Daniel 4:1-6

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

1 [a] King Nebuchadnezzar to all 1peoples, nations, and languages, 2that dwell in all the earth: 3Peace be multiplied to you!
2 It has seemed good to me to show the 4signs and wonders that the 5Most High God has done for me.
3 How great are 6his signs, how mighty his 7wonders! 8His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, 9and his dominion endures from generation to generation.

Nebuchadnezzar's Second Dream

4 [b] 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 10the visions of my head alarmed me.
6 So 11I made a decree that 12all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

Daniel 4:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 4

This chapter was written by Nebuchadnezzar himself; and was either taken out of his archives, or given by him to Daniel, who under divine inspiration inserted it into this work of his; and a very useful instruction it contains, showing the sovereignty of God over the greatest kings and potentates of the earth, and this acknowledged by one of the proudest monarchs that ever lived upon it. It begins with a preface, saluting all nations, and declaring the greatness and power of God, Da 4:1-3 then follows the narrative of a dream the king dreamed, which troubled him; upon which he called for his wise men to interpret it, but in vain; at length he told it to Daniel, Da 4:4-9: the dream itself; which being told, astonished Daniel, the king being so much interested in it, Da 4:10-19, the interpretation of it, with Daniel's advice upon it, is in Da 4:20-27 the fulfilment of it, time and occasion thereof, Da 4:28-33. Nebuchadnezzar's restoration to his reason and kingdom, for which he praises God, Da 4:34-37.

Cross References 12

Footnotes 2

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.