Daniel 4:14

14 He shouted loudly, 'Cut down the oak tree! Cut off its branches! Strip off its leaves! Scatter its fruit! Make the animals under it run away, and make the birds fly 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 It had beautiful leaves and plenty of fruit, enough to feed everyone. Wild animals found shade under it. Birds came to live in its branches. It fed every living creature.

13 "I was seeing these visions as I was asleep. I saw a guardian, a holy being, come down from heaven.

14 He shouted loudly, 'Cut down the oak tree! Cut off its branches! Strip off its leaves! Scatter its fruit! Make the animals under it run away, and make the birds fly from its branches.

15 But leave the stump and its roots in the ground. Secure it with an iron and bronze chain in the grass in the field. Let it get wet with the dew from the sky. And let it get its share of the plants on the ground with the animals.

16 Let its human mind be changed, and give it the mind of an animal. Let it remain like this for seven time periods.