Daniel 4:1-10

1 Nebuchadnezzar, the king, writeth thus to all peoples, [folks,] and languages, that dwell in all earth, peace be multiplied to you. (King Nebuchadnezzar writeth this to all the peoples, and nations, of every language, who live on all the earth, peace be multiplied to you.)

2 (The) High God made at me miracles and marvels; therefore it pleased me to preach his miracles, (The Most High God made miracles and marvels before me; and so it pleased me to preach about his miracles,)

3 for those be great, and his marvels, for those be strong; and his realm is an everlasting realm, and his power is into generation and into generation. (for they be great, and his marvels, for they be overwhelming; and his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his power is forever and ever.)

4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was restful in mine house (was comfortable in my house), and flourishing in my palace;

5 I saw a dream that made me afeared; and my thoughts in my bed, and the sights of mine head, disturbed me. (I had a dream that made me afraid; and my thoughts on my bed, and the sights in my head, greatly disturbed me.)

6 And a decree was set forth by me, that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought in before my sight, and that they should show to me the solving of the dream (and that they should tell me the dream's interpretation).

7 Then false diviners, astronomers, Chaldees, and beholders of altars entered; and I told the dream in the sight of them, and they showed not to me the solving thereof, (Then the fortunetellers, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the beholders on altars entered; and I told them the dream, but they could not tell me its interpretation,)

8 till the fellow in office, Daniel, to whom the name was Belteshazzar, by the name of my god, entered in my sight, the which Daniel hath the spirit of (the) holy gods in himself; and I spake the dream before him. (And I said,)

9 Belteshazzar, prince of (false) diviners, whom I know, that thou hast in thee the spirit of holy gods, and each sacrament, either private, is not impossible to thee, tell thou to me the visions of my dreams which I saw, and the solving of those. (O Belteshazzar, the chief of the fortunetellers, whom I know, that thou hast in thee the spirit of the holy gods, and every secret, or mystery, or hidden truth, is not impossible to thee, listen thou to me about the vision of my dream which I saw, and then tell me its interpretation.)

10 This is the vision of mine head in my bed. I saw, and lo! a tree was in the midst of (the) earth, and the highness thereof was full great. (This is the vision that I had in my head on my bed. I saw, and lo! a tree was in the midst of the earth, and its height was very great.)

Daniel 4:1-10 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.