Daniel 4

From King Nebuchadnezzar, to all the peoples, nations, and language groups living across the whole earth: May you have peace and prosperity in full measure.

1Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

NoteThe chapter is written as a royal proclamation, an open letter from Nebuchadnezzar to his whole empire, with the king speaking in the first person from verse 1 to verse 37 (apart from verses 28-33, where the account switches to third person). "Peace be multiplied unto you" is the standard opening formula of an Aramaic official letter, roughly "warmest greetings." In Hebrew and Aramaic Bibles these first three verses are numbered as the last three verses of chapter 3, so a Jewish edition will label them 3:31-33.

2It seemed good to me to tell about the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.

2I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.

NoteNebuchadnezzar ruled Babylon from 605 to 562 BC and was the king who captured Jerusalem. "The high God" in the King James is an old rendering of the title "the Most High God", a name for God used in the Bible chiefly by foreigners speaking about the God of Israel.

3How great are his signs! How mighty are his wonders! His kingdom lasts forever, and his rule goes on from one generation to the next.

3How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

4I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living at ease in my house and doing well in my palace.

4I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:

5I had a dream, and it frightened me. As I lay on my bed, the pictures that came into my mind and the visions I saw alarmed me.

5I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

6So I gave an order to bring all the wise men of Babylon in to me, so that they could tell me what the dream meant.

6Therefore 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.

7Then the magicians, the enchanters, the astrologers, and the fortune-tellers came in. I told them the dream, but they could not tell me what it meant.

7Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.

NoteThese are four named groups of specialists at the Babylonian court, each with its own craft: reciters of spells, users of charms, readers of the stars, and men who determined the future by set techniques. The King James "Chaldeans" is misleading in English: besides being the name of a people, the word had become a technical term for this class of astrologer-priests, which is why it appears in a list of professions.

8But at last Daniel came in to me. He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him. I told him the dream. I said:

8But 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 before him I told the dream, saying,

NoteCaptives taken into royal service were commonly given new names in the language of their captors. "Belteshazzar" is Babylonian and probably contains the name of the god Bel (Marduk), the chief god of Babylon, which is what "the name of my god" refers to. The Aramaic behind "the spirit of the holy gods" is genuinely ambiguous and can equally be read "the spirit of the holy God"; a pagan king would naturally mean the plural, and translators have gone both ways.

9"Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and that no secret is too hard for you. Tell me the visions I saw in my dream, and tell me what they mean.

9O 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.

10These are the visions that went through my mind as I lay in bed. I looked, and there was a tree in the middle of the land, and it was very tall.

10Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.

11The tree grew big and strong. Its top reached the sky, and it could be seen from the ends of the earth.

11The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:

12Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit was plentiful, and there was food on it for everyone. The wild animals found shade under it, the birds nested in its branches, and every living thing was fed by it.

12The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.

NoteIn 1611 English "meat" meant food of any kind, not flesh, and "fowls of the heaven" meant birds of the sky. A great tree sheltering animals and birds was a standard image in the ancient Near East for a king or empire under whose protection many peoples live.

13As I lay on my bed, I also saw in the visions in my mind a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven.

13I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;

Note"Watcher" translates the Aramaic word *ir*, literally "wakeful one" or "one who stays awake", a heavenly being, here paired with "a holy one" as two descriptions of the same figure. The term appears nowhere else in the Bible but is common in Jewish writings of the following centuries.

14He called out in a loud voice: 'Chop down the tree and cut off its branches. Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals run out from under it, and the birds out of its branches.

14He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:

15But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the soft grass of the field. Let him be soaked with the dew of the sky, and let him live among the animals in the grass of the earth.

15Nevertheless leave the stump of his 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:

NoteWhat the band of iron and bronze is for is not stated and has long been debated: it may be a hoop to protect or preserve the cut stump, or restraints on the man the stump stands for. "Dew of heaven" means simply the dew of the open sky, the point is that he is outdoors, unsheltered, all night.

16Let his mind be changed from a human mind, and let him be given the mind of an animal, until seven times pass over him.

16Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

Note"Heart" in Hebrew and Aramaic means the mind and the seat of thinking and will, not the emotions; the change described is to his reason, not his feelings. "Seven times" translates a word (*iddan*) meaning an appointed period of unspecified length. Most ancient and modern readers take it as seven years, but the text does not say so.

17This ruling comes by the decree of the watchers; this sentence is spoken by the word of the holy ones. It is so that the living may know that the Most High rules over human kingdoms. He gives them to anyone he chooses, and he sets the lowliest of people over them.'

17This matter 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 basest of men.

Note"The basest of men" in the King James does not mean the most wicked; "base" then meant low in rank. The sense is that the Most High can hand a kingdom even to the humblest and least important of people.

18This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, since none of the wise men in my kingdom can explain it to me. But you are able to, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you."

18This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, 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.

19Then Daniel, who is also called Belteshazzar, sat stunned for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king said, "Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you." Belteshazzar answered, "My lord, I wish this dream were about those who hate you, and its meaning about your enemies.

19Then 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.

Note"Astonied" is an older form of "astonished," here in the strong sense of stunned or dumbfounded. "For one hour" translates an Aramaic phrase meaning a short while, the ancient world had no clock hour of sixty minutes in this sense. Daniel's wish that the dream belonged to the king's enemies is a courtier's formula for softening bad news, not a curse.

20The tree you saw, which grew big and strong, whose top reached the sky and which could be seen over all the earth,

20The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;

21whose leaves were beautiful and whose fruit was plentiful, with food on it for everyone, under which the wild animals lived and in whose branches the birds made their homes

21Whose 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:

22that tree is you, O king. You have grown great and strong. Your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your rule reaches to the ends of the earth.

22It 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.

23You, O king, saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Chop the tree down and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the soft grass of the field. Let him be soaked with the dew of the sky, and let him live among the wild animals until seven times pass over him.'

23And 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;

24This is what it means, O king. This is the decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king:

24This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:

25You will be driven away from people, and you will live among the wild animals. You will be made to eat grass like an ox and will be soaked with the dew of the sky. Seven times will pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules over human kingdoms and gives them to anyone he chooses.

25That 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.

Note"They shall drive thee" uses an impersonal plural with no named agents, the effect in Aramaic is a passive, "you will be driven away," without saying by whom.

26As for the order to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be kept safe for you, and it will be yours again once you know that Heaven rules.

26And 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.

Note"The heavens do rule" is the earliest surviving example of a habit that later became widespread in Jewish speech: using "Heaven" as a respectful substitute for the name of God, to avoid saying it directly.

27So, O king, please accept my advice. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your wrongdoing by showing mercy to the poor. Then perhaps your time of peace may last longer."

27Wherefore, 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.

NoteTwo phrases here are disputed. The verb rendered "break off" can also mean redeem or buy off, and the word rendered "righteousness" came in later Aramaic and Hebrew to mean specifically almsgiving, so the line has been read either as "break with your sins by doing right" or as "buy off your sins by giving to the poor." "Iniquities" simply means wrongdoing, and "tranquillity" means a settled, prosperous state of affairs.

28All of this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.

28All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.

29Twelve months later, he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon.

29At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.

NoteThe King James "walked in the palace" reflects an Aramaic phrase meaning he was on the palace: that is, on the flat roof, from which the whole city could be surveyed.

30The king said, "Is this not the great Babylon that I myself have built as the royal home, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?"

30The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?

NoteNebuchadnezzar rebuilt Babylon on an enormous scale, and his own surviving inscriptions boast of it in language close to this verse; bricks stamped with his name have been dug out of the city's walls, temples and processional gate.

31While the words were still in the king's mouth, a voice came down from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, this word is spoken to you: the kingdom has been taken away from you.

31While 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.

32You will be driven away from people, and you will live among the wild animals. You will be made to eat grass like an ox. Seven times will pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules over human kingdoms and gives them to anyone he chooses."

32And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee 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.

33That very hour the sentence against Nebuchadnezzar came true. He was driven away from people. He ate grass like an ox, and his body was soaked with the dew of the sky, until his hair grew long like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws.

33The 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 hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.

NoteThe description is of behavior, not of a diagnosis: living outdoors, feeding on grass, hair and nails left untended and grown wild. No Babylonian record of such an episode survives, though a text found among the Dead Sea Scrolls tells a similar story about a later Babylonian king, Nabonidus.

34At the end of that time I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my understanding came back to me. I blessed the Most High. I praised and honored the one who lives forever, whose rule lasts forever, and whose kingdom goes on from one generation to the next.

34And 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 honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:

35All the people who live on the earth count as nothing. He does whatever he wants with the army of heaven and with the people of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him, "What are you doing?"

35And 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?

Note"The army of heaven" (usually "host of heaven") can mean either the stars or the heavenly beings who serve God; the two senses overlap in ancient usage and the phrase is not narrowed here. "Stay his hand" means stop or restrain him.

36At that same time my reason came back to me. My honor and my splendor returned to me, for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and my nobles came looking for me. I was set back on my throne, and even greater greatness was given to me.

36At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.

37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and honor the King of heaven. Everything he does is true, and all his ways are just. And he is able to bring down those who walk in pride.

37Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

Note"Judgment" in the King James commonly means justice, the sense is that all his ways are just. "Abase" means to bring low or humble.