מְנֵא (me.ne)
me.ne
mina
A:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-M
Word Overview
The noun mēnāʾ refers to a standard unit of weight or currency, known in English as a mina. In the Hebrew Bible, it represents a significant sum, typically calculated at fifty shekels, though some scholars suggest it may have occasionally equated to sixty shekels depending on the context or region.
This term appears only twice in Scripture, both within the book of Daniel. It serves as a concrete measure of value in the narrative of Belshazzar’s feast, where a mysterious hand writes on the wall using weights that signify divine judgment against the king’s arrogance. The rarity of its usage highlights its role as a specific economic benchmark rather than a common everyday term.
Its presence in Daniel underscores the theme of God’s sovereignty over earthly wealth and power. By employing a recognized monetary unit, the text grounds supernatural events in tangible reality, reminding readers that material value is subject to divine assessment.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word mēnāʾ appears only twice in Scripture, anchored firmly in Daniel chapter 5. It functions as a standard unit of weight or currency, representing a substantial sum of money. In the narrative of Belshazzar’s feast, this term becomes part of a mysterious inscription that signals divine judgment against royal arrogance.
For your faith life, this rarity reminds us that God oversees earthly wealth and power. Material value is subject to His assessment. When we hold resources or status, we do so under His sovereign gaze. This grounding in tangible reality helps us trust that spiritual truths are not abstract but deeply connected to our daily lives.
Even in moments of uncertainty or sudden change, this word points to God’s ultimate authority. It invites us to examine what we value and to rest in the knowledge that our true security lies beyond material measures.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- mene3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מְנֵ֥א1×
- מְנֵ֖א1×
- מְנֵ֕א1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 5:25
“This is the writing that was inscribed: ‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.’
This verse introduces the term as part of the supernatural inscription, linking the monetary unit directly to a message of impending judgment.
-
Daniel 5:26
“This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE: God has counted your kingdom, and brought it to an end.
Here the word is interpreted explicitly as 'God has counted,' showing that the weight measure symbolizes the divine evaluation of the king's reign.