Daniel 5:27
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Daniel 5:27
27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
Chapter Context
Daniel 5 is a apocalyptic and narrative chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of grace, fellowship, discipleship. Written during the Babylonian and Persian periods (c. 605-530 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Demonstrates faithful living under foreign rule during the Babylonian and Persian empires.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-31: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it illustrates divine judgment and mercy in response to human actions. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Daniel and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Daniel 5:27
27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
Analysis
TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting (תְּקֵל תְּקִלְתָּה בְמֹאזַנְיָא וְהִשְׁתְּכַחַתְּ חַסִּיר)—The second word of the mysterious handwriting declares Belshazzar's moral bankruptcy. Tekel (תְּקֵל) means "weighed," from the verb teqal meaning "to weigh" or "measure." The metaphor of divine scales weighing human deeds appears throughout Scripture (Job 31:6; Psalm 62:9; Proverbs 16:2). Ancient Near Eastern cultures used balances for commerce; here God uses them for moral reckoning.
The phrase found wanting (hishtekachat chassir, הִשְׁתְּכַחַתְּ חַסִּיר) literally means "you are found deficient" or "lacking." Despite Babylon's wealth, power, and sophistication, Belshazzar failed the ultimate test. The king who possessed everything material lacked what mattered most—righteousness before God. This verdict is final and irreversible; by the time judgment is announced, the weighing has already occurred. That very night Belshazzar died (5:30) and Darius the Mede took the kingdom (5:31).
The contrast between human standards and divine standards is stark. By worldly measures, Belshazzar succeeded—he inherited empire, commanded armies, enjoyed luxury. But God's scales weigh hearts, not achievements (1 Samuel 16:7). The king's desecration of temple vessels (5:2-4), pride, and idolatry revealed fatal spiritual deficiency. This principle applies universally: all humanity will be weighed in God's balances (Romans 3:23). Only those clothed in Christ's righteousness will measure up; all others are found wanting.
Historical Context
This judgment fell on October 12, 539 BC, when the Medo-Persian army conquered Babylon. Belshazzar was co-regent with his father Nabonidus, who was absent from the capital. The famous feast (5:1) occurred as enemy forces approached—epitomizing the regime's decadence and denial. Ancient historians Herodotus and Xenophon describe Babylon's fall: the Persians diverted the Euphrates River and entered through the river gates left carelessly open. Belshazzar's death ended the Neo-Babylonian Empire (626-539 BC), fulfilling Daniel's earlier prophecies about successive kingdoms (chapter 2).
Reflection
- By what standards do you measure success—worldly achievement or righteousness before God?
- If you were weighed in God's balances today, apart from Christ's righteousness, how would you measure up?
Cross-References
- Parallel theme: Job 31:6, Psalms 62:9, Jeremiah 6:30, 1 Corinthians 3:13