41 Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples , nations , and men of every language that live in all the earth : "May your peace abound ! 2 "It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for 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 .
4 "I, Nebuchadnezzar , was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace . 5 "I saw a dream and it made me fearful ; and these fantasies as I lay on my bed and the visions in my mind kept alarming me. 6 "So I gave orders to bring into my presence all the wise men of Babylon , that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream . 7 "Then the magicians , the conjurers , the Chaldeans and the diviners came in and I related the dream to them, but they could not make its interpretation known to me. 8 "But finally Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god , and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods ; and I related the dream to him, saying, 9 'O Belteshazzar , chief of the magicians , since I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you and no e mystery baffles you, tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen , along with its interpretation . 10 'Now these were the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed : I was looking , and behold , there was a tree in the midst of the earth and its height was great . 11 'The tree grew large and became strong And its height reached to the sky , And it was visible to the end of the whole earth . 12 'Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant , And in it was food for all . The beasts of the field found shade under it, And the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches , And all living creatures fed themselves from it. 13 'I was looking in the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed , and behold , an angelic watcher , a holy one , descended from heaven . 14 'He shouted out and spoke as follows : " Chop down the tree and cut off its branches , Strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit ; Let the beasts flee from under it And the birds from its branches . 15 "Yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground , But with a band of iron and bronze around it In the new grass of the field ; And let him be drenched with the dew of heaven , And let him share with the beasts in the grass of the earth . 16 "Let his mind be changed from that of a man And let a beast's mind be given to him, And let seven periods of time pass over him. 17 "This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers And the decision is a command of the holy ones , In order e that the living may know That the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind , And bestows it on whom e He wishes And sets over it the lowliest of men ." 18 'This is the dream which I, King Nebuchadnezzar , have seen . Now you, Belteshazzar , tell me its interpretation , inasmuch e e as none e of the wise men of my kingdom is able to make known to me the interpretation ; but you are able , for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.'
19 "Then Daniel , whose name is Belteshazzar , was appalled for a while as his thoughts alarmed him. The king responded and said , 'Belteshazzar , do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.' Belteshazzar replied , ' My lord , if only the dream applied to those who hate you and its interpretation to your adversaries ! 20 'The tree that you saw , which became large and grew strong , whose height reached to the sky and was visible to all the earth 21 and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant , and in which was food for all , under which the beasts of the field dwelt and in whose branches the birds of the sky lodged - 22 it is you, O king ; for you have become great and grown strong , and your majesty has become great and reached to the sky and your dominion to the end of the earth . 23 'In that the king saw an angelic watcher , a holy one , descending from heaven and saying , " Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground , but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field , and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven , and let him share with the beasts of the field until e seven periods of time pass over him," 24 this is the interpretation , O king , and this is the decree of the Most High , which has come upon my lord the king : 25 that you be driven away from mankind and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field , and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven ; and seven periods of time will pass over you, until e you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever e He wishes . 26 'And in that it was commanded to leave the stump with the roots of the tree , your kingdom will be assured to you after e you recognize that it is Heaven that rules . 27 'Therefore , O king , may my advice be pleasing to you: break away now from your sins by doing righteousness and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor , in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity .'
28 "All this happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king . 29 " Twelve e months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon . 30 "The king reflected and said , 'Is this not Babylon the great , which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty ?' 31 "While the word was in the king's mouth , a voice came from heaven , saying, 'King Nebuchadnezzar , to you it is declared : sovereignty has been removed from you, 32 and you will be driven away from mankind , and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field . You will be given grass to eat like cattle , and seven periods of time will pass over you until e you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever e He wishes .' 33 "Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled ; and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle , and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until e his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws.
34 "But at the end of that period , I, Nebuchadnezzar , raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever ; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion , And His kingdom endures from generation to generation . 35 " All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing , But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth ; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ' What have You done ?'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Daniel 4:1-35
Commentary on Daniel 4:1-18
(Read Daniel 4:1-18)
The beginning and end of this chapter lead us to hope, that Nebuchadnezzar was a monument of the power of Divine grace, and of the riches of Divine mercy. After he was recovered from his madness, he told to distant places, and wrote down for future ages, how God had justly humbled and graciously restored him. When a sinner comes to himself, he will promote the welfare of others, by making known the wondrous mercy of God. Nebuchadnezzar, before he related the Divine judgments upon him for his pride, told the warnings he had in a dream or vision. The meaning was explained to him. The person signified, was to be put down from honour, and to be deprived of the use of his reason seven years. This is surely the sorest of all temporal judgments. Whatever outward affliction God is pleased to lay upon us, we have cause to bear it patiently, and to be thankful that he continues the use of our reason, and the peace of our consciences. Yet if the Lord should see fit by such means to keep a sinner from multiplying crimes, or a believer from dishonouring his name, even the dreadful prevention would be far preferable to the evil conduct. God has determined it, as a righteous Judge, and the angels in heaven applaud. Not that the great God needs the counsel or concurrence of the angels, but it denotes the solemnity of this sentence. The demand is by the word of the holy ones, God's suffering people: when the oppressed cry to God, he will hear. Let us diligently seek blessings which can never be taken from us, and especially beware of pride and forgetfulness of God.
Commentary on Daniel 4:19-27
(Read Daniel 4:19-27)
Daniel was struck with amazement and terror at so heavy a judgment coming upon so great a prince, and gives advice with tenderness and respect. It is necessary, in repentance, that we not only cease to do evil, but learn to do good. Though it might not wholly prevent the judgment, yet the trouble may be longer before it comes, or shorter when it does come. And everlasting misery will be escaped by all who repent and turn to God.
Commentary on Daniel 4:28-37
(Read Daniel 4:28-37)
Pride and self-conceit are sins that beset great men. They are apt to take that glory to themselves which is due to God only. While the proud word was in the king's mouth, the powerful word came from God. His understanding and his memory were gone, and all the powers of the rational soul were broken. How careful we ought to be, not to do any thing which may provoke God to put us out of our senses! God resists the proud. Nebuchadnezzar would be more than a man, but God justly makes him less than a man. We may learn to believe concerning God, that the most high God lives for ever, and that his kingdom is like himself, everlasting, and universal. His power cannot be resisted. When men are brought to honour God, by confession of sin and acknowledging his sovereignty, then, and not till then, they may expect that God will honour them; not only restore them to the dignity they lost by the sin of the first Adam, but add excellent majesty to them, from the righteousness and grace of the Second Adam. Afflictions shall last no longer than till they have done the work for which they were sent. There can be no reasonable doubt that Nebuchadnezzar was a true penitent, and an accepted believer. It is thought that he did not live more than a year after his restoration. Thus the Lord knows how to abase those that walk in pride, but gives grace and consolation to the humble, broken-hearted sinner who calls upon Him.