16 Let his heart H3825 be changed H8133 from H4481 man's, H606 and let a beast's H2423 heart H3825 be given H3052 unto him; and let seven H7655 times H5732 pass H2499 over H5922 him.
And whereas the king H4430 saw H2370 a watcher H5894 and an holy one H6922 coming down H5182 from H4481 heaven, H8065 and saying, H560 Hew H1414 the tree H363 down, H1414 and destroy H2255 it; yet H1297 leave H7662 the stump H6136 of the roots H8330 thereof in the earth, H772 even with a band H613 of iron H6523 and brass, H5174 in the tender grass H1883 of the field; H1251 and let it be wet H6647 with the dew H2920 of heaven, H8065 and let his portion H2508 be with H5974 the beasts H2423 of the field, H1251 till H5705 seven H7655 times H5732 pass H2499 over H5922 him;
That they shall drive H2957 thee from H4481 men, H606 and thy dwelling H4070 shall be H1934 with H5974 the beasts H2423 of the field, H1251 and they shall make thee to eat H2939 grass H6211 as oxen, H8450 and they shall wet H6647 thee with the dew H2920 of heaven, H8065 and seven H7655 times H5732 shall pass H2499 over H5922 thee, till H5705 thou know H3046 that the most High H5943 ruleth H7990 in the kingdom H4437 of men, H606 and giveth H5415 it to whomsoever H4479 he will. H6634
Make the heart H3820 of this people H5971 fat, H8080 and make their ears H241 heavy, H3513 and shut H8173 their eyes; H5869 lest they see H7200 with their eyes, H5869 and hear H8085 with their ears, H241 and understand H995 with their heart, H3824 and convert, H7725 and be healed. H7495
While H5751 the word H4406 was in the king's H4430 mouth, H6433 there fell H5308 a voice H7032 from H4481 heaven, H8065 saying, O king H4430 Nebuchadnezzar, H5020 to thee it is spoken; H560 The kingdom H4437 is departed H5709 from H4481 thee. And they shall drive H2957 thee from H4481 men, H606 and thy dwelling H4070 shall be with H5974 the beasts H2423 of the field: H1251 they shall make thee to eat H2939 grass H6211 as oxen, H8450 and seven H7655 times H5732 shall pass H2499 over H5922 thee, until H5705 thou know H3046 that the most High H5943 ruleth H7990 in the kingdom H4437 of men, H606 and giveth H5415 it to whomsoever H4479 he will. H6634 The same hour H8160 was the thing H4406 fulfilled H5487 upon H5922 Nebuchadnezzar: H5020 and he was driven H2957 from H4481 men, H606 and did eat H399 grass H6211 as oxen, H8450 and his body H1655 was wet H6647 with the dew H2920 of heaven, H8065 till H5705 his hairs H8177 were grown H7236 like eagles' H5403 feathers, and his nails H2953 like birds' H6853 claws.
And he shall speak H4449 great words H4406 against H6655 the most High, H5943 and shall wear out H1080 the saints H6922 of the most High, H5946 and think H5452 to change H8133 times H2166 and laws: H1882 and they shall be given H3052 into his hand H3028 until H5705 a time H5732 and times H5732 and the dividing H6387 of time. H5732
And I heard H8085 the man H376 clothed H3847 in linen, H906 which was upon H4605 the waters H4325 of the river, H2975 when he held up H7311 his right hand H3225 and his left hand H8040 unto heaven, H8064 and sware H7650 by him that liveth H2416 for ever H5769 that it shall be for a time, H4150 times, H4150 and an half; H2677 and when he shall have accomplished H3615 to scatter H5310 the power H3027 of the holy H6944 people, H5971 all these things shall be finished. H3615
Because G1223 that he G846 had been often G4178 bound G1210 with fetters G3976 and G2532 chains, G254 and G2532 the chains G254 had been plucked asunder G1288 by G5259 him, G846 and G2532 the fetters G3976 broken in pieces: G4937 neither G2532 could G2480 any man tame G1150 him. G846 G3762 And G2532 always, G1275 night G3571 and G2532 day, G2250 he was G2258 in G1722 the mountains, G3735 and G2532 in G1722 the tombs, G3418 crying, G2896 and G2532 cutting G2629 himself G1438 with stones. G3037
And G1161 when he G846 went forth G1831 to G1909 land, G1093 there met G5221 him G846 out of G1537 the city G4172 a certain G5100 man, G435 which G3739 had G2192 devils G1140 long G1537 G2425 time, G5550 and G2532 ware G1737 no G3756 clothes, G2440 neither G2532 G3756 abode G3306 in G1722 any house, G3614 but G235 in G1722 the tombs. G3418 When G1161 he saw G1492 Jesus, G2424 he cried out, G349 and G2532 fell down before G4363 him, G846 and G2532 with a loud G3173 voice G5456 said, G2036 What G5101 have I G1698 to do with G2532 thee, G4671 Jesus, G2424 thou Son G5207 of God G2316 most high? G5310 I beseech G1189 thee, G4675 torment G928 me G3165 not. G3361 (For G1063 he had commanded G3853 G3853 the unclean G169 spirit G4151 to come G1831 out of G575 the man. G444 For G1063 oftentimes G4183 G5550 it had caught G4884 him: G846 and G2532 he was kept G5442 bound G1196 with chains G254 and G2532 in fetters; G3976 and G2532 he brake G1284 the bands, G1199 and was driven G1643 of G5259 the devil G1142 into G1519 the wilderness.) G2048
And G2532 to the woman G1135 were given G1325 two G1417 wings G4420 of a great G3173 eagle, G105 that G2443 she might fly G4072 into G1519 the wilderness, G2048 into G1519 her G846 place, G5117 where G3699 she is nourished G5142 for a time, G1563 G2540 and G2532 times, G2540 and G2532 half G2255 a time, G2540 from G575 the face G4383 of the serpent. G3789
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Daniel 4
Commentary on Daniel 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
The penman of this chapter is Nebuchadnezzar himself: the story here recorded concerning him is given us in his own words, as he himself drew it up and published it; but Daniel, a prophet, by inspiration, inserts it in his history, and so it has become a part of sacred writ and a very memorable part. Nebuchadnezzar was as daring a rival with God Almighty for the sovereignty as perhaps any mortal man ever was; but here he fairly owns himself conquered, and gives it under his hand that the God of Israel is above him. Here is,
This was extorted from him by the overruling power of that God who has all men's hearts in his hand, and stands upon record a lasting proof of God's supremacy, a monument of his glory, a trophy of his victory, and a warning to all not to think of prospering while they lift up or harden their hearts against God.
Dan 4:1-3
Here is,
Dan 4:4-18
Nebuchadnezzar, before he relates the judgments of God that had been wrought upon him for his pride, gives an account of the fair warning he had of them before they came, a due regard to which might have prevented them. But he was told of them, and of the issue of them, before they came to pass, that, when they did come to pass, by comparing them with the prediction of them, he might see, and say, that they were the Lord's doing, and might be brought to believe that there is a divine revelation in the world, as well as a divine Providence, and that the works of God agree with his word.
Now, in the account he here gives of his dream, by which he had notice of what was coming, we may observe,
Thus has Nebuchadnezzar fully and faithfully related his dream, what he saw and what he heard, and then demands of Daniel the interpretation of it (v. 18), for he found that no one else was able to interpret it, but was confident that he was: For the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, or of the Holy God, the proper title of the God of Israel. Much may be expected from those that have in them the Spirit of the Holy God. Whether Nebuchadnezzar had any jealousy that it was his own doom that was read by this dream does not appear; perhaps he was so vain and secure as to imagine that it was some other prince that was a rival with him, whose fall he had the pleasing prospect of given him in this dream; but, be it for him or against him, he is very solicitous to know the true meaning of it and depends upon Daniel to give it to him. Now, When God gives us general warnings of his judgments we should be desirous to understand his mind in them, to hear the Lord's voice crying in the city.
Dan 4:19-27
We have here the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream; and when once it is applied to himself, and it is declared that he is the tree in the dream (Mutato nomine de te fabula narratur-Change but the name, the fable speaks of thee), when once it is said, Thou art the man, there needs little more to be said for the explication of the dream. Out of his own mouth he is judged; so shall his doom be, he himself has decided it. The thing was so plain that Daniel, upon hearing the dream, was astonished for one hour, v. 19. He was struck with amazement and terror at so great a judgment coming upon so great a prince. His flesh trembled for fear of God. He was likewise struck with confusion when he found himself under a necessity of being the man that must bring to the king these heavy tidings, which, having received so many favours from the king, he had rather he should have heard from any one else; so far is he from desiring the woeful day that he dreads it, and the thoughts of it trouble him. Those that come after the ruined sinner are said to be astonished at his day, as those that went before, and saw it coming (as Daniel here), were affrighted, Job 18:20.
Dan 4:28-33
We have here Nebuchadnezzar's dream accomplished, and Daniel's application of it to him justified and confirmed. How he took it we are not told, whether he was pleased with Daniel or displeased; but here we have,
Dan 4:34-37
We have here Nebuchadnezzar's recovery from his distraction, and his return to his right mind, at the end of the days prefixed, that is, of the seven years. So long he continued a monument of God's justice and a trophy of his victory over the children of pride, and he was made more so by being struck mad than if he had been in an instant struck dead with a thunderbolt; yet it was a mercy to him that he was kept alive, for while there is life there is hope that we may yet praise God, as he did here: At the end of the days (says he), I lifted up my eyes unto heaven (v. 34), looked no longer down towards the earth as a beast, but begun to look up as a man. Os homini sublime dedit-Heaven gave to man an erect countenance. But there was more in it than this; he looked up as a devout man, as a penitent, as a humble petitioner for mercy, being perhaps never till now made sensible of his own misery. And now,
It was not long after this that Nebuchadnezzar ended his life and reign. Abydenus, quoted by Eusebius (Prap. Evang. 1.9), reports, from the tradition of the Chaldeans, that upon his death-bed he foretold the taking of Babylon by Cyrus. Whether he continued in the same good mind that here he seems to have been in we are not told, nor does any thing appear to the contrary but that he did: and, if so great a blasphemer and persecutor did find mercy, he was not the last. And, if our charity may reach so far as to hope he did, we must admire free grace, by which he lost his wits for a while that he might save his soul for ever.