Daniel 4:14

14 He called out in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.

Daniel 4:14 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 4:14

He cried aloud
Or, with strengths; ^F12 being a mighty angel, and that he might be heard far and near: and said thus, hew down the tree;
remove this mighty monarch from his throne; take away his government from him: this is said to fellow angels employed in the affairs of Providence, and the execution of them, to bring about an event so momentous: and cut off his branches;
take away his provinces, each of the parts of his dominion, from him: shake off his leaves:
cause his deputy governors to shake off their allegiance to him: and scatter his fruit;
the revenues of his vast empire, and let others take them: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches;
those that have either voluntarily betook themselves to him for protection; or have been carried captive by him, and have lived under his shadow, whether of the more barbarous nations, or more civilized, as the Jews; let them take the opportunity of withdrawing from him, and returning to their own lands; see ( Jeremiah 51:9 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 (lyxb) "in virtute", Montanus; "cum robore", Gejerus; "fortier", Cocceius, Michaelis; "strenue", Junius & Tremellius, Broughtonus.

Daniel 4:14 In-Context

12 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and upon it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, in its branches the birds of the air nested, and from it every creature was fed.

13 As I lay on my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven.

14 He called out in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and chop 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 with its roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven and graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth.

16 Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and let him be given the mind of a beast till seven times pass him by.