Daniel 4

One of the court narratives in the first half of the Book of Daniel (chapters 1–6), this chapter follows the fiery furnace episode of Daniel 3. The entire chapter takes the form of a decree (an official royal document) sent by King Nebuchadnezzar to his people.

Outline

• Verses 1–3 The king proclaims the signs and wonders God has performed and praises Him, declaring that His kingdom is everlasting.
• Verses 4–9 The king has a dream and is afraid. The wise men of Babylon cannot interpret it, so he summons Daniel, who is called Belteshazzar.
• Verses 10–18 The dream: a watcher orders that a great tree reaching to heaven be cut down, leaving only the stump, and that seven times pass over it.
• Verses 19–27 Daniel explains that the tree represents the king and urges him to atone for his sins through righteousness and mercy.
• Verses 28–33 Twelve months later, as the king boasts of Babylon, he is driven away and eats grass like an ox.
• Verses 34–37 When the appointed time is fulfilled, he regains his understanding and his kingdom and praises the King of heaven.

Key Verses

• Daniel 4:17 "the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will" — the theme of the chapter, repeated in verses 25 and 32.
• Daniel 4:27 "break off thy sins by righteousness" — adds a call to repentance to the announcement of judgment.
• Daniel 4:37 "those that walk in pride he is able to abase" — the conclusion of the narrative.

Characters and Places

• Nebuchadnezzar: King of Babylon and the narrator of this chapter.
• Daniel: Known by his Babylonian name Belteshazzar, he interprets the king's dream.
• The watcher: A "holy one" who comes down from heaven, commonly understood to be an angel.
• Babylon: The city the king boasted of having built by his own power.

Points for Reflection

• The "seven times" are usually interpreted as seven years, though some interpreters regard them as an indefinite but complete period.
• Because Babylonian records do not confirm such an episode in Nebuchadnezzar's life, some scholars connect it with the "Prayer of Nabonidus" among the Dead Sea Scrolls and argue that the account is based on a tradition about King Nabonidus. Conservative scholars read it as the text presents it, as an event in the life of Nebuchadnezzar.
• Catholic tradition sometimes cites verse 27 in support of the value of almsgiving, while Protestants generally read it as an exhortation to bear the fruit of repentance.
• In the original-language text, verses 1–3 belong to the end of chapter 3 (3:31–33), and the Old Greek text of the Septuagint differs considerably from it in the content of this chapter.
• The image of a tree in whose branches birds lodge is often read in connection with the Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:32), and the theme of God humbling the proud in connection with Luke 1:52.