Daniel 5:27 Meaning and Explanation
“TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →TEKEL means the king has been weighed in God's balances and found lacking.
What Does Daniel 5:27 Mean?
Daniel interprets the second word: TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting. The image is of scales in which the king's life and reign are measured against God's standard and come up short. The judgment is personal and exact.
To be weighed by God and found wanting is the most searching of all verdicts. It speaks not of strength or wealth, which Belshazzar had in abundance, but of the true worth of a life before its Maker. The scales of God reveal what really matters: a heart that honors Him. The verse calls every reader to consider how they would stand if weighed today, and to seek the One who alone can make a wanting life whole.
Daniel 5:27 in the Original Language
tekel (תְּקֵל), 'weighed' -- the same idea as a shekel placed on a scale, the king assessed and found short.
Frequently Asked Questions About Daniel 5:27
What does Daniel 5:27 mean?
TEKEL means the king has been weighed in God's balances and found lacking.