like whirlwinds sweeping through the Negev, an invader comes from the desert, from a land of terror. A dire vision is declared to me: “The traitor still betrays, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I will put an end to all her groaning.” Therefore my body is filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am bewildered to hear, I am dismayed to see. My heart falters; fear makes me tremble. The twilight of my desire has turned to horror. They prepare a table, they lay out a carpet, they eat, they drink! Rise up, O princes, oil the shields! For this is what the Lord says to me: “Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees. When he sees chariots with teams of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, he must be alert, fully alert.” Then the lookout shouted: “Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; night after night I stay at my post. Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!” O my people, crushed on the threshing floor, I tell you what I have heard from the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel. |
| 6 | Jeremiah 50:1–46 | This is the word that the LORD spoke through Jeremiah the prophet concerning Babylon and the land of the Chaldeans: “Announce and declare to the nations; lift up a banner and proclaim it; hold nothing back when you say, ‘Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is shattered, her images are disgraced, her idols are broken in pieces.’ For a nation from the north will come against her; it will make her land a desolation. No one will live in it; both man and beast will flee.” “In those days and at that time, declares the LORD, the children of Israel and the children of Judah will come together, weeping as they come, and will seek the LORD their God. They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and join themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten. My people are lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray, causing them to roam the mountains. They have wandered from mountain to hill; they have forgotten their resting place. All who found them devoured them, and their enemies said, ‘We are not guilty, for they have sinned against the LORD, their true pasture, the LORD, the hope of their fathers.’ Flee from the midst of Babylon; depart from the land of the Chaldeans; be like the he-goats that lead the flock. For behold, I stir up and bring against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the land of the north. They will line up against her; from the north she will be captured. Their arrows will be like skilled warriors who do not return empty-handed. Chaldea will be plundered; all who plunder her will have their fill,” declares the LORD. “Because you rejoice, because you sing in triumph— you who plunder My inheritance— because you frolic like a heifer treading grain and neigh like stallions, your mother will be greatly ashamed; she who bore you will be disgraced. Behold, she will be the least of the nations, a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert. Because of the wrath of the LORD, she will not be inhabited; she will become completely desolate. All who pass through Babylon will be horrified and will hiss at all her wounds. Line up in formation around Babylon, all you who draw the bow! Shoot at her! Spare no arrows! For she has sinned against the LORD. Raise a war cry against her on every side! She has thrown up her hands in surrender; her towers have fallen; her walls are torn down. Since this is the vengeance of the LORD, take out your vengeance upon her; as she has done, do the same to her. Cut off the sower from Babylon, and the one who wields the sickle at harvest time. In the face of the oppressor’s sword, each will turn to his own people, each will flee to his own land. Israel is a scattered flock, chased away by lions. The first to devour him was the king of Assyria; the last to crush his bones was Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.” Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “I will punish the king of Babylon and his land as I punished the king of Assyria. I will return Israel to his pasture, and he will graze on Carmel and Bashan; his soul will be satisfied on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead. In those days and at that time, declares the LORD, a search will be made for Israel’s guilt, but there will be none, and for Judah’s sins, but they will not be found; for I will forgive the remnant I preserve. Go up against the land of Merathaim, and against the residents of Pekod. Kill them and devote them to destruction. Do all that I have commanded you,” declares the LORD. “The noise of battle is in the land— the noise of great destruction. How the hammer of the whole earth lies broken and shattered! What a horror Babylon has become among the nations! I laid a snare for you, O Babylon, and you were caught before you knew it. You were found and captured because you challenged the LORD. The LORD has opened His armory and brought out His weapons of wrath, for this is the work of the Lord GOD of Hosts in the land of the Chaldeans. Come against her from the farthest border. Break open her granaries; pile her up like mounds of grain. Devote her to destruction; leave her no survivors. Kill all her young bulls; let them go down to the slaughter. Woe to them, for their day has come— the time of their punishment. Listen to the fugitives and refugees from the land of Babylon, declaring in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance for His temple. Summon the archers against Babylon, all who string the bow. Encamp all around her; let no one escape. Repay her according to her deeds; do to her as she has done. For she has defied the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. Therefore, her young men will fall in the streets, and all her warriors will be silenced in that day,” declares the LORD. “Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts, “for your day has come, the time when I will punish you. The arrogant one will stumble and fall with no one to pick him up. And I will kindle a fire in his cities to consume all those around him.” This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “The sons of Israel are oppressed, and the sons of Judah as well. All their captors hold them fast, refusing to release them. Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of Hosts is His name. He will fervently plead their case so that He may bring rest to the earth, but turmoil to those who live in Babylon. A sword is against the Chaldeans, declares the LORD, against those who live in Babylon, and against her officials and wise men. A sword is against her false prophets, and they will become fools. A sword is against her warriors, and they will be filled with terror. A sword is against her horses and chariots and against all the foreigners in her midst, and they will become like women. A sword is against her treasuries, and they will be plundered. A drought is upon her waters, and they will be dried up. For it is a land of graven images, and the people go mad over idols. So the desert creatures and hyenas will live there and ostriches will dwell there. It will never again be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation. As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah along with their neighbors,” declares the LORD, “no one will dwell there; no man will abide there. Behold, an army is coming from the north; a great nation and many kings are stirred up from the ends of the earth. They grasp the bow and spear; they are cruel and merciless. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride upon horses, lined up like men in formation against you, O Daughter of Babylon. The king of Babylon has heard the report, and his hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped him, pain like that of a woman in labor. Behold, one will come up like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan to the watered pasture. For in an instant I will chase Babylon from her land. Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this? For who is like Me, and who can challenge Me? What shepherd can stand against Me?” Therefore hear the plans that the LORD has drawn up against Babylon and the strategies He has devised against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the little ones of the flock will be dragged away; certainly their pasture will be made desolate because of them. At the sound of Babylon’s capture the earth will quake; a cry will be heard among the nations. |
| 7 | Job 14:14 | When a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my renewal comes. |
| 8 | Isaiah 13:1–14 | This is the burden against Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz received: Raise a banner on a barren hilltop; call aloud to them. Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles. I have commanded My sanctified ones; I have even summoned My warriors to execute My wrath and exult in My triumph. Listen, a tumult on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations gathered together! The LORD of Hosts is mobilizing an army for war. They are coming from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens— the LORD and the weapons of His wrath— to destroy the whole country. Wail, for the Day of the LORD is near; it will come as destruction from the Almighty. Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every man’s heart will melt. Terror, pain, and anguish will seize them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look at one another, their faces flushed with fear. Behold, the Day of the LORD is coming— cruel, with fury and burning anger— to make the earth a desolation and to destroy the sinners within it. For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. The rising sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light. I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will end the haughtiness of the arrogant and lay low the pride of the ruthless. I will make man scarcer than pure gold, and mankind rarer than the gold of Ophir. Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken from its place at the wrath of the LORD of Hosts on the day of His burning anger. Like a hunted gazelle, like a sheep without a shepherd, each will return to his own people, each will flee to his native land. |
| 9 | Acts 15:18 | that have been known for ages.’ |
Daniel 5:26 Summary
[Daniel 5:26 tells us that God decides when a leader's time in power will end, and He has all the days of our lives numbered, as seen in Psalm 139:16. This means that no matter how powerful someone is, God is always in control. The word MENE is like a stamp of approval from God, indicating that He has brought an end to King Belshazzar's reign because his time was up, similar to how God works in the lives of all people, as mentioned in Jeremiah 29:11, where He says He has plans to prosper us, not to harm us.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the word MENE mean in Daniel 5:26?
The word MENE means that God has numbered the days of King Belshazzar's reign and brought it to an end, as seen in Daniel 5:26, emphasizing God's sovereignty over all earthly kingdoms, much like in Isaiah 40:15 where nations are considered a drop in the bucket to Him.
Is this verse a warning to all leaders or just to King Belshazzar?
While Daniel 5:26 specifically addresses King Belshazzar, the principle that God is the one who establishes and removes leaders is universal, as stated in Daniel 2:21 and Romans 13:1, serving as a warning to all leaders to acknowledge God's authority.
How does this verse relate to the concept of God's timing?
Daniel 5:26 highlights God's precise timing and control over history, similar to what is seen in Acts 17:26, where it is stated that God has determined the times and boundaries of nations, underscoring His meticulous involvement in human affairs.
What is the significance of God 'numbering the days' of a king's reign?
The act of God numbering the days of a king's reign, as mentioned in Daniel 5:26, signifies His thorough knowledge and control over all aspects of human life and governance, much like in Psalm 139:16, where it is written that all our days are ordained and written in God's book before one of them begins.
Reflection Questions
- How does the realization that God numbers our days and determines the end of our earthly endeavors affect my perspective on life and leadership?
- In what ways can I, like King Belshazzar, be tempted to forget or ignore God's sovereignty over my life and decisions?
- What does this verse teach me about the importance of humility and recognizing God's authority in all aspects of life?
- How can I apply the lesson of Daniel 5:26 to my own life, acknowledging God's control over my time and destiny?
Gill's Exposition on Daniel 5:26
This is the interpretation of the thing,.... Or, "word" (z); for they might all seem as one word; or this is the sense of the whole: MENE; as for this word, it signifies, God hath numbered thy
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Daniel 5:26
This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom. God hath fixed the number of years of thine empire, and that number is now complete.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Daniel 5:26
Mene, Mene; He hath numbered, or, It is numbered, it is numbered. These words are doubled for the greater confirmation, to note that the number of his sins and of his days, both of life and reign, are full. It relates to the number of the seventy years’ captivity now completed, or to the seventy years for the overthrow of the Babylonish empire, or the translation of it to the Medes and Persians, foretold Isaiah 13$ Isaiah 14$ Jeremiah 1$, and in the dream, .
Trapp's Commentary on Daniel 5:26
Daniel 5:26 This [is] the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.Ver. 26. MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom.] He hath cast up thy reckonings, taken account of thy maladministration, and calleth for satisfaction. So he dealt with Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Cum duplicarentur lateres, venit Moses, when the tale of bricks was doubled, then came Moses; and when the four hundred, or the four hundred and thirty, years of their captivity in Egypt were exactly expired, the same night were the firstborn slain. So the tyranny of the Roman emperors was numbered at the end of three hundred years after Christ, when they, sounding the triumph before the victory, had foolishly engraven upon pillars of marble these bubbles of words, Nomine Christianorum deleto qui Remp, evertebant, we have utterly rooted out the name of Christians, those traitors to the commonwealth. So, lastly, God hath numbered the Pope’ s kingdom, and well-nigh finished it. Let him look to the year 1666. It is plain Satan shall be tied up a thousand years; 666 is the number of the beast; Antichrist shaft so long reign; these two together make the just number. Time has made a fool of Trapp as it has of many others. Ed.
Cambridge Bible on Daniel 5:26
26. finished it] completed it, given it its full and complete measure of time. Cp. the cognate adj. in Genesis 15:16 (‘full,’ ‘complete’).
Barnes' Notes on Daniel 5:26
This is the interpretation of the thing - It may seem not to have been difficult to interpret the meaning of the communication, when one was able to read the words, or when the sense of the words was understood.
Sermons on Daniel 5:26
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
From Babylon to Jerusalem - (Daniel) ch.1:1-1:8 by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the book of Daniel and its relevance to the end times. The book is divided into two parts: the first six chapters are historical and the last |
|
Eternity and Time 04 Daniel's 70'th Week by David Clifford | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the concept of time periods in relation to God's eternal purpose. He explains that these periods, referred to as dispensations, are symbolic |
|
The Message of Ezra by G. Campbell Morgan | G. Campbell Morgan delivers a powerful sermon on 'The Message of Ezra,' emphasizing God's sovereignty and His ability to restore and remake His people, much like a potter reshapes |
|
Knowing and Serving the Lord in a Day of Crisis by Tom Macartney | Tom Macartney preaches on the life of Daniel, who lived through a time of crisis during the exile in Babylon. Daniel's foundations were his personal knowledge of God and his unswer |
|
Leviticus 26:3 by Chuck Smith | Chuck Smith emphasizes the certainty of God's promises as outlined in Leviticus 26:3, highlighting the importance of obedience to God's statutes and commandments. He explains that |
|
Returning From the Captivity by C.I. Scofield | C.I. Scofield preaches on the return of Israel from captivity, highlighting the divine imperative and immutability of the written Word of God, specifically the prophetic word. The |
|
Americas Last Days - Part 1 by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher discusses four specific judgments that God inflicts on nations. He believes that these judgments have already started and will continue to accelerate u |