Daniel 4:10

10 Now [these were] the visions of my head [as I was lying] on my bed: I was {gazing} and, look, a tree [was] in the midst of the earth, and its height [was] exalted.

Daniel 4:10 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 4:10

Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed
So things appeared to my fancy thus; they ran in my head or brain in a dream in my bed, as if I saw them with my eyes, as follows; for so I thought, I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth;
an emblem of a powerful prince well settled, and strongly supported in his power and government; so the Assyrian monarch, ( Ezekiel 31:3-9 ) and here Nebuchadnezzar himself, as it is afterwards explained; who was well established in his monarchy, the metropolis of which was Babylon; and which stood pretty much in the midst of the then known world: and the height thereof was great;
taller than trees in common; denoting the superiority of the Babylonian monarch over all kings and kingdoms of the earth.

Daniel 4:10 In-Context

8 Then {at last} Daniel came before me {whose name was} Belteshazzar, {according to} the name of my god, [and] {in whom was the spirit of the holy gods}, {and I related the dream to him}.

9 " '[O] Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I myself know that [the] spirit of [the] holy gods [is] in you, and {no mystery is too difficult} for you. [Now] tell [me] [the] visions of my dream that I saw, and its explanation.

10 Now [these were] the visions of my head [as I was lying] on my bed: I was {gazing} and, look, a tree [was] in the midst of the earth, and its height [was] exalted.

11 The tree grew and it became strong, and its height reached to heaven, and {it was visible to the end of the whole earth}.

12 Its foliage [was] beautiful, and its fruit abundant, and in it [was] provision for all. Under it the animals of the field sought shade, and in its branches the birds of heaven nested, and from it all the living beings were fed.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "seeing"