Daniel 4:1-11

1 Nevukhadnetztzar the king, to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the eretz: Shalom be multiplied to you.

2 It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that Ha`Elyon God has worked 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, Nevukhadnetztzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.

5 I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

6 Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Bavel before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

7 Then came in the magicians, the enchanters, the Kasdim, and the soothsayers; and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known to me the interpretation of it.

8 But at the last Daniyel came in before me, whose name was Belteshatztzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him, [saying],

9 Belteshatztzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation of it.

10 Thus were the visions of my head on my bed: I saw, and, behold, a tree in the midst of the eretz; and the height of it was great.

11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height of it reached to the sky, and the sight of it to the end of all the eretz.

Daniel 4:1-11 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.