 This twofold character of the moon is thought by David Mill to be indicated in the two names Gad and Meni, the former feminine, the latter masculine (Diss. v, § 23); but as both are masculine in Hebrew, his speculation falls to the ground. Le Moyne, on the other hand. regarded both words as denoting the sun, and his double worship among the Egyptians: Gad is then the goat of Mendes, and Meni =Mnevis worshipped at Heliopolis. The opinion of Huetius that the Meni- of Isaiah and the Μήν of Strabo (xii, c. 31) both denoted the sun, was refuted by Vitringa and others. Among those who have interpreted the word literally ' number' may be reckoned Jarchi and Abarbanel, who understand by it the 'number' of the priests that formed the company of revellers at the feast, and later Hoheisel (Obs. ad. diffc. Jes. loca, p. 349) followed in the same track. Kimchi, in his note on Isa 65:11, says ofMeni, 'It is a-star, and some interpret it of the stars which are numbered, and they are. the seven stars of motion,' i.e. the planets. Buxtorf (Lex. Hebr.) applies it to the 'number' of the stars which were worshipped as gods; Schindler (Lex. Pentagl.) to the ' number and multitude' of the idols, while according to others it refers to ' Mercury, the. god of numbers;' all which are mere conjectures, quot homines, tot sententice, and take their origin from the play upon the word Meni, which is found in the verse next following that in which it occurs ('therefore will I number [וּמָנַיתַי, um- ninithi], you to the sword'), and which is supposed to point to its derivation from the verb מָנָה, manah, to number. But the origin of the name of Noah, as given in Genesis v. 29, shows that such plays upon words are not to be depended upon as the bases of etymology. On the supposition, however, that in this case the etymology of Meni is really indicated, its meaning is still uncertain. Those who understand by it the moon, derive an argument for their theory from the fact that anciently years were numbered by the courses of the moon." The fact of Meni being a Babylonian god renders it probable that some planet was worshipped under this name: but there is much diversity of opinion as to the particular planet to which the designation of destiny would be most applicable (see Lakemacher, Observ. philol. 4:18 sq.; David Mill's diss. on the subject in his Dissert. selectee, p. 81-132). Miinter considers it to be Venus (see Gesenius, Comment. ad loc.), as the lesser star of good fortune (the Naneea of the Persians [2 Macc. 1:13] or Anctis [Strabo, 15:733] of the Armenians [xi. 532.; 12:559]); Ewald takes it to be Saturn, the chief dispenser of evil influences; and Movers (Phonic. 1:650) has returned to the old opinion that Meni is the moon which was also supposed to be an arbitress of fortune: the best arguments for which last view are collected by Vitringa (ad loc.). It also deserves notice that there are some, among whom is Hitzig, who consider Gad and Meni to be names for one and the same god, and who chiefly differ as to whether the sun or the moon is the god intended. It would seem on the whole that, in the passage under consideration, the prophet reproaches the idolatrous Jews with setting up a table to Fortune, and with making libations to Fate; and Jerome (ad loc.) observes that it was the custom as late as his time, in all cities, especially in Egypt, to set tables before the gods, and furnish them with various luxurious articles of food, and with goblets containing a mixture of new wine, on the last day of the month and of the year, and that the people drew omens from them in respect to the fruitfulness of the year; but in honor of what god these things were done he does not state. Numerous examples of this practice occur on the monuments of Egypt (Wilkinson, Anc. Eg. 1:265). SEE GAD.