Daniel 4
Lutheran reading notes
In Daniel chapter 4, the prophetic message continues to reveal themes of faithfulness in exile and visions of God's ultimate kingdom. Lutheran interpretation often emphasizes the contrast between divine law, which exposes sin, and the promise of grace through God's future redemption. The chapter illustrates both warning and hope within God's covenant relationship.
1
Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
Daniel 4:1 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
2
I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. {I thought...: Chaldee, It was seemly before me}
Daniel 4:2 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
3
How great {are} his signs! and how mighty {are} his wonders! his kingdom {is} an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion {is} from generation to generation.
Daniel 4:3 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
4
I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:
Daniel 4:4 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
5
I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.
Daniel 4:5 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
6
Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise {men} of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.
Daniel 4:6 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
7
Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.
Daniel 4:7 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
8
But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name {was} 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},
Daniel 4:8 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
9
O Belteshazzar, 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.
Daniel 4:9 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
10
Thus {were} the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof {was} great. {I saw: Chaldee, I was seeing}
Daniel 4:10 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
11
The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:
Daniel 4:11 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
12
The leaves thereof {were} fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it {was} meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
Daniel 4:12 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
13
I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;
Daniel 4:13 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
14
He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches: {aloud: Chaldee, with might}
Daniel 4:14 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
15
Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots 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 in the grass of the earth:
Daniel 4:15 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
16
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.
Daniel 4:16 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
17
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.
Daniel 4:17 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
18
This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise {men} of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou {art} able; for the spirit of the holy gods {is} in thee.
Daniel 4:18 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
19
Then Daniel, whose name {was} Belteshazzar, was 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.
Daniel 4:19 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
20
The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;
Daniel 4:20 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
21
Whose leaves {were} fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it {was} meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:
Daniel 4:21 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
22
It {is} thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.
Daniel 4:22 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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, till seven times pass over him;
Daniel 4:23 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
24
This {is} the interpretation, O king, and this {is} the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
Daniel 4:24 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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 as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
Daniel 4:25 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
26
And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.
Daniel 4:26 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
27
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity. {a lengthening...: or, an healing of thine error}
Daniel 4:27 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
28
All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel 4:28 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
29
At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. {in: or, upon}
Daniel 4:29 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
30
The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
Daniel 4:30 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
31
While the word {was} in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, {saying}, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.
Daniel 4:31 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
32
And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling {shall be} with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
Daniel 4:32 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
33
The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' {feathers}, and his nails like birds' {claws}.
Daniel 4:33 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
34
And at the end of the 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:
Daniel 4:34 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
35
And all the inhabitants of the earth {are} reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his 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?
Daniel 4:35 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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 and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.
Daniel 4:36 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
37
Now I Nebuchadnezzar 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.
Daniel 4:37 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.