1 Nebuchadnezzar H5020 the king, H4430 unto all H3606 people, H5972 nations, H524 and languages, H3961 that dwell H1753 in all H3606 the earth; H772 Peace H8001 be multiplied H7680 unto you.
Then H116 king H4430 Darius H1868 wrote H3790 unto all H3606 people, H5972 nations, H524 and languages, H3961 that dwell H1753 in all H3606 the earth; H772 Peace H8001 be multiplied H7680 unto you.
Then an herald H3744 cried H7123 aloud, H2429 To you it is commanded, H560 O people, H5972 nations, H524 and languages, H3961
Then the spirit H7307 came H3847 upon Amasai, H6022 who was chief H7218 of the captains, H7970 H7991 and he said, Thine are we, David, H1732 and on thy side, thou son H1121 of Jesse: H3448 peace, H7965 peace H7965 be unto thee, and peace H7965 be to thine helpers; H5826 for thy God H430 helpeth H5826 thee. Then David H1732 received H6901 them, and made H5414 them captains H7218 of the band. H1416
Then sent H7972 the king H4430 an answer H6600 unto H5922 Rehum H7348 the chancellor, H1169 H2942 and to Shimshai H8124 the scribe, H5613 and to the rest H7606 of their companions H3675 that dwell H3488 in Samaria, H8115 and unto the rest H7606 beyond H5675 the river, H5103 Peace, H8001 and at such a time. H3706
Elect G1588 according G2596 to the foreknowledge G4268 of God G2316 the Father, G3962 through G1722 sanctification G38 of the Spirit, G4151 unto G1519 obedience G5218 and G2532 sprinkling G4473 of the blood G129 of Jesus G2424 Christ: G5547 Grace G5485 unto you, G5213 and G2532 peace, G1515 be multiplied. G4129
Then were the king's H4428 scribes H5608 called H7121 on the thirteenth H7969 H6240 day H3117 of the first H7223 month, H2320 and there was written H3789 according to all that Haman H2001 had commanded H6680 unto the king's H4428 lieutenants, H323 and to the governors H6346 that were over every province, H4082 and to the rulers H8269 of every people H5971 of every province H4082 according to the writing H3791 thereof, and to every people H5971 after their language; H3956 in the name H8034 of king H4428 Ahasuerus H325 was it written, H3789 and sealed H2856 with the king's H4428 ring. H2885
Then were the king's H4428 scribes H5608 called H7121 at that time H6256 in the third H7992 month, H2320 that is, the month H2320 Sivan, H5510 on the three H7969 and twentieth H6242 day thereof; and it was written H3789 according to all that Mordecai H4782 commanded H6680 unto the Jews, H3064 and to the lieutenants, H323 and the deputies H6346 and rulers H8269 of the provinces H4082 which are from India H1912 unto Ethiopia, H3568 an hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and seven H7651 provinces, H4082 unto every province H4082 according to the writing H3791 thereof, and unto every people H5971 after their language, H3956 and to the Jews H3064 according to their writing, H3791 and according to their language. H3956
Therefore I H4481 make H7761 a decree, H2942 That every H3606 people, H5972 nation, H524 and language, H3961 which speak H560 any thing amiss H7960 H7955 against H5922 the God H426 of Shadrach, H7715 Meshach, H4336 and Abednego, H5665 shall be cut H5648 in pieces, H1917 and their houses H1005 shall be made H7739 a dunghill: H5122 because H6903 H3606 there is H383 no H3809 other H321 God H426 that can H3202 deliver H5338 after this H1836 sort.
He delivereth H7804 and rescueth, H5338 and he worketh H5648 signs H852 and wonders H8540 in heaven H8065 and in earth, H772 who hath delivered H7804 Daniel H1841 from H4481 the power H3028 of the lions. H744
And there was given H3052 him dominion, H7985 and glory, H3367 and a kingdom, H4437 that all H3606 people, H5972 nations, H524 and languages, H3961 should serve H6399 him: his dominion H7985 is an everlasting H5957 dominion, H7985 which shall not H3809 pass away, H5709 and his kingdom H4437 that which shall not H3809 be destroyed. H2255
Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 In those days H3117 it shall come to pass, that ten H6235 men H582 shall take hold H2388 out of all languages H3956 of the nations, H1471 even shall take hold H2388 of the skirt H3671 of him that is a Jew, H376 H3064 saying, H559 We will go H3212 with you: for we have heard H8085 that God H430 is with you.
Now G1161 when this G5026 was G1096 noised abroad, G5456 the multitude G4128 came together, G4905 and G2532 were confounded, G4797 because G3754 that every G1538 man G1520 heard G191 them G846 speak G2980 in his own G2398 language. G1258
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.