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Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.
Verse 1. Palace. He continues the edict, having subdued all his enemies. Calmet.—Daniel recites his words. The king had the dream in the 34th year of his reign, which continued in all forty-three, including the seven of absence. Worthington.
It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked toward me.
How great are his signs! How mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. His dominion is from generation to generation.
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.
I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.
Verse 5. Colleague. Chal. also, “another, or afterwards, ( Bible.) or at last.” Calmet.—My god. He says this, because the name of Baltassar, or Belteshazzar, is derived from the name of Bel, the chief god of the Babylonians. Challoner.—Gods. He speaks conformably to his false opinion; (Saint Jerome) or, being instructed by Daniel, he testifies that the Holy Spirit enlightens the prophet. Theod. Greek has “god,” which S. Jerom disapproves; though the plural is often used for the true God. Reason evinces that only the Deity can disclose the secrets of futurity. Genesis 41:38. Calmet.
Therefore I made a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.
Verse 6. And the. He is convinced that Daniel could do both, but condescends now to relate his dream. Bible.
Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in; and I told the dream before them; but they didn’t make known to me its interpretation.
Verse 7. Tree often denotes princes; (Ezekiel 31:3) and according to the false principles ( Calmet.) of those who pretend to explain dreams, always ( Bible.) implies some great personage. Achmet. Calmet. 200. Grot.—But nothing is more vain than these pretensions. Calmet.
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. I told the dream before him, saying,
“Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.
These were the visions of my head on my bed: I saw, and behold, a tree in the middle of the earth; and its height was great.
Verse 10. A watcher. A vigilant angel, perhaps the guardian of Israel. Challoner.—Chal. hir; ( Bible.) whence Iris the messenger of the gods, is derived. Saint Jerome—Theodot. retains eir. See Saint Jerome in Ps. lxxvi. 4. The Scholiast (Rom. ed.) says: “the Septuagint renders it an angel, the rest a watcher.” These supernatural agents Bible. and saints are represented as judges. verse 14. Calmet.
The tree grew, and was strong, and its height reached to the sky, and its sight to the end of all the earth.
Verse 11. Branches, to shew that all ( Bible.) the king’s subjects should abandon him.
Its leaves were beautiful, and it had much fruit, and in it was food for all. The animals of the field had shade under it, and the birds of the sky lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.
Verse 12. Let it, the tree, representing the king who was confined when he began to shew signs of madness: but he broke loose, and fled away. Calmet.
“I saw in the visions of my head on my bed, and behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from the sky.
Verse 13. Changed, and so forth It does not appear, by Scripture, that Nabuchodonosor was changed from human shape, much less that he was changed into an ox, but only that he lost his reason, and became mad; and in this condition remained abroad in the company of beasts, eating grass like an ox, till his hair grew in such a manner as to resemble the feathers of an eagle, and his nails to be like birds’ claws. Challoner.—Origen represents the whole as an allegorical description of the fall of Lucifer. See Saint Jerome But his arguments have made little impression: and it is universally believed that Nabuchodonosor was thus punished for his pride, after a whole year had been allowed him to see if he would repent. The manner of this strange metamorphose has been variously explained. But it seems that he was seized with the species of madness styled Lycanthropy, ( Calmet.) as Virgil (Ec. 6:4–8) relates of the daughters of Prœtus, who “with mimick’d mooings fill’d the fields.” Bible.—Thus many fancy they are kings, or horses, ( Calmet.) and that they are continually mounting above the clouds, of which we have an instance in a woman still living at Whitby, who in other respects appears to be sufficiently sensible, ( Bible.) as Tertullian and others think Nabuchodonosor was, that he might suffer more. Yet it is commonly supposed he lost his senses for a while, till God was pleased to restore them at the time appointed; when his former humiliating state might make a deep impression upon his mind, as well as upon his subjects, and caution all future generations to guard against the fatal consequences of pride. His son, Evilmerodac, probably ruled during his absence. Most of the Chaldee writings have perished; so that we need not be surprised if they take no notice of this event, wheich was so disgraceful to the nation. Yet Megasthenes, (in Eus. præp. ix. ultra) seems to hint at it, when he represents the king seized with a divine fury, and crying out: ( Calmet. Diss.) “I, the same Nabuchodonosor, foretell unto you, Babylonians, a fatal calamity, which neither my ancestor Belus, nor even the kingdom of Bel, ( Bible. the gods) have power to avert. For a Persian mule (Cyrus. Calmet.) shall come, assisted by your demons, and bring on slavery … Having uttered this oracle, he suddenly disappeared.” Bible.—Beast’s heart. In his hypochondriac temper he imagined himself ( Calmet.) to be an ox, ( Bible.) avoided the society of men, going naked and feeding on grass, upon his hands and feet, till (after seven years) God restored him to his senses and kingdom. Worthington.—The food which he used would tend to purge him, and naturally abate the disorder. Barthol.—Yet none but God could tell precisely when the madness would seize or leave him.—Times. This usually denotes years, in Daniel; (7:25 and 12:7) and of course ( Calmet.) we must understand it here in this sense; ( Worthington.) though some have explained it of an indeterminate length of time, or of weeks, months, or seasons. Only winter and summer were admitted, so that his period would thus suffice. See Theod. Calmet.
He cried aloud, and said this, ‘Cut down the tree and cut off its branches! Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Let the animals get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches.
Verse 14. Over it. Kings are not always of the most noble dispositions. Bible.—“All honour comes from Jove.” Homer. Ili. 17.—Let the greatest monarchs be humble, ( Bible.) and cast their crowns at the feet of God. Calmet.
Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of the sky. Let his portion be with the animals in the grass of the earth.
Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let an animal’s heart be given to him. Then let seven times pass over him.
Verse 16. Hour. Chal. shaha, ( Bible.) implies “a little while;” (Grot.) yet of some duration, not precisely like one of the modern hours. The prophet was silent, being troubled by the divine spirit, (Calmet. 10:8) at the view of impending misery; or unwilling to hurt the king’s feelings, till he should urge him to speak. Calmet.—He was sorry to denounce such calamities, yet must speak the truth. Worthington.—Trouble. Theodot. “make thee hurry.” He perceived the prophet’s anxiety, and encouraged him.
“‘The sentence 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 rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will, and sets up over it the lowest of men.’
“This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and you, Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken mute for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream or the interpretation trouble you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you, and its interpretation to your adversaries.
The tree that you saw, which grew and was strong, whose height reached to the sky, and its sight to all the earth;
whose leaves were beautiful, and its fruit plentiful, and in it was food for all; under which the animals of the field lived, and on whose branches the birds of the sky had their habitation—
it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown, and reaches to the sky, and your dominion to the end of the earth.
“Whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from the sky, and saying, ‘Cut down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of the sky. Let his portion be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him.’
Verse 23. Remain. His son and the nobles should act in his name. verse 13.
“This is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which has come on my lord the king:
Verse 24. Alms. Chal. “justice,” is often taken in this sense. Syr. &chapter 2 Corinthians 9:9. Calmet.—The prediction was conditional, and therefore Daniel exhorts the king to strive to obtain pardon by the powerful remedy of alms-deeds; as he did, after enduring some punishment. Worthington.—Yet this is very doubtful. verse 31.
that you shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass as oxen, and shall be wet with the dew of the sky, and seven times shall pass over you; until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.
Verse 25. Came. Daniel informs us of this event, unless the king speak of himself in the third person, from verse 16 to 31, giving an account of what he had heard and experienced. Bible.—A year of trial was allowed him at first; (Theod.) or he obtained this reprieve by his alms, and lost his former merit by relapsing into pride. Saint Jerome
Their command to leave the stump of the roots of the tree means your kingdom will be restored to you after you learn that the heavens do rule.
Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your tranquility.”
Verse 27. Answered his own vain thoughts. Bible.—He was admiring the city, ( Calmet.) which he had greatly enlarged and beautified. Berosus and so forth
All this came on the King Nebuchadnezzar.
At the end of twelve months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon.
The king spoke and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?”
While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from the sky, saying, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: ‘The kingdom has departed from you.
Verse 31. Heaven: God having looked on me with pity. Saint Augustine (ep. 111. Calmet. or 122. Worthington.) seems to think that he was saved; and the author of the B. on Pred. & grace, (chapter 15) attributes to him, remarks that his repentance was different from that of Pharao. Hence none must despair. Saint Jerome ep. vii. to Læta.—See Theod. A. Lap. and so forth who maintain that same opinion: but Saint Thomas expresses his doubts. Isaias (14:9) seems to condign him to hell; and the king here manifests his adhesion to Bel, (verse 5) and great inconstancy. Calmet. 2:47 and 3:15. His conviction seems therefore to have been only in speculation, ( Calmet.) or momentary, like that of the philosophers, (Romans 1) which would render them more criminal; and we must confess, ( Bible.) that this conversion is very equivocal. Sanctius. verse 24 and 34. Bible.
You shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass as oxen. Seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.’”
Verse 32. With, or “by the powers (angels. verse 10.) … as by men.” Grot.—The stars are also frequently thus described. Matthew 24:29. The king probably believed that the God of the Jews was above his gods, the sun, fire, and so forth Calmet.
This was fulfilled the same hour on Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from men, and ate grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the sky, until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
Verse 33. Shape. He had not assumed that of an ox, ( Bible.) but had greatly neglected his person, ( Calmet.) so that he was covered with hair, and so forth verse 30. Bible.
At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him who lives forever. For his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation.
Verse 34. I, and so forth From this place some commentators infer, that this king became a true convert, and dying not long after, was probably saved. Challoner. Jos. Ant. 10—This is the last act of his which is recorded. If he had lived much longer, he would probably have restored the Jews. Worthington.—But the time decreed by heaven for their liberation was not yet arrived. Bible.
All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and no one can stop his hand, or ask him, “What are you doing?”
At the same time my understanding returned to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added to me.
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are right and his ways just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.