Daniel 4:12

Daniel 4:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Its leaves were lovely, Its fruit abundant, And in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, The birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches, And all flesh was fed from it.

Context of Daniel 4:12

10‘The visions that passed through my mind as I lay on my bed were these: I was looking, and behold, there was a tree in the middle of the earth, and its height was great. 11The tree grew large and became strong And its height reached to heaven, And it was visible to the end of the earth. Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, And in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, And the birds of the sky nested in its branches, And all living creatures fed themselves from it. 13‘And behold, I saw in the visions of my mind as I lay on my bed, an angelic watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven. 14He shouted aloud and said this: “Cut down the tree and cut off its branches; Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit; Let the living creatures run from under it And the birds fly from its branches.

Daniel 4:12 word by word

עָפְיֵ֤הּ שַׁפִּיר֙ וְאִנְבֵּ֣הּ שַׂגִּ֔יא וּמָז֨וֹן לְכֹ֖לָּא־בֵ֑הּ תְּחֹת֜וֹהִי תַּטְלֵ֣ל׀ חֵיוַ֣ת בָּרָ֗א וּבְעַנְפ֙וֹהִי֙ יְדוּרָן֙ צִפֲּרֵ֣י שְׁמַיָּ֔א וּמִנֵּ֖הּ יִתְּזִ֥ין כָּל־בִּשְׂרָֽא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The leavesעֳפִי‛ŏphîy · foliageH6074
• fairשַׁפִּירshappîyr · fairH8209
• and the fruitאֵב'êb · fruitH4
• thereof muchשַׂגִּיאώaggîy' · greatH7690
• meatמָזוֹןmâzôn · foodH4203
• for allכֹּלkôl · allH3606
• the beastsחֵיוָאchêyvâ' · beastH2423
• of the fieldבַּרbar · fieldH1251
• had shadowטְלַלţelal · to have shadeH2927
• underתְּחוֹתtechôth techôth · underH8460
• it, and the fowlsצְפַרtsephar · birdH6853
• of the heavenשָׁמַ֫יִןshâmayin · heavenH8065
• dweltדּוּרdûr · to dwellH1753
• in the boughsעֲנַף‛ănaph ‛eneph · boughH6056
• fleshבְּשַׁרbeώar · fleshH1321
• was fedזוּןzûn · to feedH2110
• of itמִן־min · fromH4481

Cross-references for Daniel 4:12

• Jeremiah 27:6Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant and instrument, and I have also given the wild animals of the field to serve him.
• Ezekiel 17:23I will plant it on the mountain heights of Israel, that it may grow boughs and bear fruit and be a noble and stately cedar. And birds of every kind will live under it; they will nest [securely] in the shade of its branches.
• Ezekiel 31:6All the birds of the sky made their nests in its twigs, And under its branches all the animals of the field gave birth [to their young], And all of the great nations lived under its shadow.
• Lamentations 4:20The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord [our king], Was captured in their snares, He of whom we had said, “Under his shadow We shall live among the nations.”
• Mark 13:32But of that [exact] day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son [in His humanity], but the Father alone.
• Luke 13:19It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his own garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the sky found shelter and nested in its branches.”

Commentaries on Daniel 4:12

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12The leaves thereof were fair - Were beautiful. That is, they were abundant, and green, and there were no signs of decay. Everything indicated a vigorous and healthy growth - a tree in its full beauty and majesty - a striking emblem of a monarch in his glory. And the fruit thereof much - It was loaded with fruit - showing that the tree was in its full vigour. And in it was meat for all - Food for all, for so the word meat was formerly used. This would…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-37King Nebuchadnezzar was full of pride and believed he had built Babylon by himself (Daniel 4:30; see Genesis 11:1–9). He ignored the warning from the Most High God (Daniel 4:24–27). He had not learned the lesson that God was teaching him, that the God of Daniel exists beyond time and space, and no human is his equal. So, God's judgment came upon Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:17, 25–26; see Proverbs 16:18).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. beasts ... shadow under it--implying that God's purpose in establishing empires in the world is that they may be as trees affording men "fruits" for "meat," and a "shadow" for "rest" (compare La 4:20). But the world powers abuse their trust for self; therefore Messiah comes to plant the tree of His gospel kingdom, which alone shall realize God's purpose (Eze 17:23; Mt 13:32). Herodotus [7.19] mentions a dream (probably suggested by the tradition of…Read the comment

Topics related to Daniel 4:12

• Babylon
• Converts
• Heathen
• Testimony
• Tree
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Abase
• Alter
• Break
• Dominion
• Dwelling
• Eat
• Leaf
• Lengthening
• Lord
• Pride

Commentaries on Daniel 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings