תְּקַל

to balance

Definition

The Aramaic verb תְּקַל (tᵉqal) means 'to weigh' or 'to balance' on scales. In its two biblical occurrences, it describes the act of weighing something to determine its value or measure. In Daniel 5:25, it appears as part of the mysterious writing on the wall: 'TEKEL'—meaning 'you have been weighed.' In Daniel 5:27, the interpretation is given explicitly: 'TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.' The word conveys the idea of divine assessment, where God evaluates the moral and spiritual worth of King Belshazzar.

Biblical Usage

This word is used exclusively in the Aramaic portions of the book of Daniel, specifically in the narrative of Belshazzar's feast. It appears twice in the same episode (Daniel 5:25, 27) as part of the divine message of judgment. The usage is forensic and evaluative, depicting God as the one who weighs a king's actions and character in a balance. There is no other usage in the Old Testament, making its context highly specific to this moment of royal condemnation.

Etymology

תְּקַל is an Aramaic verb, corresponding to the Hebrew verb שָׁקַל (shāqal, H8254), which also means 'to weigh.' Both derive from a common Semitic root (*ṯql or *šql) associated with weights, scales, and measurement. The Aramaic form is used in the biblical text because Daniel 2:4b–7:28 is written in Aramaic, the lingua franca of the ancient Near Eastern empires of that period.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it portrays God as the divine Assessor or Judge who evaluates human lives. The imagery of being 'weighed on the scales' (Daniel 5:27) is a powerful metaphor for divine judgment, where moral and spiritual integrity are measured against God's standard. Understanding this term enriches the reading of Daniel 5 by highlighting that Belshazzar's downfall was not arbitrary but the result of a precise, just evaluation of his character and actions, a concept that resonates with themes of accountability throughout Scripture.

In the ancient Near East, weighing with scales was a common practice in commerce and justice to ensure fairness and accuracy. The metaphor of a deity weighing a person's heart or actions appears in other contemporary cultures (e.g., Egyptian religion). In Daniel, the public, supernatural writing of 'TEKEL' at a royal banquet would have been understood as a direct, ominous divine verdict against the king, leveraging a familiar cultural concept of measurement to communicate a message of imminent judgment.

שָׁקַל (shāqal, H8254) — The direct Hebrew equivalent, used frequently for physical weighing and, metaphorically, for God's discernment (e.g., 1 Samuel 2:3).

Word Details

Scripture References