Daniel 4:1-7

1 I Nabuchodonosor was thriving in my house, and prospering.

2 I saw a vision, and it terrified me, and I was troubled on my bed, and the visions of my head troubled me.

3 And I made a decree to bring in before me all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

4 So the enchanters, magicians, soothsayers, Chaldeans came in: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known to me the interpretation thereof;

5 until Daniel came, whose name is Baltasar, according to the name of my God, who has within him the Holy Spirit of God; to whom I said,

6 O Baltasar, chief of the enchanters, of whom I know that the Holy Spirit of God is in thee, and no mystery is too hard for thee, hear the vision of my dream which I had, and tell me the interpretation of it.

7 I had a vision upon my bed; and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great.

Daniel 4:1-7 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.