Original Word: מְנֵא
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: mene'
Pronunciation: meh-NAY
Phonetic Spelling: (men-ay')
KJV: Mene
NASB: MENE
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) passive participle of H448 (אֱלִיאָתָה אֱלִיָתָה - Eliathah)3]
1. numbered
(Aramaic) passive participle of mna'; numbered -- Mene.
see HEBREW mna'
The word מְנֵא appears within the Aramaic section of Daniel and functions as part of the triad "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin." While the individual terms are Aramaic, their inclusion in the Hebrew canon embeds them in Hebrew thought. Repetition ("Mene, Mene") establishes certainty and urgency, a common Semitic rhetorical device.
Canonical Context in Daniel
Daniel 5 records Babylon’s final royal banquet, where Belshazzar profanes vessels from the Jerusalem temple. In response, the divine hand writes the cryptic inscription. Daniel interprets the first clause: "MENE means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end" (Daniel 5:26). The term appears twice in Daniel 5:25 and once in Daniel 5:26, underscoring divine finality. The prophecy is fulfilled that very night when the Medo-Persian forces overthrow Babylon, verifying Scripture’s reliability.
Theological Significance of Divine Accounting
1. Divine Sovereignty: מְנֵא testifies that God, not human kings, sets the boundaries of empires (compare Job 12:23; Acts 17:26).
2. Human Accountability: The numbered days motif mirrors Psalm 90:12, where Moses prays, "Teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom". What God does to nations He likewise does to individuals.
3. Certainty of Judgment: The duplication "Mene, Mene" is akin to Jesus’ "Truly, truly" (John 3:3), assuring the listener of irrevocable decree.
Historical and Cultural Setting
Belshazzar’s feast (circa 539 BC) occurs on the eve of Babylon’s fall. Archaeology confirms a co-regency between Nabonidus and Belshazzar, lending credibility to Daniel’s narrative. The sudden shift from revelry to ruin illustrates the fragility of human power when confronted by God’s timetable.
Prophetic and Eschatological Implications
מְנֵא foreshadows end-time accounting. Just as Babylon’s days were fixed, so are the days of the present world order (Revelation 10:6). The phrase establishes a pattern: worldly kingdoms rise and fall, but "His dominion is an everlasting dominion" (Daniel 7:14).
Implications for Ministry and Discipleship
1. Urgency in Evangelism: Since God has numbered human history, believers proclaim the gospel "while it is day" (John 9:4).
2. Stewardship of Time: Recognizing one’s days are numbered prompts intentional living (Ephesians 5:15-16).
3. Prophetic Voice to Culture: Like Daniel, Christians speak truth to power, reminding leaders that authority is delegated and temporary (Romans 13:1-2).
Christological Foreshadowing
The fall of Babylon prefigures Christ’s triumph over worldly systems (Revelation 18). Jesus, the "Stone cut without hands" (Daniel 2:34-35), ultimately replaces every numbered kingdom with an unending one. מְנֵא therefore directs attention forward to the decisive moment when the King of Kings judges all nations.
Cross-References and Thematic Parallels
Job 14:5 – "Man’s days are determined; You have decreed the number of his months..."
Psalm 139:16 – "All my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be."
1 Peter 4:5 – "They will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead."
These passages align with מְנֵא’s core message: God’s meticulous governance over time and destiny.
Daniel 5:25
HEB: רְשִׁ֑ים מְנֵ֥א מְנֵ֖א תְּקֵ֥ל וּפַרְסִֽין׃
NAS: out: 'MENE, MENE, TEKEL,
KJV: MENE, MENE, TEKEL,
INT: was written MENE MENE TEKEL UPHARSIN
Daniel 5:26
HEB: פְּשַֽׁר־ מִלְּתָ֑א מְנֵ֕א מְנָֽה־ אֱלָהָ֥א
NAS: of the message: 'MENE-- God
KJV: of the thing: MENE; God
INT: is the interpretation of the message MENE has numbered God
3 Occurrences
Strong's Hebrew 4484
3 Occurrences
mə·nê — 3 Occ.