Daniel 4 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Daniel 4

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

4:1 ¹ King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! 2 It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.

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

Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream

4 ² I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. 6 So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. 8 At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods³—and I told him the dream, saying, 9 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. 10 The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. 11 The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 Its leaves were 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 heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

13 “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. 14 He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him. 17 The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’ 18 This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Daniel Interprets the Second Dream

19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was dismayed for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies! 20 The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, 21 whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived—22 it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. 23 And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’ 24 this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, 25 that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. 26 And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation

28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” 31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” 33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws.

Nebuchadnezzar Restored

34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to 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,
    and he does according to his will among the host of heaven
    and among the inhabitants of the earth;
  and none can stay his hand
    or say to him, “What have you done?”

36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

Footnotes

[1] 4:1 Ch 3:31 in Aramaic
[2] 4:4 Ch 4:1 in Aramaic
[3] 4:8 Or Spirit of the holy God; also verses 9, 18

Commentary

This chapter is written in a different format, as a letter from Nebuchadnezzar, containing his testimony of God's dealings with him. He is clay in the potter's hands, Jer 18.1-10. We see Daniel standing firm in the realm of personal witness.

v1-3: Nebuchadnezzar refers to signs and wonders that "the Most High God has performed for me." Here is something of his personal testimony, and a real knowledge of God. It is striking that Nebuchadnezzar sends a Jewish greeting, ‘May you prosper greatly,’ or, in Hebrew, ‘Shalom.’

v4-7: Nebuchadnezzar relates his dream, and his terror at seeing it. Rather than ask Daniel, who has accurately interpreted dreams for him before, he issues a decree. His intention is to retain personal control, and betrays his unwillingness to let God speak into his life. In contrast with chapter 2, he does relate his dream to his wise men.

v8: Daniel is brought in as a last resort, since the Babylonian sorcerers are unable to explain the dream. Daniel is called by his Babylonish name, Belteshazzar, for Bel is still Nebuchadnezzar's god.

Dreams come through much activity, Eccl 5.3,7, but are vanity and deceit.

v9: Nebuchadnezzar recognises that Daniel is different from the astrologers; this indicates that his life was always distinctive. How wonderful, when a man, or woman of God, enjoys such a testimony in the courts of human rulers.

Nebuchadnezzar thinks that no mystery or secret can trouble this great man, although the reality is different, see 7.15; 8.17; 10.2-3. Where things do trouble us, it is not always wise to let the ungodly know (2 Sam 1.20; Matt 7.6).

v10-12: The vision of the tree; a picture of the king and his kingdom, also indicative of idolatry. Contrast Ps 1.3, where we read of a tree rooted in God. Nebuchadnezzar enjoyed almost world-wide dominion, although he is about to experience the sort of humiliation that he has subjected others to.

v13-14: At the command of God, the tree is cut down; humiliation and judgment.

v15: The stump and roots left, indicating God's mercy. The tree is no longer "it," but "he." The application to Nebuchadnezzar grows clearer.

v16: Seven times, the perfect time, ordained by God. The man's mind is changed to an animal's. Such humiliation is hard to grasp.

v17: The crucial lesson to be learned, that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, see v25, 32 also. But this is no theoretical statement, for Nebuchadnezzar, king of kings is about to endure this very humiliation.

v18: Daniel alone of the wise men in Babylon could interpret the dream.

v19: Daniel does not give an immediate answer, although he realises the meaning cannot be pleasant. He shows some concern for the king, "if only the dream applied to your enemies."

v20-22: The tree is clearly identified; the king with his wide dominion.

v23: Nebuchadnezzar saw the messenger, or watchman, coming, commanding that the tree be cut down. The humiliation of the king was no accident of circumstances, but a direct intervention of the true God.

v24-27: Daniel's firm and clear application; Nebuchadnezzar himself is about to be driven away from men, and live like an animal. He remains in this state until "you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign." This application is personal for the king. The previous application in v17, "that the living may know" is made absolutely personal. Scripture truths applying universally must be applied personally into our lives.

Daniel brings a challenge to repentance. It seems that Nebuchadnezzar does not heed this challenge, since the dream is fulfilled.

v28-30: The dream is fulfilled, 12 months later. He has lots of time to consider Daniel's words, but apparently neglects the opportunity to repent. As he proudly surveys his own achievements, the dream is fulfilled.

v31-32: The voice from heaven, as the work of God began to humiliate this man, that he might learn God's ways and God's truth.

v33: Immediately, and with out further warning, Nebuchadnezzar is brought low. Compare Is 14.12-15, which describes Lucifer’s downfall. The detail is interesting; the king turned mad, but kept within the royal gardens. It is said that Evil Merodach, Nebuchadnezzar’s son, reigned in his stead. He is mentioned in Jer 52.31.

v34-35: His sanity is tied up with his acknowledgement that there is but one God in heaven, who rules over the kingdoms of men.

v36-37: His advisors and nobles sought him out to restore him to his kingdom. He knows that God humbles the pride, for he has experienced that himself.