The Writing on the Wall
Exile & ReturnMeaning: “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN”
God numbers the days of the proud and weighs them in the balance.
The mysterious hand that wrote Babylon’s doom on the palace wall during Belshazzar’s feast.
What It Was
As Belshazzar feasted with the temple’s holy vessels, the fingers of a man’s hand wrote on the wall: “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN” (Daniel 5:25). Daniel interpreted it: God had numbered the kingdom and finished it, the king was weighed and found wanting, and the realm was given to the Medes and Persians. That night Belshazzar was slain (Daniel 5:26–30).
Biblical Significance & Symbolism
The writing is a sudden verdict on pride and sacrilege: God “numbers” and “weighs” every kingdom and life. What seemed an untouchable empire fell in a night — a warning that the proud are humbled and that “the most high God ruleth in the kingdom of men” (Daniel 5:21).
Timeline
The hand writes Babylon’s doom at Belshazzar’s feast
Scripture References
4 versesDaniel4 verses
Daniel 5:25
And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
Daniel 5:26
This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
Daniel 5:27
TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
Daniel 5:28
PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
Topics & Symbolism
Biblical themes this object points to and helps interpret.
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Frequently asked about The Writing on the Wall
What was The Writing on the Wall in the Bible?
The mysterious hand that wrote Babylon’s doom on the palace wall during Belshazzar’s feast.
What does The Writing on the Wall symbolize?
God numbers the days of the proud and weighs them in the balance.
What does the name The Writing on the Wall mean?
The name The Writing on the Wall means “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN”.
Where was The Writing on the Wall kept?
The Writing on the Wall was kept at Belshazzar’s palace, Babylon.
Where is The Writing on the Wall first mentioned in the Bible?
The Writing on the Wall is first mentioned in Daniel 5:25.
How often is The Writing on the Wall mentioned in the Bible?
The Writing on the Wall is mentioned in 4 verses across 1 book: Daniel.
What did the writing on the wall mean?
MENE — God numbered Babylon’s days and ended them; TEKEL — Belshazzar was weighed and found wanting; PERES/UPHARSIN — his kingdom was divided and given to the Medes and Persians (Daniel 5:26–28).
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