TRV
Translation
King James Version
The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;
Complete Jewish Bible
The tree you saw which grew and became strong until its crown reached the sky, and it could be seen throughout the whole earth,
Berean Standard Bible
The tree you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached the sky and was visible to all the earth,
American Standard Version
The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;
World English Bible Messianic
The tree that you saw, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached to the sky, and its sight to all the earth;
Geneva Bible (1599)
Where as the King sawe a watchman, and an holy one, that came downe from heauen, and said, Hew downe the tree and destroy it, yet leaue the stumpe of the rootes thereof in the earth, and with a bande of yron and brasse binde it among the grasse of the fielde, and let it be wette with the dewe of heauen, and let his portion be with the beastes of the fielde, till seuen times passe ouer him,
Young's Literal Translation
The tree that thou hast seen, that hath become great and strong, and its height doth reach to the heavens, and its vision to all the land,
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Commentary on Daniel 4 verses 19–27
19 ¶ Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.
20 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;
21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven 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 an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet 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 this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
25 That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee 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 tree roots; 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 shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
We have here the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream; and when once it is applied to himself, and it is declared that he is the tree in the dream (Mutato nomine de te fabula narratur - Change but the name, the fable speaks of thee), when once it is said, Thou art the man, there needs little more to be said for the explication of the dream. Out of his own mouth he is judged; so shall his doom be, he himself has decided it. The thing was so plain that Daniel, upon hearing the dream, was astonished for one hour, Dan 4:19. He was struck with amazement and terror at so great a judgment coming upon so great a prince. His flesh trembled for fear of God. He was likewise struck with confusion when he found himself under a necessity of being the man that must bring to the king these heavy tidings, which, having received so many favours from the king, he had rather he should have heard from any one else; so far is he from desiring the woeful day that he dreads it, and the thoughts of it trouble him. Those that come after the ruined sinner are said to be astonished at his day, as those that went before, and saw it coming (as Daniel here), were affrighted, Job 18:20.
I. The preface to the interpretation is a civil compliment which, as a courtier, he passes upon the king. The king observed him to stand as one astonished, and, thinking he was loth to speak out for fear of offending him, he encouraged him to deal plainly and faithfully with him; Let not the dream, nor the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. This he speaks either, 1. As one that sincerely desired to know this truth. Note, Those that consult the oracles of God must be ready to receive them as they are, whether they be for them or against them, and must accordingly give their ministers leave to be free with them. Or, 2. As one that despised the truth, and set it at defiance. When we see how regardless he was of this warning afterwards we are tempted to think that this was his meaning; "Let it not trouble thee, for I am resolved it shall not trouble me; nor will I lay it to heart." But, whether he have any concern for himself or no, Daniel is concerned for him, and therefore wishes, "The dream be to those that hate thee. Let the ill it bodes light on the head of thy enemies, not on thy head." Though Nebuchadnezzar was an idolater, a persecutor, and an oppressor of the people of God, yet he was, at present, Daniel's prince; and therefore, though Daniel foresees, and is now going to foretell, ill concerning him, he dares not wish ill to him.
II. The interpretation itself is only a repetition of the dream, with application to the king. "As for the tree which thou sawest flourishing (Dan 4:20, Dan 4:21), it is thou, O king!" Dan 4:22. And willing enough would the king be to hear this (as, before, to hear, Thou art the head of gold), but for that which follows. He shows the king his present prosperous state in the glass of his own dream; "Thy greatness has grown and reaches as near to heaven as human greatness can do, and thy dominion is to the end of the earth," Dan 2:37, Dan 2:38. "As for the doom passed upon the tree (Dan 4:23), it is the decree of the Most High, which comes upon my lord the king," Dan 4:24. He must not only be deposed from his throne, but driven from men, and being deprived of his reason, and having a beast's heart given him, his dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and with them he shall be a fellow-commoner: he shall eat grass as oxen, and, like them, lie out all weathers, and be wet with the dew of heaven, and this till seven times pass over him, that is, seven years; and then he shall know that the Most High rules, and when he is brought to know and own this he shall be restored to his dominion again (Dan 4:26): "Thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, shall remain as firm as the stump of the tree in the ground, and thou shalt have it, after thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule." God is here called the heavens, because it is in heaven that he has prepared his throne (Psa 103:19), thence he beholds all the sons of men, Psa 33:13. The heavens, even the heavens, are the Lord's; and the influence which the visible heavens have upon this earth is intended as a faint representation of the dominion the God of heaven has over this lower world; we are said to sin against heaven, Luk 15:18. Note, Then only we may expect comfortably to enjoy our right in, and government of, both ourselves and others, when we dutifully acknowledge God's title to, and dominion over, us and all we have.
III. The close of the interpretation is the pious counsel which Daniel, as a prophet, gave the king, Dan 4:27. Whether he appeared concerned or not at the interpretation of the dream, a word of advice would be very seasonable - if careless, to awaken him, if troubled, to comfort him; and it is not inconsistent with the dream and the interpretation of it, for Daniel knew not but it might be conditional, like the prediction of Nineveh's destruction. Observe, 1. How humbly he gives his advice, and with what tenderness and respect: "O king! let my counsel be acceptable unto thee; take it in good part, as coming from love, and well-meant, and let it not be misinterpreted." Note, Sinners need to be courted to their own good, and respectfully entreated to do well for themselves. The apostle beseeches men to suffer the word of exhortation, Heb 13:22. We think it a good point gained if people will be persuaded to take good counsel kindly; nay, if they will take it patiently. 2. What his advice is. He does not counsel him to enter into a course of physic, for the preventing of the distemper in his head, but to break off a course of sin that he was in, to reform his life. He wronged his own subjects, and dealt unfairly with his allies; and he must break off this by righteousness, by rendering to all their due, making amends for wrong done, and not triumphing over right with might. He had been cruel to the poor, to God's poor, to the poor Jews; and he must break off this iniquity by showing mercy to those poor, pitying those oppressed ones, setting them at liberty or making their captivity easy to them. Note, It is necessary, in repentance, that we not only cease to do evil, but learn to do well, not only do no wrong to any, but do good to all. 3. What the motive is with which he backs this advice: If it may be a lengthening of thy tranquility. Though it should not wholly prevent the judgment, yet by this means a reprieve may be obtained, as by Ahab's humbling himself, Kg1 21:29. Either the trouble may be the longer before it comes or the shorter when it does come; yet he cannot assure him of this, but it may be, it may prove so. Note, The mere probability of preventing a temporal judgment is inducement enough to a work so good in itself as the leaving off of our sins and reforming of our lives, much more the certainty of preventing our eternal ruin. "That will be a healing of thy error" (so some read it); "thus the quarrel will be taken up, and all will be well again."
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 19–27. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER FOUR
Verse 20. "'The lofty and vigorous tree which thou sawest, the height of which reached the heavens...'" He explains the truth without insulting the king, so as to avoid appearing to charge the king with sinful pride, but rather with overweening greatness.
Theodoret of CyrusAD 458
COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 4:20-22
Daniel’s wisdom is worth admiring: he did not say simply, the big tree, but grown to great size and strength—in other words, instead of being great from the beginning, you became great gradually, and instead of having strength from the outset, you gradually acquired it. Hence he goes further, “Because you have grown great and strong, your greatness has increased, you reach to heaven and your lordship to the ends of the earth.” It was very fitting and appropriate for him to relate these things to heaven and earth: he said his lordship had reached the ends of the earth, that is, his authority, whereas it was not yet his lordship that had reached to heaven but his imaginings.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Daniel 4:20 presents a vivid and striking description of the colossal tree from King Nebuchadnezzar's prophetic dream, emphasizing its immense stature, robust strength, and unparalleled visibility across the entire known world. This powerful arboreal symbol serves as a direct representation of the king's vast and dominant Babylonian empire, whose dominion appeared to reach the very heavens. The verse critically sets the stage for the dream's profound divine interpretation, which will subsequently reveal God's absolute and unwavering sovereignty over all earthly rulers and kingdoms, ultimately leading to Nebuchadnezzar's humbling and eventual restoration.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Daniel 4:20 is embedded within King Nebuchadnezzar's personal testimony, which he recounts in the opening verses of chapter 4, beginning with his praise for God's miraculous signs and wonders. The narrative then transitions into his detailed recounting of a deeply troubling dream. This dream, introduced in Daniel 4:10, features a magnificent tree that grows to an astonishing height, providing shelter and sustenance to all living creatures. The subsequent verses, such as Daniel 4:13-16, describe a divine decree delivered by a "watcher, a holy one," to cut down this majestic tree, leaving only its stump. Daniel, uniquely endowed with divine wisdom, is then called upon to interpret this perplexing vision. He does so with great trepidation, revealing its direct and sobering application to Nebuchadnezzar's own reign and the impending judgment due to his overweening pride. Therefore, this verse serves as a pivotal descriptive element of the dream's central symbol, vividly portraying the king's empire at its perceived zenith.
Historical & Cultural Context: King Nebuchadnezzar II, who reigned over the Neo-Babylonian Empire from approximately 605-562 BC, was an exceptionally powerful and influential monarch. Under his rule, Babylon was transformed into one of the ancient world's most magnificent and formidable cities. His empire stretched extensively from Egypt to Mesopotamia, and his military campaigns, notably the destruction of Jerusalem and the subsequent exile of its inhabitants, firmly established his reputation as the preeminent world ruler of his time. In the ancient Near East, the imagery of trees, particularly large and towering ones, frequently symbolized power, prosperity, life-giving authority, and even the divine presence of a king or deity. The concept of a cosmic or world-tree, whose branches ascended to the heavens and roots penetrated the underworld, was a common mythological motif, representing cosmic order and universal dominion. Nebuchadnezzar's dream powerfully taps into this widespread cultural understanding, initially presenting his kingdom as a seemingly invincible, all-encompassing entity, only to dramatically subvert this image with the divine decree to cut it down, thereby illustrating God's ultimate and unchallengeable authority over even the most formidable human empires.
Key Themes: This verse profoundly contributes to several overarching themes that permeate the book of Daniel and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it strikingly highlights the theme of Universal Dominion and Power, portraying Nebuchadnezzar's empire as unparalleled in its reach and influence, a kingdom whose "height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth." Secondly, it masterfully sets the stage for the profound theme of Human Pride versus Divine Sovereignty. The tree's immense stature, while accurately descriptive of Nebuchadnezzar's power, also subtly hints at the king's inflated self-perception, bordering on dangerous hubris. The dream's subsequent revelation of the tree's felling will dramatically underscore that all earthly power is ultimately subject to the "Most High God," who "rules in the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whomever he wills" (Daniel 4:17). Thirdly, the tree functions as a potent Metaphor for Rulership, a common biblical motif found elsewhere (e.g., Ezekiel 31:3-9). Here, it vividly illustrates Nebuchadnezzar's prominence among nations, preparing the reader for the divine lesson in humility that God intends to impart, emphatically emphasizing that "the heavens do rule" (Daniel 4:26).
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Daniel 4:20 is rich in Symbolism, with the magnificent tree serving as the primary symbol for King Nebuchadnezzar and his vast Babylonian empire. The tree's attributes—its vigorous growth, inherent strength, immense height, and universal visibility—directly symbolize the king's unprecedented power, far-reaching influence, and the expansive reach of his dominion. The phrase "whose height reached unto the heaven" is a clear instance of Hyperbole, an intentional exaggeration employed to emphasize the extraordinary, almost divine, scale of Nebuchadnezzar's perceived power and ambition. This hyperbole also carries a subtle yet profound undertone of Irony, as such a seemingly boundless reach ultimately proves finite and entirely subject to a higher, divine power. Furthermore, the entire description functions as an extended Metaphor, where the observable characteristics of a physical tree are skillfully used to illuminate the abstract qualities of a formidable kingdom and its powerful ruler, meticulously setting the stage for the dramatic and humbling lesson in divine sovereignty that will inevitably follow.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Daniel 4:20, by vividly portraying the grandeur and expansive reach of Nebuchadnezzar's empire, lays the essential groundwork for one of the book's most central and profound theological assertions: God's absolute, ultimate, and unchallenged sovereignty over all earthly powers and kingdoms. The tree's immense size and universal reach symbolize human achievement at its apex, yet the subsequent narrative unequivocally reveals that this power is entirely contingent upon God's will and can be withdrawn at any moment. This truth powerfully challenges any notion of human autonomy, self-sufficiency, or self-exaltation, redirecting all glory, authority, and true dominion back to the Creator. The dream serves as a divine object lesson, teaching that pride inevitably precedes a fall, and true dominion belongs solely to the One who "rules in the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whomever he wills" (Daniel 4:17). This fundamental theme resonates deeply throughout the entirety of Scripture, serving as a timeless reminder that all earthly authority is delegated, temporary, and ultimately subservient, while God's kingdom alone is eternal and unshakeable.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Daniel 4:20 serves as a profound and searching mirror for self-examination, inviting us to critically consider where we place our ultimate trust and from what source we derive our deepest sense of significance and security. Just as Nebuchadnezzar's vast empire, powerfully symbolized by the towering tree, was ultimately subject to God's sovereign decree and temporary, so too are all our accomplishments, positions, perceived strengths, and worldly successes. This verse compellingly calls us to cultivate a spirit of profound humility, recognizing that any influence, talent, or success we possess is not inherently our own but is a gracious gift from God, to be stewarded faithfully for His glory, not for our own self-aggrandizement. It challenges the pervasive human tendency towards self-exaltation and reminds us that true security, lasting significance, and eternal dominion reside not in fleeting earthly achievements or transient power, but solely in acknowledging and submitting to the supreme, sovereign rule of the Most High. In a world that frequently celebrates self-made success, personal ambition, and human autonomy, Daniel 4:20 provides a vital counter-narrative, urging us to deeply remember that "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein" (Psalm 24:1).
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does the "tree" in Daniel 4:20 symbolize?
Answer: The "tree" in Daniel 4:20 is a powerful and central symbol for King Nebuchadnezzar and his vast Babylonian empire. Its immense size, robust strength, and universal reach represent the unprecedented power, far-reaching influence, and extensive dominion that Nebuchadnezzar wielded over the known world. The dream, including this vivid description, serves as a profound divine warning about the king's burgeoning pride and God's ultimate, unchallengeable sovereignty over all earthly rulers, as later explicitly interpreted by Daniel in Daniel 4:22.
Why is the tree's height reaching "unto the heaven" significant?
Answer: The phrase "whose height reached unto the heaven" is a deliberate hyperbolic expression emphasizing the extraordinary, almost boundless, extent of Nebuchadnezzar's perceived power and influence. It signifies a kingdom that seemed to touch the divine realm, suggesting a level of perceived dominion that bordered on human hubris and self-exaltation. This powerful imagery sets up the dramatic contrast with God's ultimate and supreme authority, demonstrating that even such immense earthly power is temporary and entirely subject to the Most High, who "rules in the kingdom of mankind" (Daniel 4:17). It highlights the human tendency to overstep divinely appointed boundaries.
What is the main lesson we can learn from this verse and the dream it describes?
Answer: The primary and most profound lesson from Daniel 4:20 and the accompanying dream is the absolute and unyielding sovereignty of God over all earthly kingdoms and rulers, and the inherent danger of human pride. Nebuchadnezzar's dream vividly illustrates that all power, no matter how vast, seemingly invincible, or globally recognized, is ultimately temporary and derived solely from God. It teaches that self-exaltation inevitably leads to a humbling fall, and true wisdom, lasting peace, and genuine dominion lie in acknowledging God's supreme authority and giving Him the glory for all accomplishments and blessings, as Nebuchadnezzar himself eventually learned and declared in his magnificent praise found in Daniel 4:34-37.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Daniel 4:20 vividly describes the temporary, albeit immense, dominion of an earthly king and his empire, it ultimately points forward with profound theological foresight to the eternal and truly universal kingdom of Jesus Christ. Nebuchadnezzar's towering tree, for all its impressive height and global reach, was destined to be cut down, symbolizing the transient and perishable nature of all human empires and earthly power structures. In stark and glorious contrast, the New Testament reveals Christ as the true and ultimate King, whose kingdom "shall never be destroyed" (Daniel 2:44). Unlike Nebuchadnezzar, who sought glory for himself and succumbed to pride, Jesus, though "in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:6-7). He is the humble King who came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). The "sight" of Nebuchadnezzar's tree reached "all the earth," powerfully foreshadowing the global, unhindered reach of the gospel and the ultimate triumph of Christ, where "every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:10-11). Thus, Daniel 4:20, in its depiction of a mighty but ultimately limited earthly reign, serves as a powerful and illuminating backdrop against which the unparalleled, eternal, and humble dominion of Christ shines even more brightly, offering the only true and lasting hope for humanity.