Daniel 4:1-37 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Daniel 4. This chapter takes us again into the realm of Apocalyptic. Nebuchadnezzar dreams a fresh dream. This time he sees a gigantic tree, the top of which reached to heaven, full of leaves and fruit. Suddenly a holy one appears from heaven, and cries the command, Hew down the tree, strip off the branches, but leave the stump in the ground. That the dream refers to some individual is clear, for the holy one continues, Let his portion be with the beasts. Let his heart be changed from a man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him. Daniel, who is summoned to interpret the vision, informs the king that the dream refers to himself. He is the tree which is soon to be cut down. For his pride madness will overtake him, and his portion will be with the beasts of the field for seven years.

There are two difficulties about this chapter, the one connected with the form, the other connected with the subject-matter. The form differs in the Heb. and the LXX. In the Heb. the story is told in the form of an edict issued by the king. Nebuchadnezzar the king unto all peoples. The LXX, on the other hand, omits Daniel 4:1-3, which introduces the edict, and begins with Daniel 4:4. Charles prefers the LXX (Cent. B, p. 37). There is a much greater difficulty with regard to the subject-matter. The king's madness takes the form of lycanthropy, i.e. the sufferer imagines himself to be an animal. We have considerable evidence that such a disease was known in ancient time (CB, p. 58), but there is not a shred of testimony to show that Nebuchadnezzar ever suffered in this way. If the affliction lasted for seven years, the silence of the Inscriptions is inexplicable. Probably the author is embodying a floating tradition. We know from Eusebius that Nebuchadnezzar is said to have imprecated the same fate upon Cyrus, whom he foresaw in a vision to be the destined overthrower of his empire. The words ascribed to him by Megas-thenes, from whom Eusebius quotes, are, Would that some whirlpool or flood might destroy him or else that he might be driven through the desert where wild beasts seek their food and birds fly hither and thither. Many scholars think that our author has transferred to Nebuchadnezzar the doom with which he threatened Cyrus, but the evidence is obscure. The motive of the chapter is obvious. If God struck down Nebuchadnezzar in the zenith of his power, he can bring a similar downfall upon Antiochus Epiphanes. It is a significant fact that Antiochus was sometimes called Epimanes (madman) instead of Epiphanes (illustrious).

Daniel 4:1-4 and Daniel 4:6 f. are omitted in the LXX.

Daniel 4:8. according to the name of my God: this phrase assumes that the word Belteshazzar is derived from Bel, a Babylonian deity, but the more correct interpretation of the term regards the first three letters as part of the word balatsu, my life. The writer, therefore, makes the king a victim of a false etymology. spirit of the holy gods: the king here speaks as a polytheist, though elsewhere in the chapter (Daniel 4:3; Daniel 4:34 f.) he uses the language of monotheism.

Daniel 4:10. a tree in the midst: cf. the vision of the cedar of Lebanon to which the glory of Assyria is likened (Ezekiel 31:3-14).

Daniel 4:13. a watcher: this term is used to denote a class of angels who were always on the watch to carry out the commands of God. The term frequently occurs in the Apocryphal literature, especially in the Book of Enoch. a holy one: also a title for an angel. Both terms refer to the same individual.

Daniel 4:15. let his portion: the metaphor is here changed, and the remaining words of the description apply to the person designated by the tree, i.e. the king, and not to the tree itself.

Daniel 4:16. Seven times: seven years.

Daniel 4:17. the demand: lit. the matter. Charles translates, the word of the holy ones is the matter in question.

Daniel 4:22. For this description of Nebuchadnezzar's power, cf. Daniel 2:37 f.

Daniel 4:26. they commanded: i.e. the watchers. the heavens: i.e. God (cf. Luke 15:18; Luke 15:21).

Daniel 4:27. break off thy sins: lit. redeem thy sins. righteousness: almost equivalent to good works (cf. Matthew 6:1). The idea suggested here, as often in the Apocrypha, is that sin may be atoned for by good works. a lengthening of thy tranquillity: or, a healing of thine error (mg.).

Daniel 4:34. At the end of the days: after seven years.

Daniel 4:35. army of heaven: hosts of heavenly beings. those that walk in pride: sums up the point and moral of the whole chapter.

Related Commentaries of Daniel 4:1

Daniel 4:1-37

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

2 I thoughta it good to shew the signs and wonders that the 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.

4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine 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 astrologers, 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 before him I told the dream, 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 mine head in my bed; I saw,b 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 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.

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

14 He cried aloud,c 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:

15 Nevertheless 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:

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 This 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.

18 This 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.

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 lengtheningd of thy tranquillity.

28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.

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

30 The 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?

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 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.

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 hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.

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 honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is 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 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.

37 Now 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.