מֹאזֵן

מֹאזֵן

Definition

The Hebrew noun מֹאזֵן (môʼzên) refers to a balance or scales used for weighing. It specifically denotes the instrument for measuring weight, often in commercial or judicial contexts. In its single biblical occurrence in Daniel 5:27, it is used metaphorically in the phrase 'you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting,' where it symbolizes God's act of evaluating King Belshazzar's moral and spiritual worth. The word carries the concrete sense of a physical measuring tool and, by extension, the abstract concept of divine assessment and judgment.

Biblical Usage

This word appears only once in the Old Testament, in the Aramaic portion of the book of Daniel. It is used in a prophetic and judicial context. In Daniel 5:27, the prophet Daniel interprets the handwriting on the wall for King Belshazzar, declaring that God has weighed the king's reign and character in the balances (מֹאזֵן) and found him deficient. The usage is entirely metaphorical, applying the imagery of a commercial scale to the spiritual realm of divine evaluation.

Etymology

The word מֹאזֵן (môʼzên) is an Aramaic form corresponding directly to the Hebrew מֹאזֵן (mō’zēn, H3976). Both derive from the root אזן (’zn), which relates to the ear, hearing, or balancing. This connection suggests the idea of a scale 'listening' or being attentive to achieve equilibrium. The Aramaic form used in Daniel is a cognate, showing the shared linguistic heritage between Hebrew and Aramaic in the semantic field of measurement and justice.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it provides a powerful metaphor for God's perfect judgment. The image in Daniel 5:27 teaches that God evaluates human actions, kingdoms, and moral character with absolute accuracy and justice, as precise as a balanced scale. Understanding this Hebrew/Aramaic term enriches the reading of this passage by emphasizing that divine judgment is not arbitrary but is a measured, deliberate assessment against a divine standard. It connects to the broader biblical theme of God as the righteous judge. In the ancient Near East, balances were essential tools for commerce and trade, ensuring fair exchange by weight. They were also symbols of justice and equity, as seen in Egyptian and Mesopotamian art where gods or rulers are depicted with scales. The metaphor in Daniel would have been immediately understood by its original audience: just as a merchant precisely weighs goods, so the divine ruler weighs a king's life. This contrasts with a modern, impersonal understanding of judgment, embedding it in the familiar, tangible world of marketplace fairness. מֹאזֵן (mō’zēn, H3976) — The direct Hebrew equivalent, used in Proverbs, Job, and Isaiah. פֶּלֶס (peles, H6425) — Another word for balance or scale, often used in poetic and wisdom literature (e.g., Proverbs 16:11).

Word Details