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Daniel 4
New English Translation

4 (3:31)[a] King Nebuchadnezzar, to all peoples, nations, and language groups that live in all the land: “Peace and prosperity![b] 2 I am delighted to tell you about the signs and wonders that the most high God has done for me.

3 “How great are his signs!

How mighty are his wonders!
His kingdom will last forever,[c]
and his authority continues from one generation to the next.”

Nebuchadnezzar Dreams of a Tree Chopped Down

4 (4:1)[d] I, Nebuchadnezzar, was relaxing in my home,[e] living luxuriously[f] in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that[g] frightened me badly. The things I imagined while lying on my bed—these visions of my mind—were terrifying me. 6 So I issued an order[h] for all the wise men of Babylon to be brought[i] before me so that they could make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 When the magicians, astrologers, wise men, and diviners entered, I recounted the dream for them. But they were unable to make known its interpretation to me. 8 Later Daniel entered (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god,[j] and in whom there is a spirit of the holy gods). I recounted the dream for him as well, 9 saying, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, in whom I know there to be a spirit of the holy gods and whom no mystery baffles, consider[k] my dream that I saw and set forth its interpretation! 10 Here are the visions of my mind[l] while I was on my bed.

“While I was watching,
there was a tree in the middle of the land.[m]
It was enormously tall.[n]
11 The tree grew large and strong.
Its top reached far into the sky;
it could be seen[o] from the borders of all the land.[p]
12 Its foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful;
on it there was food enough for all.
Under it the wild animals[q] used to seek shade,
and in its branches the birds of the sky used to nest.
All creatures[r] used to feed themselves from it.
13 While I was watching in my mind’s visions[s] on my bed,

a holy sentinel[t] came down from heaven.
14 He called out loudly[u] as follows:[v]
‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches!
Strip off its foliage
and scatter its fruit!
Let the animals flee from under it
and the birds from its branches.
15 But leave its taproot[w] in the ground,
with a band of iron and bronze around it[x]
surrounded by the grass of the field.
Let it become damp with the dew of the sky,
and let it live with[y] the animals in the grass of the land.
16 Let his mind[z] be altered from that of a human being,
and let an animal’s mind be given to him,
and let seven periods of time[aa] go by for[ab] him.
17 This announcement is by the decree of the sentinels;
this decision is by the pronouncement of the holy ones,
so that[ac] those who are alive may understand
that the Most High has authority over human kingdoms,[ad]
and he bestows them on whomever he wishes.
He establishes over them even the lowliest of human beings.’

18 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its[ae] interpretation, for none of the wise men in[af] my kingdom are able to make known to me the interpretation. But you can do so, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

19 Then Daniel (whose name is also Belteshazzar) was upset for a brief time;[ag] his thoughts were alarming him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream and its interpretation alarm you.” But Belteshazzar replied, “Sir,[ah] if only the dream were for your enemies and its interpretation applied to your adversaries! 20 The tree that you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached to the sky, and that could be seen[ai] in all the land, 21 whose foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful, and from which there was food available for all, under whose branches wild animals[aj] used to live, and in whose branches birds of the sky used to nest— 22 it is you,[ak] O king! For you have become great and strong. Your greatness is such that it reaches to heaven, and your authority to the ends of the earth. 23 As for the king seeing a holy sentinel coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the wild animals, until seven periods of time go by for him’— 24 this is the interpretation, O king. It is the decision of the Most High that this has happened to my lord the king. 25 You will be driven[al] from human society,[am] and you will live[an] with the wild animals. You will be fed[ao] grass like oxen,[ap] and you will become damp with the dew of the sky. Seven periods of time will pass by for you, before[aq] you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes. 26 They said to leave the taproot of the tree, for your kingdom will be restored to you when you come to understand that heaven[ar] rules. 27 Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps your prosperity will be prolonged.”[as]

28 Now all this happened[at] to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 After twelve months, he happened to be walking around on the battlements[au] of the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king uttered these words: “Is this not the great Babylon that I have built for a royal residence[av] by my own mighty strength[aw] and for my majestic honor?” 31 While these words were still on the king’s lips,[ax] a voice came down from heaven: “It is hereby announced to you,[ay] King Nebuchadnezzar, that your kingdom has been removed from you! 32 You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and seven periods of time will pass by for you before[az] you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.”

33 Now in that very moment[ba] this pronouncement about[bb] Nebuchadnezzar came true.[bc] He was driven from human society, he ate grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until his hair became long like an eagle’s feathers, and his nails like a bird’s claws.[bd]

34 But at the end of the appointed time[be] I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up[bf] toward heaven, and my sanity returned to me.

I extolled the Most High,

and I praised and glorified the one who lives forever.
For his authority is an everlasting authority,
and his kingdom extends from one generation to the next.
35 All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing.[bg]
He does as he wishes with the army of heaven
and with those who inhabit the earth.
No one slaps[bh] his hand
and says to him, ‘What have you done?’

36 At that time my sanity returned to me. I was restored[bi] to the honor of my kingdom, and my splendor returned to me. My ministers and my nobles were seeking me out, and I was reinstated[bj] over my kingdom. I became even greater than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all his deeds are right and his ways are just. He is able to bring down those who live[bk] in pride.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 4:1 sn Beginning with 4:1, the verse numbers through 4:37 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Aramaic text (BHS), with 4:1 ET = 3:31 AT, 4:2 ET = 3:32 AT, 4:3 ET = 3:33 AT, 4:4 ET = 4:1 AT, etc., through 4:37 ET = 4:34 AT. Thus Dan 3:31-33 of the Aramaic text appears as Dan 4:1-3 in the English Bible, and the corresponding verses of ch. 4 differ accordingly. In spite of the division of the Aramaic text, a good case can be made that 3:31-33 AT (= 4:1-3 ET) is actually the introduction to ch. 4.
  2. Daniel 4:1 tn Aram “May your peace increase!”
  3. Daniel 4:3 tn Aram “His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.”
  4. Daniel 4:4 sn This verse marks the beginning of chap. 4 in the Aramaic text of Daniel (see the note on 4:1). The Greek OT (LXX) has the following addition: “In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign he said.” This date would suggest a link to the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 b.c. In general, the LXX of chapters 4-6 is very different from the MT, so much so that the following notes will call attention only to selected readings. In Daniel 4 the LXX lacks sizable portions of material in the MT (e.g., vv. 3-6, 31-32), includes sizable portions of material not in the MT (e.g., v. 14a, parts of vv. 16, 28), has a different order of some material (e.g., v. 8 after v. 9), and in some instances is vastly different from the MT (e.g., vv. 30, 34). Whether these differences are due to an excessively paraphrastic translation technique adopted for these chapters in the LXX, or are due to differences in the underlying Vorlage of the LXX, is a disputed matter. The latter seems more likely. There is a growing trend in modern scholarship to take the LXX of chapters 4-6 much more seriously than was the case in most earlier text-critical studies that considered this issue.
  5. Daniel 4:4 tn Aram “my house.”
  6. Daniel 4:4 tn Aram “happy.”
  7. Daniel 4:5 tn Aram “and it.”
  8. Daniel 4:6 tn Aram “from me there was placed a decree.”
  9. Daniel 4:6 tn The Aramaic infinitive here is active.
  10. Daniel 4:8 sn This explanation of the meaning of the name Belteshazzar may be more of a paronomasia than a strict etymology. See the note at 1:7. The king's god was Marduk, who was called Bel (“Lord”).
  11. Daniel 4:9 tc The present translation assumes the reading חֲזִי (khazi, “consider”) rather than the MT חֶזְוֵי (khezve, “visions”). The MT implies that the king required Daniel to disclose both the dream and its interpretation, as in chapter 2. But in the following verses Nebuchadnezzar recounts his dream, while Daniel presents only its interpretation.
  12. Daniel 4:10 tc The LXX lacks the first two words (Aram “the visions of my head”) of the Aramaic text.
  13. Daniel 4:10 tn Instead of “in the middle of the land,” some English versions render this phrase “a tree at the center of the earth” (NRSV); NAB, CEV “of the world”; NLT “in the middle of the earth.” The Hebrew phrase can have either meaning.
  14. Daniel 4:10 tn Aram “its height was great.”
  15. Daniel 4:11 tn Aram “its sight,” as also v. 17.
  16. Daniel 4:11 tn Or “to the end of all the earth” (so KJV, ASV); NCV, CEV “from anywhere on earth.”
  17. Daniel 4:12 tn Aram “the beasts of the field.”
  18. Daniel 4:12 tn Aram “all flesh.”
  19. Daniel 4:13 tn Aram “the visions of my head.”
  20. Daniel 4:13 tn Aram “a watcher and a holy one.” The expression is a hendiadys, as also in v. 23. This “watcher” is apparently an angel. The Greek OT (LXX) in fact has ἄγγελος (angelos, “angel”) here. Theodotion simply transliterates the Aramaic word (ʿir). The term is sometimes rendered “sentinel” (NAB) or “messenger” (NIV, NLT).
  21. Daniel 4:14 tn Aram “in strength.”
  22. Daniel 4:14 tn Aram “and thus he was saying.”
  23. Daniel 4:15 tn Aram “the stock of its root,” as also in v. 23. The implication here is that although the tree is chopped down, it is not killed. Its life-giving root is spared. The application to Nebuchadnezzar is obvious.
  24. Daniel 4:15 sn The function of the band of iron and bronze is not entirely clear, but it may have had to do with preventing the splitting or further deterioration of the portion of the tree that was left after being chopped down. By application it would then refer to the preservation of Nebuchadnezzar’s life during the time of his insanity.
  25. Daniel 4:15 tn Aram “its lot be.”
  26. Daniel 4:16 tn Aram “its heart.” The metaphor of the tree begins to fade here and the reality behind the symbol (the king) begins to emerge.
  27. Daniel 4:16 sn The seven periods of time probably refer to seven years.
  28. Daniel 4:16 tn Aram “over” (also in vv. 23, 25, 32).
  29. Daniel 4:17 tc The present translation follows an underlying reading of עַל־דִּבְרַת (ʿal divrat, “so that”) rather than MT עַד־דִּבְרַת (ʿad divrat, “until”).
  30. Daniel 4:17 tn Aram “the kingdom of man”; NASB “the realm of mankind”; NCV “every kingdom on earth.”
  31. Daniel 4:18 tc The present translation, as also in the next verse, reads פִּשְׁרֵהּ (pishreh, “its interpretation”) with the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss; the Kethib is פִּשְׁרָא (pishraʾ, “the interpretation”).
  32. Daniel 4:18 tn Aram “of.”
  33. Daniel 4:19 tn Aram “about one hour.” The expression refers idiomatically to a brief period of time of undetermined length.
  34. Daniel 4:19 tn Aram “my lord.”
  35. Daniel 4:20 tn Aram “its sight.”
  36. Daniel 4:21 tn Aram “the beasts of the field” (also in vv. 23, 25, 32).
  37. Daniel 4:22 sn Much of modern scholarship views this chapter as a distortion of traditions that were originally associated with Nabonidus rather than with Nebuchadnezzar. A Qumran text, the Prayer of Nabonidus, is often cited for parallels to these events.
  38. Daniel 4:25 tn The Aramaic indefinite active plural is used here like the English passive, as also in vv. 28, 29, and 32.
  39. Daniel 4:25 tn Aram “from mankind,” as also in v. 32.
  40. Daniel 4:25 tn Aram “your dwelling will be,” as also in v. 32.
  41. Daniel 4:25 tn Or perhaps: “be made to eat.”
  42. Daniel 4:25 sn Nebuchadnezzar’s insanity has features that are associated with the mental disorder boanthropy, in which the person so afflicted imagines himself to be an ox or a similar animal and behaves accordingly.
  43. Daniel 4:25 tn Aram “until.”
  44. Daniel 4:26 sn The reference to heaven here is a circumlocution for God. There was a tendency in Jewish contexts to avoid direct reference to God. Compare the expression “kingdom of heaven” in the NT and such statements as: “I have sinned against heaven and in your sight” (Luke 15:21).
  45. Daniel 4:27 tn Aram “if there may be a lengthening to your prosperity.”
  46. Daniel 4:28 tn Aram “reached.”
  47. Daniel 4:29 tn The word “battlements” is not in the text but is supplied from context. Many English versions supply “roof” here (e.g., NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); cf. NLT “on the flat roof.”
  48. Daniel 4:30 tn Aram “house.”
  49. Daniel 4:30 tn Aram “by the might of my strength.”
  50. Daniel 4:31 tn Aram “in the mouth of the king.”
  51. Daniel 4:31 tn Aram “to you they say.”
  52. Daniel 4:32 tn Aram “until.”
  53. Daniel 4:33 tn Aram “hour.”
  54. Daniel 4:33 tn Or “on.”
  55. Daniel 4:33 tn Aram “was fulfilled.”
  56. Daniel 4:33 tn The words “feathers” and “claws” are not present in the Aramaic text, but have been added in the translation for clarity.
  57. Daniel 4:34 tn Aram “days.”
  58. Daniel 4:34 tn Aram “lifted up my eyes.”
  59. Daniel 4:35 tc The present translation reads כְּלָא (kelaʾ), with many medieval Hebrew mss, rather than כְּלָה (kelah) of BHS.
  60. Daniel 4:35 tn Aram “strikes against.”
  61. Daniel 4:36 tc The translation reads הַדְרֵת (hadret, “I returned”) rather than the MT הַדְרִי (hadri, “my honor”); cf. Theodotion.
  62. Daniel 4:36 tc The translation reads הָתְקְנֵת (hotqenet, “I was established”) rather than the MT הָתְקְנַת (hotqenat, “it was established”). The MT could read: “And regarding my kingdom, it was established.”
  63. Daniel 4:37 tn Aram “walk.”
Close NABRE

Daniel 4
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

Chapter 4

Nebuchadnezzar’s Madness. 1 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, content and prosperous. 2 I had a terrifying dream as I lay in bed, and the images and my visions frightened me. 3 So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me to give the interpretation of the dream. 4 When the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners had come in, I related the dream before them; but none of them could tell me its meaning. 5 Finally there came before me Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god,[a] and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods.(A) I repeated the dream to him: 6 “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery is too difficult for you; this is the dream that I saw, tell me its meaning.

7 “These were the visions I saw while in bed: I saw a tree of great height at the center of the earth. 8 It was large and strong, with its top touching the heavens, and it could be seen to the ends of the earth. 9 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, providing food for all. Under it the wild beasts found shade, in its branches the birds of the air nested; all flesh ate of it. 10 In the vision I saw while in bed, a holy watcher[b] came down from heaven 11 and cried aloud in these words:

‘Cut down the tree and lop off its branches,
    strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit;
Let the beasts flee from beneath it, and the birds from its branches,
12     but leave its stump in the earth.
Bound with iron and bronze,
    let him be fed with the grass of the field
    and bathed with the dew of heaven;
    let his lot be with the beasts in the grass of the earth.
13 Let his mind be changed from a human one;
    let the mind of a beast be given him,
    till seven years pass over him.
14 By decree of the watchers is this proclamation,
    by order of the holy ones, this sentence;
That all who live may know
    that the Most High is sovereign over human kingship,
Giving it to whom he wills,
    and setting it over the lowliest of mortals.’(B)

15 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me its meaning. None of the wise men in my kingdom can tell me the meaning, but you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

16 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was appalled for a time, dismayed by his thoughts. “Belteshazzar,” the king said to him, “do not let the dream or its meaning dismay you.” “My lord,” Belteshazzar replied, “may this dream be for your enemies, and its meaning for your foes. 17 The tree that you saw, large and strong, its top touching the heavens, that could be seen by the whole earth, 18 its leaves beautiful, its fruit abundant, providing food for all, under which the wild beasts lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air dwelt— 19 you are that tree, O king, large and strong! Your majesty has become so great as to touch the heavens, and your rule reaches to the ends of the earth. 20 As for the king’s vision of a holy watcher, who came down from heaven and proclaimed: ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump in the earth. Bound with iron and bronze, let him be fed with the grass of the field, and bathed with the dew of heaven; let his lot be with wild beasts till seven years pass over him’— 21 here is its meaning, O king, here is the sentence that the Most High has passed upon my lord king: 22 (C)You shall be cast out from human society and dwell with wild beasts; you shall be given grass to eat like an ox and be bathed with the dew of heaven; seven years shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High is sovereign over human kingship and gives it to whom he will. 23 The command that the stump of the tree is to be left means that your kingdom shall be preserved for you, once you have learned that heaven is sovereign. 24 Therefore, O king, may my advice be acceptable to you; atone for your sins by good deeds,[c] and for your misdeeds by kindness to the poor; then your contentment will be long lasting.”

25 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 26 Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon, 27 the king said, “Babylon the great! Was it not I, with my great strength, who built it as a royal residence for my splendor and majesty?” 28 While these words were still on the king’s lips, a voice spoke from heaven, “It has been decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that your kingship is taken from you! 29 You shall be cast out from human society, and shall dwell with wild beasts; you shall be given grass to eat like an ox, and seven years shall pass over you, until you learn that the Most High is sovereign over human kingship and gives it to whom he will.” 30 [d]At once this was fulfilled. Nebuchadnezzar was cast out from human society, he ate grass like an ox, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle, and his nails like the claws of a bird.

31 When this period was over, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes to heaven; my reason was restored to me, and I blessed the Most High, I praised and glorified the One who lives forever,

Whose dominion is an everlasting dominion,
    and whose kingdom endures through all generations.(D)
32 All who live on the earth are counted as nothing;
    he does as he wills with the powers of heaven
    and with those who live on the earth.
There is no one who can stay his hand
    or say to him, “What have you done?”

33 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and my splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles sought me out; I was restored to my kingdom and became much greater than before. 34 Now, I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, all of whose works are right and ways just; and who is able to humble those who walk in pride.

Footnotes

  1. 4:5 After the name of my god: Belteshazzar, the Babylonian name given to Daniel at the king’s orders (1:7), is Balāṭ-šu-uṣur, “protect his life.” This passage implies a name connected with Bel, a Babylonian god. A spirit of the holy gods: or a holy divine spirit; or spirit of a holy God. See also vv. 6, 15; 5:11–12, 14; 6:4.
  2. 4:10 A holy watcher: lit., “a watcher and a holy one.” Two terms for angels. The term watcher is found in the Bible only in this chapter of Daniel, but it is common in extra-canonical Jewish literature. In 1 Enoch, the fallen angels are called watchers.
  3. 4:24 Good deeds: the Aramaic word ṣidqâ has the root meaning of “righteousness,” but in a late text such as this could mean “almsgiving.”
  4. 4:30–32 There is no historical record that these events happened to Nebuchadnezzar. Scholars have long suspected that the story originally involved Nabonidus, the father of Belshazzar, who was absent from Babylon and lived at Teima in the Arabian desert for a number of years. This suggestion is now strengthened by the Prayer of Nabonidus, found at Qumran, which is closely related to chap. 4. The biblical author’s chief interest was not in the historicity of this popular tale, but in the object lesson it contained for the proud “divine” kings of the Seleucid dynasty.
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New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.