mene, mene, tekel, upharsin

[ mee-nee, mee-nee, tek-uhl, yoo-fahr-sin ]

Aramaic.
  1. numbered, numbered, weighed, divided: the miraculous writing on the wall interpreted by Daniel as foretelling the destruction of Belshazzar and his kingdom. Daniel 5:25–31.

Origin of mene, mene, tekel, upharsin

1
Ultimately from Aramaic mnʾ mnʾ tql prs (without vowel markings) and in Daniel's first reading (with vowel markings) mĕnēʾ mĕnēʾ tĕqēl ūpharsīn , equivalent to mĕnēʾ “a mina (a unit of weight and value)” + tĕqēl “a shekel (a unit of weight and a coin, especially the ancient Hebrew silver shekel)” + ū- “and” + pharsīn “two (?) half minas.” Daniel's interpretation is an elaborate pun, mnʾ mnʾ tql prs now being read mĕnāh “he has measured” + tĕqal “he has weighed” + pĕras “he has divided (your kingdom).” Prs may also be read pāras “Persia, Persians,” a punning reference to the Medes and Perisans, who will capture Babylon; see Parsee,

Words Nearby mene, mene, tekel, upharsin

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How to use mene, mene, tekel, upharsin in a sentence

  • The Mene mene tekel upharsin of the oriental legends could not have more completely produced the effect of thunderbolts.

British Dictionary definitions for mene, mene, tekel, upharsin

mene, mene, tekel, upharsin

/ (ˈmiːniː ˈmiːniː ˈtɛkəl juːˈfɑːsɪn) /


noun
  1. Old Testament the words that appeared on the wall during Belshazzar's Feast (Daniel 5:25), interpreted by Daniel to mean that God had doomed the kingdom of Belshazzar

Origin of mene, mene, tekel, upharsin

1
Aramaic: numbered, numbered, weighed, divided

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