3.29 A royal decree granting legitimacy and protection to the Jewish religion. Persians, Greeks, and Romans all issued decrees protecting the right of Jews to practice their religion, but this decree goes further. Torn…laid in ruins. See 2.5.
3.30 A typical folk motif of reward for heroes; see 2.48.
DANIEL 4a
Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream
1King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages that live throughout the earth: May you have abundant prosperity! 2The signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me I am pleased to recount.
3How great are his signs,
how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and his sovereignty is from generation to generation.
4b I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living at ease in my home and prospering in my palace. 5I saw a dream that frightened me; my fantasies in bed and the visions of my head terrified me. 6So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, in order that they might tell me the interpretation of the dream. 7Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not tell me its interpretation. 8At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and who is endowed with a spirit of the holy godsc—and I told him the dream: 9“O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that you are endowed with a spirit of the holy godsd and that no mystery is too difficult for you. Heare the dream that I saw; tell me its interpretation.
10f Upon my bed this is what I saw;
there was a tree at the center of the earth,
and its height was great.
11The tree grew great and strong,
its top reached to heaven,
and it was visible to the ends of the whole earth.
12Its foliage was beautiful,
its fruit abundant,
and it provided food for all.
The animals of the field found shade under it,
the birds of the air nested in its branches,
and from it all living beings were fed.
13“I continued looking, in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and there was a holy watcher, coming down from heaven. 14He cried aloud and said:
‘Cut down the tree and chop off its branches,
strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit.
Let the animals flee from beneath it
and the birds from its branches.
15But leave its stump and roots in the ground,
with a band of iron and bronze,
in the tender grass of the field.
Let him be bathed with the dew of heaven,
and let his lot be with the animals of the field
in the grass of the earth.
16Let his mind be changed from that of a human,
and let the mind of an animal be given to him.
And let seven times pass over him.
17The sentence is rendered by decree of the watchers,
the decision is given by order of the holy ones,
in order that all who live may know
that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of mortals;
he gives it to whom he will
and sets over it the lowliest of human beings.’
18“This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are unable to tell me the interpretation. You are able, however, for you are endowed with a spirit of the holy gods.”g
Daniel Interprets the Second Dream
19Then Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar, was severely distressed for a while. His thoughts terrified him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or the interpretation terrify you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you, and its interpretation for your enemies! 20The tree that you saw, which grew great and strong, so that its top reached to heaven and was visible to the end of the whole earth, 21whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and which provided food for all, under which animals of the field lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air had nests—22it is you, O king! You have grown great and strong. Your greatness has increased and reaches to heaven, and your sovereignty to the ends of the earth. 23And whereas the king saw a holy watcher coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze, in the grass of the field; and let him be bathed with the dew of heaven, and let his lot be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him’—24this is the interpretation, O king, and it is a decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king: 25You shall be driven away from human society, and your dwelling shall be with the wild animals. You shall be made to eat grass like oxen, you shall be bathed with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, until you have learned that the Most High has sovereignty over the kingdom of mortals, and gives it to whom he will. 26As it was commanded to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be re-established for you from the time that you learn that Heaven is sovereign. 27Therefore, O king, may my counsel be acceptable to you: atone forh your sins with righteousness, and your iniquities with mercy to the oppressed, so that your prosperity may be prolonged.”
Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation
28All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30and the king said, “Is this not magnificent Babylon, which I have built as a royal capital by my mighty power and for my glorious majesty?” 31While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: The kingdom has departed from you! 32You shall be driven away from human society, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like oxen, and seven times shall pass over you, until you have learned that the Most High has sovereignty over the kingdom of mortals and gives it to whom he will.” 33Immediately the sentence was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven away from human society, ate grass like oxen, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails became like birds’ claws.
Nebuchadnezzar Praises God
34When that period was over, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me.
I blessed the Most High,
and praised and honored the one who lives forever.
For his sovereignty is an everlasting sovereignty,
and his kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
and he does what he wills with the host of heaven
and the inhabitants of the earth.
There is no one who can stay his hand
or say to him, “What are you doing?”
36At that time my reason returned to me; and my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom. My counselors and my lords sought me out, I was re-established over my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. 37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven,
for all his works are truth,
and his ways are justice;
and he is able to bring low
those who walk in pride.
next chapter
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a Ch 3.31 in Aram
b Ch 4.1 in Aram
c Or a holy, divine spirit
d Or a holy, divine spirit
e Theodotion: Aram The visions of
f Theodotion Syr Compare Gk: Aram adds The visions of my head
g Or a holy, divine spirit
h Aram break off
4.1–47 This text differs markedly from the other stories in chs. 1–6. Although many folk elements are present, including the motif of dream interpretation, the l
iterary form is not the tale but the epistle or public proclamation. It begins (vv. 1–18) and ends (vv. 34–37) in the first person with a third-person tale in between (vv. 19–33). The tightly circular rhetorical structure emphasizes the central theme of God’s sovereignty. The king first acknowledges God’s sovereignty and greatness (vv. 2–3) and prospers (v. 4), then asserts his own sovereignty and greatness (v. 30) and is brought low (vv. 32–33) as predicted (v. 22), only to accept God’s sovereignty again (vv. 34–35) and have his own greatness restored by God. Daniel’s role is less prominent than in ch. 2. The Old Greek translation preserves a substantially different form of this story. It is generally believed that the king in this story was originally Nabonidus, not Nebuchadnezzar, and this view is supported by the Prayer of Nabonidus (4Q242) from Qumran, which resembles this tale but is by no means identical with it.
4.1–2 Epistolary introduction and greeting; see, e.g., 1 Macc 10.18; 14.20; 15.2, 16; 2 Macc 1.1, 10; 1 Cor 1.1–3; Rom 1.1, 7; Gal 1.1–3; Eph 1.1–2.
4.1 Peoples, nations, and languages. See note on 3.4.
4.2 Signs and wonders, a typical description of marvelous acts of God, especially in relation to the exodus from Egypt; see v. 3; 6.27; Ex 7.3; Deut 4.34; 6.22; Isa 8.18; Mk 13.22; Jn 4.48. Most High God. See note on 3.26.
4.3 A doxology. See 2.20–23. It is paralleled by 4.34–35 and is a typical opening for an epistle; see 2 Cor 1.3–4; Eph 1.3–4; 1 Pet 1.3–5. Here the pagan king is said to acknowledge the God of Daniel as the true God. Nebuchadnezzar had already acknowledged the God of Daniel in 2.47. His kingdom…generation. See v. 34; Ps 145.13.
4.5 Dream. See 2.1. Frightened, terrified. See 5.6; 7.15. The effect of the dream is stronger than in 2.1, which creates foreboding about the interpretation.
4.6–7 The task is only to interpret, not tell the dream, but the Chaldeans still fail; no punishment is threatened; see 2.2–11.
4.7 Magicians…Chaldeans. See notes on 1.4; 2.2. Diviners were the most important type of religious intermediary in Babylonia; here the term is used simply as a synonym for “wise men.”
4.8 Name of my god. See note on 1.6–7. Holy gods, either Babylonian deities or the God of the Jews; see 2.11;4.9, 18; 5.11, 14; Gen 41.38.
4.9 Mystery. See note on 2.18.
4.10–17 The dream has two parts: a vision of a great tree (vv. 10–12) and the decree of a watcher (vv. 13–17).
4.10 Tree at the center of the earth, a widely used image in ancient Near Eastern mythology. Here it is used allegorically for the king’s greatness and might; see Ps 37.35–36; Isa 10.33–11.1; 14.4–20; Ezek 31; Zech 11.2.
4.11 Great, a key term used allegorically of the king; see vv. 20, 22, 30; it is used of God in v. 3. Its top reached to heaven. See Isa 14.13–14; Ezek 31.3.
4.12 See Ezek 17.23; 31.6.
4.13–17 A cryptic interpretation in the form of a command or decree, which Nebuchadnezzar cannot understand.
4.13 A holy watcher, lit. “a watcher, a holy one” see vv. 17, 20. This is the only biblical occurrence of this term to designate an angelic being, but it is commonly found in pseudepigraphical texts and the Dead Sea Scrolls; see, e.g., 1 Enoch 1.5; 20.1; Jubilees 4.15; Genesis Apocryphon (1QapGen) 2.1. It is used especially of angels who come down to earth. “Holy one” typically means an angel or divinity.
4.15 Stump and roots implies potential for regeneration; see Isa 6.13; 11.1. Band of iron and bronze. Metal bands were sometimes put on sacred trees to prevent them from cracking; more likely the image here foreshadows a fettered king. Him. The tree’s stump becomes a man.
4.16 Let his mind be changed, a mental illness. Seven times, a conventional number; see 3.19; 4.25, 32.
4.17 Watchers and holy ones are made parallel by the verse structure and recall mythological imagery of the divine council; both terms refer to angelic beings; see notes on 3.25; 4.13; cf. Job 5.1; 15.15; Ps 89.7; Zech 14.5.
4.19–27 Daniel makes the watcher’s interpretation explicit. The identification of Nebuchadnezzar is intensified by repeating you/your.
4.25 Prediction of affliction.
4.26 Promise of restoration. Heaven is capitalized here as the equivalent of “God” see 1 Macc 3.18–19; 4.10, 55.
4.27 Admonition to atone and repent; see Ps 34.14–17; Isa 1.16–17; Jer 22.3; Am 5.6–7.
4.28–33 Prediction of affliction fulfilled. This legend may have been inspired by Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon, who spent years in Teima in the Arabian desert because of his devotion to the moon god Sin. See the Nabonidus Chronicle and the Haran inscriptions. The Qumran Prayer of Nabonidus (4Q242) says that the king was smitten with disease for seven years.
4.30 Nebuchadnezzar’s arrogance in asserting his own greatness (see vv. 11, 20, 22); irony is achieved by having his downfall occur as he reaches his highest self-glorification. Magnificent Babylon. Many of Babylon’s most beautiful monumental buildings were built by Nebuchadnezzar. Later “Babylon” could symbolize another great and hostile city, as in Rev 14.8;16.19.
4.34–37 Epistolary conclusion.
4.34–35 A doxology; see v. 3.
4.34 My reason returned. The prediction is fulfilled; see v. 36. Sovereignty…generation. See v. 3.
4.35 All the inhabitants of the earth. See v. 1. Host of heaven (see 1 Kings 22.19; Isa 24.21), members of the divine council (see v. 17) or stars (see Deut 4.19; 17.3; Isa 34.4; Jer 8.2; 19.13).
4.36 Reward for recognizing God’s sovereignty.
4.37 A doxology and final hymn of praise; see Ps 47; Isa 40.17; Ezek 21.26. King of heaven, only occurrence of this precise epithet in Daniel or the Hebrew scriptures, but see comparable imagery in Deut 33.26 and terminology in Gen 24.7. Equilibrium has been restored—Nebuchadnezzar is recognized as sovereign king of Babylon and God as sovereign King of heaven; see Pss 93.1–2; 97.1; 99.1; Jer 10.7, 10.
DANIEL 5
Belshazzar’s Feast
1King Belshazzar made a great festival for a thousand of his lords, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand.
2Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar commanded that they bring in the vessels of gold and silver that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3So they brought in the vessels of gold and silvera that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
The Writing on the Wall
5Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the wall of the royal palace, next to the lampstand. The king was watching the hand as it wrote. 6Then the king’s face turned pale, and his thoughts terrified him. His limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. 7The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners; and the king said to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever can read this writing and tell me its interpretation shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around his neck, and rank third in the kingdom.” 8Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king the interpretation. 9Then King Belshazzar became greatly terrified and his face turned pale, and his lords were perplexed.
10The queen, when she heard the discussion of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall. The queen said, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts terrify you or your face grow pale. 11There is a man in your kingdom who is endowed with a spirit of the holy gods.b In the days of your father he was found to have enlightenment, understanding, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners,c 12because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”
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The Writing on the Wall Interpreted
13Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king said to Daniel, “So you are Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? 14I have heard of you that a spirit of the godsd is in you, and that enlightenment, understanding, and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and tell me its interpretation, but they were not able to give the interpretation of the matter. 16But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you are able to read the writing and tell me its interpretation, you shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around your neck, and rank third in the kingdom.”
17Then Daniel answered in the presence of the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, or give your rewards to someone else! Nevertheless I will read the writing to the king and let him know the interpretation. 18O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar kingship, greatness, glory, and majesty. 19And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. He killed those he wanted to kill, kept alive those he wanted to keep alive, honored those he wanted to honor, and degraded those he wanted to degrade. 20But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he acted proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and his glory was stripped from him. 21He was driven from human society, and his mind was made like that of an animal. His dwelling was with the wild asses, he was fed grass like oxen, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God has sovereignty over the kingdom of mortals, and sets over it whomever he will. 22And you, Belshazzar his son, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this! 23You have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven! The vessels of his temple have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them. You have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know; but the God in whose power is your very breath, and to whom belong all your ways, you have not honored.
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