26 “Here is what these words mean:

Mene[a]: God has numbered the days(A) of your reign and brought it to an end.(B)

27 Tekel[b]: You have been weighed on the scales(C) and found wanting.(D)

28 Peres[c]: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes(E) and Persians.”(F)

29 Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck,(G) and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.(H)

30 That very night Belshazzar,(I) king(J) of the Babylonians,[d] was slain,(K) 31 and Darius(L) the Mede(M) took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.[e]

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 5:26 Mene can mean numbered or mina (a unit of money).
  2. Daniel 5:27 Tekel can mean weighed or shekel.
  3. Daniel 5:28 Peres (the singular of Parsin) can mean divided or Persia or a half mina or a half shekel.
  4. Daniel 5:30 Or Chaldeans
  5. Daniel 5:31 In Aramaic texts this verse (5:31) is numbered 6:1.

26 This is the interpretation of the thing: Mene; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.

27 Tekel; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

28 Peres; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.

31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

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