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Daniel 4

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Nebuchadnezzar's Decree and Praise 1–3

1
Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you. ​
2
It hath seemed good unto me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God hath wrought toward me.
3
How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. ​

The King's Troubling Dream 4–18

4
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace. ​
5
I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.
6
Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.
7
Then came in the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers; and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof. ​
8
But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him, saying, ​
9
O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
10
Thus were the visions of my head upon my bed: I saw, and, behold, a tree in the midst of the earth; and the height thereof was great.
11
The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth.
12
The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of the heavens dwelt in the branches thereof, and all flesh was fed from it. ​
13
I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven. ​
14
He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches.
15
Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven: and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: ​
16
let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him. ​
17
The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the lowest of men. ​
18
This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation; but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

Daniel Interprets the Tree 19–27

19
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken dumb for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine adversaries. ​
20
The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;
21
whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the birds of the heavens had their habitation:
22
it is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong; for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. ​
23
And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven: and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;
24
this is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
25
that thou shalt be driven from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen, and shalt be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee; till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. ​
26
And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.
27
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if there may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity. ​

The Prophecy is Fulfilled 28–33

28
All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
29
At the end of twelve months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon. ​
30
The king spake and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling-place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty? ​
31
While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from thee: ​
32
and thou shalt be driven from men; and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen; and seven times shall pass over thee; until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
33
The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hair was grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws. ​

Nebuchadnezzar's Restoration and Final Praise 34–37

34
And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation; ​
35
and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? ​
36
At the same time mine understanding returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added unto me. ​
37
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those that walk in pride he is able to abase. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Daniel 4

Verse 1

Peace be multiplied unto you — The chapter is a royal letter in the king's own voice, addressed as Darius's later decree is: 'unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth' (Dan 6:25). 'Multiplied' is sega, to increase; 'peace' is shelam.

Verse 3

his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom — The words echo Ps 145:13, 'Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom'. 'Signs' (ath) and 'wonders' (temah) repeat v.2. The king returns to the thought in v.34, 'whose dominion is an everlasting dominion', and the God of heaven's kingdom is promised in Dan 2:44.

Verse 4

at rest in mine house, and flourishing — 'At rest' is shelah, secure; 'flourishing' is ra'anan, literally green, like fresh foliage, which prepares for the tree of v.10. Such ease is the setting of Babylon's boast in Isa 47:8, 'that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am'.

Verse 7

the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers — The same class of advisers summoned in Dan 2:2. This time the dream is told to them, yet 'they did not make known unto me the interpretation'. It is the LORD who 'maketh diviners mad' and turns 'wise men backward' (Isa 44:25).

Verse 8

the spirit of the holy gods — This is Nebuchadnezzar's own pagan wording, and elah is plural, 'gods'. He names Daniel by the Babylonian name given in Dan 1:7; the phrase is repeated in vv.9, 18 and by the queen in Dan 5:11. 'At the last' (ochorein) marks Daniel as the final resort.

Verse 12

all flesh was fed of it — The tree gives food (mazon) to all, shade to the beasts and lodging to the birds. The same picture describes the Assyrian cedar in Ezek 31:6. The extent is Nebuchadnezzar's: God had given 'the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven' into his hand (Dan 2:38).

Verse 13

a watcher and an holy one — 'Ir, a watcher, an angel who keeps guard. The word occurs only in this chapter (vv.13, 17, 23). The heavenly messenger announces the sentence that Daniel names in v.24 as 'the decree of the most High'.

Verse 15

a band of iron and brass — Esur, a band or fetter, binds the stump (iqqar) of the roots left in the ground. The stump holds hope of regrowth, as with a felled tree in Job 14:7, and v.26 explains it: 'thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee'. His 'portion' is with the beasts.

Verse 16

let a beast's heart be given unto him — The 'heart' (levav) is changed from man's. 'Times' is iddan, a set time, which Strong's notes can mean a year. The phrase 'seven times' returns in vv.23, 25 and 32, and v.33 records the fulfilment.

Verse 17

the basest of men — Shephal, the lowest. The decree is given 'to the intent that the living may know' who rules. The same truth is stated in Dan 2:21, 'he removeth kings, and setteth up kings'; in 1 Sam 2:8 and in Ps 75:7, 'he putteth down one, and setteth up another'. It is repeated in vv.25 and 32.

Verse 19

astonied for one hour — Shemam, to be stunned, silenced; 'hour' (sha'ah) is a short while, literally a look. Daniel's wish, 'the dream be to them that hate thee', turns the judgment from his lord. He calls Nebuchadnezzar mare, 'my lord', though the dream concerns him.

Verse 22

It is thou, O king — The same direct word as Nathan's 'Thou art the man' (2 Sam 12:7). The tree's growth, strength and reach 'unto heaven' (v.11) are now Nebuchadnezzar's own 'greatness'. It was given by the God of heaven, as Daniel had told him in Dan 2:37.

Verse 25

till thou know that the most High ruleth — The aim of the sentence is knowledge. 'Drive' is terad, to expel, and 'seven times' are iddan, set times. 'To eat grass as oxen' is fulfilled word for word in v.33 and recalled in Dan 5:21. 'Most High' is illay, the title of vv.2, 17, 24, 32, 34.

Verse 27

break off thy sins by righteousness — Peraq, to break off; 'righteousness' is tsidqah, here explained as 'shewing mercy to the poor' (chanan, to show favour). 'Lengthening' (arka) of tranquillity was only a possibility: 'if it may be'. Compare Jonah 3:9, 'Who can tell if God will turn'.

Verse 29

At the end of twelve months — The judgment was delayed a full year after the warning. God's longsuffering gave time to repent, 'not willing that any should perish' (2 Pet 3:9). The king 'walked in the palace' (heykal) of Babylon, and what he said there is given in v.30.

Verse 30

Is not this great Babylon — The boast is in the first person: 'I have built… by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty'. Power and glory were God's gift to him (Dan 2:37), and in vv.34 and 37 the king gives honour to the Most High. 'Pride goeth before destruction' (Prov 16:18), and v.31 shows it.

Verse 31

While the word was in the king's mouth — The voice 'from heaven' answers the boast at once. It speaks 'to thee', the king himself, and v.32 repeats the sentence Daniel gave in vv.24–25. 'Departed' is 'ada, to pass away. A like sudden reckoning meets the rich fool in Luke 12:20, 'Thou fool, this night'.

Verse 33

till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers — The sentence of vv.25 and 32 is carried out 'the same hour' (sha'ah) as the voice. Grass 'as oxen' and the dew of heaven are exactly as foretold. Dan 5:21 later recalls it: 'his heart was made like the beasts'.

Verse 34

mine understanding returned unto me — Manda, understanding or reason, the word of v.36. He 'lifted up mine eyes unto heaven' and blessed the Most High, whose 'dominion is an everlasting dominion', the words of v.3 with 'kingdom' and 'dominion' exchanged, and echoing Ps 145:13. Darius makes a like confession in Dan 6:26.

Verse 35

none can stay his hand — 'Stay' is mecha, to strike or restrain. The verse is like Ps 115:3, 'he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased', and Job 42:2. 'Reputed as nothing' matches Isa 40:17, 'All nations before him are as nothing'. 'Army of heaven' is chayil, the host above.

Verse 36

excellent majesty was added unto me — Yattir, exceeding. Reason, honour and brightness returned, counsellors 'sought unto me', and he was 'established in my kingdom'. As the stump had been preserved (v.15), humbling preceded restoration; compare Manasseh in 2 Chr 33:12–13.

Verse 37

those that walk in pride he is able to abase — These are the last words of the chapter. 'Abase' is shephal, related to the 'basest' of v.17, and 'pride' is gevah. He has learned that the 'King of heaven' has 'works' that are 'truth' and 'ways' that are 'judgment', as Ps 33:4 says: 'all his works are done in truth'.