Daniel 4
4
Nebuchadnezzar Praises God
1King Nebuchadnezzar, to all peoples, nations, and language groups in the land:
“I wish you perfect peace and prosperity! 2It is my royal pleasure to inform you of the mighty signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
3“How great are his signs!
How overwhelming are his wonders!
His kingdom will last forever,
and his dominion endures from one generation to the next.”
Nebuchadnezzar Dreams about a Great Tree
4“I, Nebuchadnezzar, # 4:4 Or “In the seventeenth year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar said” (LXX). The Aramaic text marks these verses as 3:31–33 and places them in the previous chapter; however, these verses appear in most English Bibles as Dan. 4:1–3. It is likely that the events of ch. 4 happened twenty years or more after the episode of the fiery furnace described in ch. 3. was content and at peace in my house—thoroughly enjoying a life of luxury in my palace. 5One night, I had a terrifying dream. While I was lying on my bed, frightening visions passed through my head, and I was tormented by what I saw. 6So I issued a decree that all the sages of Babylon must come and explain to me what my dream meant. 7Magicians, enchanters, wizards, and wise men # 4:7 Or “Chaldeans [astrologers],” likely a general term for all who practiced divination. The Babylonians were known as those who specialized in the magic arts. came, and I explained my dream to them, but they were unable to interpret it for me. 8Finally, Daniel came before me. (I had renamed him Belteshazzar, # 4:8 One of the principal Babylonian deities was called “Bel” (Isa. 46:1), a cognate of “Baal.” after my own god.) The spirit of the holy gods # 4:8 Or “the spirit of the holy God.” See vv. 9, 18; cf. Josh. 24:19. Although Nebuchadnezzar was not a monotheist, he had already referred to Elohim as the “Great God” or “Most High God” (Dan. 3:26; 4:2). The singular (Theou) is also found in Theodotion’s Greek text. (See Edward J. Young, The Prophecy of Daniel: A Commentary [Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1980], 99; Leon J. Wood, A Commentary on Daniel [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1973], 106; and J. A. Montgomery, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Daniel, The International Critical Commentary [Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1927], 225–26.) resides in him. I then told Daniel my dream:
9“Belteshazzar, chief of all my wise men, # 4:9 Or literally “chief magician,” which may confuse the English reader, since Daniel did not dabble in magic but was anointed with the Spirit of revelation (see Eph. 1:17). I know that the spirit of the holy gods resides in you and that there is no mystery that you cannot solve. So, listen to my dream and tell me what it means.
10“While I slept, these visions passed through my mind: I saw a huge tree in the midst of the earth. 11And the tree grew taller and stronger until its top reached into the heavens, # 4:11 One Greek version reads “its top came close to heaven and its trunk to the clouds.” and it could be seen from the far reaches of the land. 12Its branches and foliage were beautiful, its fruit abundant, providing enough food for all. Animals rested under its shade, and birds found shelter in its sturdy branches. All living creatures were nourished from it.”
A Watcher Angel
13“While I was still asleep, I saw another vision: I saw a watcher, a holy one, # 4:13 Or literally “[a being] watchful and holy” (see vv. 17, 23). A watcher (or sentinel) is a heavenly being that never sleeps and is always in the presence of the holy God. Some consider the “watchers” to be a special class of angels. The earliest account of the watchers is found in the Book of the Watchers (250–200 BC), which can be found in chs. 1–36 of 1 Enoch. “Watchers” is a translation of the Aramaic (lit. “the awake ones”). The watchers are mentioned extensively in the books of Enoch and the Dead Sea Scrolls (1QApGen). They are not demons or mythological creatures but angels from heaven. Some have fallen from their holy place before God, and some have not. The books of Enoch indicate that the angels or “sons of God” who had sex with women who gave birth to the Nephilim were watchers. The books mention a few of the leaders of the two hundred watchers by name. In the Jewish literature of the Hellenistic and early Roman periods, the watchers are widely acknowledged. (See L. D. Merino, “Los ‘vigilantes’ en la literatura intertestamentaria,” Simposio Biblico Español: Salamanca, 1982, ed. N. Fernandez-Marcos, et al. [Madrid: Universidad Complutense, 1984], 575–609.) come down from heaven. 14At the top of his voice, he announced: ‘Cut down the tree, lop off its branches, strip off its leaves, and scatter its fruit. Drive away the animals from beneath its shelter and the birds from its branches. 15But leave the stump with its roots in the ground. # 4:15 A stump with its roots implies the hope of restoration (see Job 14:8–9; Isa. 11:1). Encircle it with chains of iron and bronze, surrounded by the grass of the field. Night after night, let him be damp with heaven’s dew. Let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth as his appointed lot. Let him eat the grass # 4:15 Or “plants [vegetation].” of the field. 16For seven years, # 4:16 Or “seven seasons [periods].” let his mind # 4:16 Or “heart.” be altered into the mind of a beast. 17Such is the sentence decreed by the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, so that everyone living may learn that the Most High God is sovereign over # 4:17 Or “is powerful over” (also in v. 25). The Most High God is contrasted with the “gods” mentioned in vv. 8 and 9. the kingdoms of men. He can give them to whomever he pleases and raises up over them the lowliest of all people.’ ”
18Then King Nebuchadnezzar concluded, “That was my dream. Now it is for you, Belteshazzar, to interpret its meaning, since not one of the wise men in my kingdom has been able to interpret it for me, but I know that you can, since the spirit of the holy gods resides in you.” # 4:18 Nebuchadnezzar didn’t pick up on Daniel’s switch to singular in v. 17, where he used “the Most High God.” They were talking past each other, and this gives the dialogue the feel of authenticity.
Daniel Interprets the King’s Dream
19Upon hearing this, Daniel (known as Belteshazzar) was visibly shaken for a while and troubled in his thoughts. The king noticed this and said to him, “Belteshazzar, do not be alarmed by the dream and its meaning.”
Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you and its interpretation were for your enemies! 20The huge tree you saw, so large and tall that it reached into the heavens and could be seen from anywhere in the land, 21the tree with beautiful branches and foliage and abundant fruit, providing food for all and shade for the wild animals, and birds with nests in its branches: 22that tree, Your Majesty, is you! You are now so great and strong that it reaches into heaven, and your authority reaches over the entire land.
23“Now you, O king, saw a watcher—a holy messenger—come down from heaven, saying, ‘Cut the tree down and destroy it, but leave the stump and roots in the ground. Encircle it with chains of iron and bronze in the midst of the grass of the field. Let him be damp with the dew every night. Let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth as his appointed lot until seven years # 4:23 Or “seven times.” See v. 25. have passed by for him.’ 24So, the meaning of what you saw, Your Majesty, and the decree the Most High has decreed over you, my lord the king, is this:
25“You will be driven far from human society and will make your home with the wild beasts for seven years. Like cattle, you will eat grass, and you will be damp with the dew of heaven, # 4:25 By implication, Nebuchadnezzar will sleep in the open fields as an animal as the morning dew falls upon him. until you have learned that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and can give them to whomever he pleases.
26“And the watcher’s order, ‘Leave the stump with its roots in the ground,’ means this: God will restore your kingdom to you # 4:26 Nebuchadnezzar was like the tree being cut down, which symbolized his disgrace and removal from the throne, but the leaving of the stump in the ground was a promise that he and his kingdom would one day be restored. The encircling of the stump with chains may suggest that he was protected by God until God’s purposes for him were fulfilled. once you come to your senses and understand that Heaven rules over all.
27“Your Majesty, please be willing to do what I say and accept my advice. Renounce # 4:27 Or “break off,” a word used for breaking off a yoke (see Gen. 27:40). your sins by doing what is right. Turn from your wickedness by showing mercy to the poor and unfortunate, and perhaps your prosperity will continue.”
The Dream Comes True
28All that was predicted happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29A year later, while strolling on the roof of his royal palace in Babylon, 30the king began to boast: “Look at you! Is not this Babylon the great? By my brilliant wisdom, # 4:30 Or “mighty power.” I built all this as my royal residence to display the glory of my majesty.” 31The words were no sooner out of his mouth than a voice spoke # 4:31 Or literally “a voice fell from heaven.” from out of heaven:
“Here is my verdict concerning you, King Nebuchadnezzar: I have now taken your kingdom from you! 32You will be driven far from human society for seven years. You will make your home with the wild beasts, # 4:32 When people give themselves the glory for what God has done, they become beastlike. At least beasts behave the way beasts should behave. But we who are made in the image of God, when we become arrogant and boastful and refuse to humble ourselves before our Creator, we become even worse than beasts. See Rom. 1:24–28; Rev. 11:7; 13:1; 14:9–11. and you will eat grass like cattle until you have learned that I, the Most High, am sovereign over the kingdoms of men and can give them to whomever I please.”
33It was no sooner said than done: Nebuchadnezzar was forced to live like a wild animal and was driven far from human society and ate grass as cattle do. Night after night he was damp with the dew of heaven, his hair grew remarkably long like eagle’s feathers, and his nails became like a bird’s talons. # 4:33 This is known as lycanthropy (or zoanthropy or boanthropy), a condition in which sufferers imitate dogs, wolves, cows, and other wild animals. (See Richard Hunter and Ida Macalpine, Three Hundred Years of Psychiatry, 1535–1860 [Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1963], 168; E. B. Pusey, Daniel the Prophet [Minneapolis: Klock & Klock, 1978], 425–33; R. K. Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979], 1116–17.)
Nebuchadnezzar Praises the Most High
34“When the appointed time # 4:34 Or “the days.” had come, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes to heaven, and my sanity returned to me. And I blessed the Most High, praising and glorifying him who lives forever:
“His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and his dominion endures from one generation to the next.
35All who dwell on earth are regarded as nothing compared to him.
He does whatever he pleases with the armies of heaven
and with those who dwell on earth.
No one can restrain his mighty hand
or dare ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
36At the moment I began to praise him,
I was restored to my right mind.
The Most High gave me back
the majesty and splendor of my kingdom.
My advisers and noblemen came looking for me.
I was restored to my throne,
and still more greatness was added to me.
37And now I, Nebuchadnezzar,
praise, extol, and glorify God, the King of heaven!
All his works are right and true,
and all his ways are right.
He knows how to humble those who strut around in pride.” # 4:37 See 1 Sam. 2:7.
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Daniel 4: TPT
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