Christian Standard Bible
Daniel 4:23
23“The king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground and with a band of iron and bronze around it in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with dew from the sky and share food with the wild animals for seven periods of time.’
Daniel 4:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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;
- New International Version (NIV)“Your Majesty saw a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live with the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,'
- New King James Version (NKJV)“And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him’;
Context of Daniel 4:23
21and whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant — and on it was food for all, under it the wild animals lived, and in its branches the birds of the sky lived — 22that tree is you, Your Majesty. For you have become great and strong: your greatness has grown and even reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth. “The king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground and with a band of iron and bronze around it in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with dew from the sky and share food with the wild animals for seven periods of time.’ 24This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree of the Most High that has been issued against my lord the king: 25You will be driven away from people to live with the wild animals. You will feed on grass like cattle and be drenched with dew from the sky for seven periods of time, until you acknowledge that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms, and he gives them to anyone he wants.
Read all of Daniel 4Daniel 4:23 word by word
וְדִ֣י חֲזָ֣ה מַלְכָּ֡א עִ֣יר וְקַדִּ֣ישׁ נָחִ֣ת׀ מִן־שְׁמַיָּ֡א וְאָמַר֩ גֹּ֨דּוּ אִֽילָנָ֜א וְחַבְּל֗וּהִי בְּרַ֨ם עִקַּ֤ר שָׁרְשׁ֙וֹהִי֙ בְּאַרְעָ֣א שְׁבֻ֔קוּ וּבֶאֱסוּר֙ דִּֽי־פַרְזֶ֣ל וּנְחָ֔שׁ בְּדִתְאָ֖א דִּ֣י בָרָ֑א וּבְטַ֧ל שְׁמַיָּ֣א יִצְטַבַּ֗ע וְעִם־חֵיוַ֤ת בָּרָא֙ חֲלָקֵ֔הּ עַ֛ד דִּֽי־שִׁבְעָ֥ה עִדָּנִ֖ין יַחְלְפ֥וּן עֲלֽוֹהִי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And whereas the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
- sawחֲזָהchăzâ' chăzâh · to seeH2370
- a watcherעִיר‛îyr · watcherH5894
- and an holy oneקַדִּישׁqaddîysh · holyH6922
- coming downנְחֵתnechath · to descendH5182
- fromמִן־min · fromH4481
- heavenשָׁמַ֫יִןshâmayin · heavenH8065
- and sayingאֲמַר'ămar · to sayH560
- Hewגְּדַדgedad · to chopH1414
- the treeאִילָן'îylân · treeH363
- and destroyחֲבַלchăbal · to destroyH2255
- it; yetבְּרַםberam · neverthelessH1297
- leaveשְׁבַקshebaq · to be leftH7662
- the stumpעִקַּר‛iqqar · rootH6136
- of the rootsשֹׁ֫רֶשׁshôresh · rootH8330
- thereof in the earthאֲרַע'ăra‛ · earth: soilH772
- even with a bandאֱסוּר'ĕsûr · bondH613
- of ironפַּרְזֶלparzel · ironH6523
- and brassנְחָשׁnechâsh · bronzeH5174
- in the tender grassדֶּ֫תֶאdethe' · grassH1883
- of the fieldבַּרbar · fieldH1251
- and let it be wetצְבַעtseba‛ · to drenchH6647
- with the dewטַלţal · dewH2920
- his portionחֲלָקchălâq · portionH2508
- withעִם‛im · withH5974
- the beastsחֵיוָאchêyvâ' · beastH2423
- tillעַד‛ad · tillH5705
- sevenשִׁבְעָהshib‛âh · sevenH7655
- timesעִדָּן‛iddân · timeH5732
- passחֲלַףchălaph · to passH2499
- overעַל‛al · uponH5922
Cross-references for Daniel 4:23
- Daniel 4:13“As I was lying in my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven.
- Daniel 4:15But leave the stump with its roots in the ground and with a band of iron and bronze around it in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with dew from the sky and share the plants of the earth with the animals.
- Daniel 5:21He was driven away from people, his mind was like an animal’s, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky until he acknowledged that the Most High God is ruler over human kingdoms and sets anyone he wants over them.
Commentaries on Daniel 4:23
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23And whereas the king saw a watcher - See the note at Daniel 4:13. The recapitulation in this verse is slightly varied from the statement in Daniel 4:14-16, still so as not materially to affect the sense. Daniel seems to have designed to recal the principal circumstances in the dream, so as to identify it in the king‘s mind, and so as to prepare him for the statement of the fearful events which were to happen to him.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-27Verses 19-27 Daniel was struck with amazement and terror at so heavy a judgment coming upon so great a prince, and gives advice with tenderness and respect. It is necessary, in repentance, that we not only cease to do evil, but learn to do good. Though it might not wholly prevent the judgment, yet the trouble may be longer before it comes, or shorter when it does come. And everlasting misery will be escaped by all who repent and turn to God.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23Cut down the tree: They must cut down the tree because of Nebuchadnezzar’s pride (Daniel 4:27–30).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 4:23
In the dictionaries
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
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