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תְּקַל

𐤕𐤒𐤋

tᵉqal

H8625 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שקל to weigh, measure, value

Definition

To be weighed, measured on scales, evaluated for weight or value. In the context of Aramaic sections of the Hebrew Bible, particularly in Daniel, תְּקַל refers to the act of putting something on scales to determine its true weight or worth, often with a focus on assessment or judgment.

Semantic Range

to be weighed, to be evaluated or assessed (esp. in a legal or moral sense), to determine true value or worth, to be subjected to judgment

Root / Etymology

Root is שׁקל (ש־ק־ל), meaning 'to weigh, measure, value.' The Aramaic verb תְּקַל shares this root, with the phonetic shift typical for Aramaic forms. The term reflects a passive or stative sense in the Aramaic verbal system—the state or act of being weighed.

Historical & Contextual Notes

תְּקַל occurs in the Aramaic section of Daniel (Daniel 5:27) as part of the phrase מְנֵא מְנֵא תְּקֵל וּפַרְסִין in the 'writing on the wall' narrative. Here, it signals divine evaluation or judgment, specifically that King Belshazzar has been assessed and found lacking. While the KJV and traditional translations render the term simply as 'weighed,' the original context ties it to the examination of a person's deeds or character in a metaphorical sense rather than merely describing a physical act. The verbal nuance (passive/statitive) is significant for understanding the implication: not only the act of weighing, but the state of having been weighed and found wanting. Later tradition connects the word Tekel to a unit of weight, but in Daniel its literary function is symbolic assessment. The same root supplies the Hebrew verb שָׁקַל, which is common in biblical texts for both literal weighing (of metal, goods) and metaphorically (e.g., considerations, assessments).

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(Aramaic) corresponding to שָׁקַל; to balance; Tekel, be weighed.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שקל (š-q-l) — to weigh, measure, value

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4946 מִשְׁקוֹל by weight-measure
H4948 מִשְׁקָל by the weight
H4949 מִשְׁקֶלֶת plumb-weight
H8254 שָׁקַל I will weigh out
H8255 שֶׁקֶל by a sheqel-weight

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H8625-01 תְּקֵ֥ל teqel ANxxxa TEKEL weighed 2
H8625-02 תְּקִ֥ילְתָּה teqiletah AVQi2ms you-have-been-weighed you are weighed 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H8625-01 Daniel 5:25 תְּקֵ֥ל teqel ANxxxa TEKEL weighed
H8625-01 Daniel 5:27 תְּקֵ֑ל teqel ANxxxa TEKEL weighed
H8625-02 Daniel 5:27 תְּקִ֥ילְתָּה teqiletah AVQi2ms you-have-been-weighed you are weighed
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