Daniel 4:1-11

1 King Nebuchadnezzar sent the following message to the people of all nations, races, and languages in the world: "Greetings!
2 Listen to my account of the wonders and miracles which the Supreme God has shown me.
3 "How great are the wonders God shows us! How powerful are the miracles he performs! God is king forever; he will rule for all time.
4 "I was living comfortably in my palace, enjoying great prosperity.
5 But I had a frightening dream and saw terrifying visions while I was asleep.
6 I ordered all the royal advisers in Babylon to be brought to me so that they could tell me what the dream meant.
7 Then all the fortunetellers, magicians, wizards, and astrologers were brought in, and I told them my dream, but they could not explain it to me.
8 Then Daniel came in. (He is also called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god.) The spirit of the holy gods is in him, so I told him what I had dreamed. I said to him:
9 Belteshazzar, chief of the fortunetellers, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that you understand all mysteries. This is my dream. Tell me what it means.
10 "While I was asleep, I had a vision of a huge tree in the middle of the earth.
11 It grew bigger and bigger until it reached the sky and could be seen by everyone in the world.

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.

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. gods; [or] God.
  • [b]. gods; [or] God.
  • [c]. [Probable text] This is; [Aramaic] Visions of.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.