Daniel 4:18

Daniel 4:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)“This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O Belteshazzar, tell me 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."
• New King James Version (NKJV)“This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, since 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 God is in you.”

Context of Daniel 4:18

16Let his mind and nature be changed from a man’s And let an animal’s mind and nature be given to him, And let seven periods of time pass over him. 17This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers And the decision is a command of the holy ones, So that the living may know [without any doubt] That the Most High [God] rules over the kingdom of mankind And He bestows it on whomever He desires And sets over it the humblest and lowliest of men.” This is the dream which I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, explain its meaning, since none of the wise men of my kingdom are able to reveal its interpretation to me; but you are able, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.’ 19“Then Daniel, whose [Babylonian] name was Belteshazzar, was appalled and speechless for a while [because he was deeply concerned about the destiny of the king], and his thoughts alarmed him. The king said, ‘Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation frighten you.’ Belteshazzar answered, ‘My lord, may the dream be [meant] for those who hate you and its message for your enemies! 20The tree that you saw, which became great and grew strong, whose height reached to heaven and which was visible to all the earth,

Daniel 4:18 word by word

דְּנָה֙ חֶלְמָ֣א חֲזֵ֔ית אֲנָ֖ה מַלְכָּ֣א נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֑ר וְאַ֨נְתְּ בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֜ר פִּשְׁרֵ֣א׀ אֱמַ֗ר כָּל־קֳבֵל֙ דִּ֣י׀ כָּל־חַכִּימֵ֣י מַלְכוּתִ֗י לָֽא־יָכְלִ֤ין פִּשְׁרָא֙ לְהוֹדָ֣עֻתַ֔נִי וְאַ֣נְתְּ כָּהֵ֔ל דִּ֛י רֽוּחַ־אֱלָהִ֥ין קַדִּישִׁ֖ין בָּֽךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thisדְּנָהdên · thisH1836
• dreamחֵ֫לֶםchêlem · dreamH2493
• Iאֲנָה'ănâ' 'ănâh · IH576
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
• Nebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר, נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּרnebûkkadnetstsar · NebuchadnezzarH5020
• have seenחֲזָהchăzâ' chăzâh · to seeH2370
• Now thouאַנְתָּה'antâh · youH607
• O Belteshazzarבֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּרbêlţesha'tstsar · BelteshazzarH1096
• declareאֲמַר'ămar · to sayH560
• the interpretationפְּשַׁרpeshar · interpretationH6591
• thereof, forasmuch asקֳבֵלqebêl qŏbêl · before: becauseH6903
• allכֹּלkôl · allH3606
• the wiseחַכִּיםchakkîym · wiseH2445
• of my kingdomמַלְכוּmalkû · kingdomH4437
• are notלָאlâ' lâh · notH3809
• ableיְכִלyekêl yekîyl · be ableH3202
• to make knownיְדַעyeda‛ · to knowH3046
• ableכְּהַלkehal · be ableH3546
• for the spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7308
• of the holyקַדִּישׁqaddîysh · holyH6922
• godsאֱלָהּ'ĕlâhh · godH426

Cross-references for Daniel 4:18

• Daniel 4:17This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers And the decision is a command of the holy ones, So that the living may know [without any doubt] That the Most High [God] rules over the kingdom of mankind And He bestows it on whomever He desires And sets over it the humblest and lowliest of men.”
• Daniel 2:7They answered again, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will explain its interpretation [to you].”
• Daniel 5:8Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or reveal to the king its interpretation.
• Genesis 41:8So when morning came his spirit was troubled and disturbed and he sent and called for all the magicians and all the wise men of Egypt. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them to him.
• Isaiah 19:3Then the spirit of the Egyptians will become exhausted within them and emptied out; And I will confuse their strategy, So that they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, And mediums and soothsayers.
• Isaiah 47:12“Persist, then, [Babylon] in your enchantments And your many sorceries With which you have labored from your youth; Perhaps you will be able to profit [from them], Perhaps you may prevail and cause trembling.
• Daniel 4:8But at last Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and I told the dream to him, saying,
• Daniel 2:26The king said to Daniel, whose [Babylonian] name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to reveal to me the [content of the] dream which I have seen and its interpretation?”
• 1 Kings 14:2Jeroboam said to his wife, “Please get up and disguise yourself, so that people will not know that you are Jeroboam’s wife, and go to Shiloh. Ahijah the prophet is there, the one who told me that I would be king over this people.
• Amos 3:7Surely the Lord God does nothing Without revealing His secret plan [of the judgment to come] To His servants the prophets.

Commentaries on Daniel 4:18

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen - This is the dream which I saw. He had detailed it at length as it appeared to him, without pretending to be able to explain it. Forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom … - Daniel 4:7. But thou art able … - See the notes at Daniel 4:9.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. 1-37Punished with insanity for his haughtiness, he sinks to the level of the beasts (illustrating Psa 49:6, 12). The opposition between bestial and human life, set forth here, is a key to interpret the symbolism in the seventh chapter concerning the beasts and the Son of man. After his conquests, and his building in fifteen days a new palace, according to the heathen historian, Abydenus (268 B.C.), whose account confirms Daniel, he ascended upon his palace…Read the comment

Topics related to Daniel 4:18

• Babylon
• Converts
• Heathen
• Testimony
• Wicked (People)
• Wise Men

In the dictionaries

• Nebuchadnezzar
• Nebuchadnezzar; Nebuchadrezzar
• Nebuchadnezzar, or Nebuchadrezzar
• Wise men
• Abase
• Alter
• Break
• Dominion
• Dream
• Dwelling

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