Daniel 4

¹ Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all theMeaning, as far as his dominion extended.earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

² {cf2 (3:32)} I thought it good to declare the signes and wonders, that the hie God hath wrought toward me.

³ How great [are] his signs! and how mighty [are] his wonders!{{See Dan_2:44}}his kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion [is] from generation to generation.

⁴ I Nebuchadnezzar was atThere was no trouble that might cause me to dream, and therefore it came only from God.rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:

⁵ I saw aThis was another dream besides that which he saw of the four empires, for Daniel both declared what that dream was, and what it meant, and here he expounds this dream.dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

⁶ {cf2 (4:3)} Therefore made I a decree, that they should bring all the wise men of Babel before mee, that they might declare vnto me the interpretation of the dreame.

⁷ Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; butIn that he sent abroad to others, whose ignorance in times past he had experienced, and left Daniel who was ever ready at hand, it declares the nature of the ungodly, who never seek for the servants of God unless they absolutely have to, and then they flatter to a great extent.they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.

⁸ But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name [was]This no doubt was a great grief to Daniel not only to have his name changed, but to be called by the name of a vile idol, which thing Nebuchadnezzar did to make him forget the true religion of God.Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom [is] the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, [saying],

⁹ O Belteshazzar,Which also was a great grief to the Prophet, to be numbered among the sorcerers and men whose practices were wicked and contrary to God's word.master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods [is] in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.

¹⁰ Thus [were] the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold aBy the tree is signified the dignity of a king whom God ordains to be a defence for every type of man, and whose state is profitable for mankind.tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof [was] great.

¹¹ {cf2 (4:8)} A great tree and strong, and the height thereof reached vnto heauen, and the sight thereof to the endes of all the earth.

¹² {cf2 (4:9)} The boughes thereof were faire & the fruite thereof much, and in it was meate for all: it made a shadow vnder it for the beastes of the fielde, and the foules of the heauen dwelt in the boughes thereof, and all flesh fedde of it.

¹³ I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, aMeaning the angel of God, who neither eats nor sleeps, but is always ready to do God's will, and is not infected with man's corruption, but is always holy. And in that he commands to cut down this tree, he knew that it would not be cut down by man, but by God.watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;

¹⁴ {cf2 (4:11)} And cried aloude, and said thus, Hew downe the tree, and breake off his branches: shake off his leaues, and scatter his fruite, that the beastes may flee from vnder it, and the foules from his branches.

¹⁵ {cf2 (4:12)} Neuerthelesse leaue the stumpe of his rootes in the earth, and with a band of yron and brasse binde it among the grasse of the fielde, and let it be wet with the dewe of heauen, and let his portion be with the beastes among the grasse of the fielde.

¹⁶ By this he means that Nebuchadnezzar would not only for a time lose his kingdom, but be like a beast.Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

¹⁷ God has decreed this judgment and the whole army of heaven has as it were joined in being a part of it, just as they also desire the execution of his decree against all those that lift up themselves against God.This matter [is] by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

¹⁸ {cf2 (4:15)} This is the dreame, that I King Nebuchad-nezzar haue seene: therefore thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof: for all the wisemen of my kingdome are not able to shewe mee the interpretation: but thou art able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

¹⁹ Then Daniel, whose name [was] Belteshazzar, wasHe was troubled because of the great judgment of God, which he saw ordained against the king. And so the Prophets on the one hand used to make known God's judgments for the zeal they had for his glory, and on the other hand had compassion upon man. And they also considered that they would be subject to God's judgments, if he did not regard them with pity.astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream [be] to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.

²⁰ {cf2 (4:17)} The tree that thou sawest, which was great and mightie, whose height reached vnto the heauen, and the sight thereof through all the world,

²¹ {cf2 (4:18)} Whose leaues were faire & the fruit thereof much, and in it was meate for all, vnder the which the beastes of the fielde dwelt, and vpon whose branches the foules of the heauen did sit,

²² {cf2 (4:19)} It is thou, O King, that art great and mightie: for thy greatnesse is growen, and reacheth vnto heauen, and thy dominion to the endes of the earth.

²³ And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and [let] his portion [be] with the beasts of the field,By which he means a long space, as seven years. Some interpret seven months, and others seven weeks, but it seems he means seven years.till seven times pass over him;

²⁴ {cf2 (4:21)} This is the interpretation, O King, and it is the decree of the most High, which is come vpon my lord the King,

²⁵ That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass asNot that his shape or form was changed into a beast, but that he was either stricken mad, and so avoided man's company, or was cast out because of his tyranny, and so wandered among the beasts, and ate herbs and grass.oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know thatDaniel shows the reason why God punished him in this way.the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

²⁶ {cf2 (4:23)} Where as they sayd, that one should leaue the stumpe of the tree rootes, thy kingdome shall remaine vnto thee: after that, thou shalt knowe, that the heauens haue the rule.

²⁷ Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, andCease from provoking God to anger any longer by your sins, that he may reduce the severity of his punishment, if you show by your upright life that you have true faith and repentance.break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be aAllow the errors of your former life to be made up for.lengthening of thy tranquillity.

²⁸ {cf2 (4:25)} All these things shal come vpon the King Nebuchad-nezzar.

²⁹ At the end of twelveAfter Daniel had declared this vision: and this pride of his declares that it is not in man to convert to God, unless his Spirit moves him, seeing that these terrible threatenings could not move him to repent.months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.

³⁰ {cf2 (4:27)} And the King spake and sayde, Is not this great Babel, that I haue built for the house of the kingdome by the might of my power, and for the honour of my maiestie?

³¹ {cf2 (4:28)} While the worde was in the Kings mouth, a voyce came downe from heauen, saying, O King Nebuchad-nezzar, to thee be it spoken, Thy kingdome is departed from thee,

³² {cf2 (4:29)} And they shall driue thee from men, and thy dwelling shalbe with the beastes of the fielde: they shall make thee to eate grasse, as the oxen, and seuen times shall passe ouer thee, vntill thou knowest, that the most High beareth rule ouer the kingdome of men, and giueth it vnto whomsoeuer he will.

³³ {cf2 (4:30)} The very same houre was this thing fulfilled vpon Nebuchad-nezzar, and hee was driuen from men, and did eate grasse as the oxen, and his body was wet with the dewe of heauen, till his heares were growen as egles feathers, & his nailes like birds clawes.

³⁴ And at the end of theWhen the term of these seven years was accomplished.days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom [is] from generation to generation:

³⁵ And all the inhabitants of the earth [are] reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to hisHe confesses God's will to be the rule of all justice, and a most perfect law, by which he governs both man and angels and devils, so that none ought to murmur or ask a reason for his doings, but only to stand content with them and give him the glory.will in the army of heaven, and [among] the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

³⁶ At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors andBy whom it seems that he had been put from his kingdom before.my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.

³⁷ Now I NebuchadnezzarHe not only praises God for his deliverance, but also confesses his fault, so that God alone may have the glory, and man the shame, and so that God may be exalted and man cast down.praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works [are] truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.