EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Daniel 4:17
17The holy angels who take care of the earth have decided this. It is their command. Now everyone will be sure that the powerful God above rules over human kingdoms. He gives authority to rule to anyone that he chooses. He causes humble men to rule as kings.” ’
Daniel 4:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)This matter 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 ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.
- New International Version (NIV)“ ‘The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘This decision is by the decree of the watchers, And the sentence by the word of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, Gives it to whomever He will, And sets over it the lowest of men.’
Context of Daniel 4:17
15But leave the base of the tree and its roots in the ground. Tie iron and bronze round it. Then leave it there in the grass. Make him wet with dew from the sky. Cause him to live with the animals in the fields of grass. 16Take his human mind away from him. Instead, give him the mind of an animal for seven years. The holy angels who take care of the earth have decided this. It is their command. Now everyone will be sure that the powerful God above rules over human kingdoms. He gives authority to rule to anyone that he chooses. He causes humble men to rule as kings.” ’ 18Then I said to Belteshazzar, ‘This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, you must tell me what it means. None of the wise men in any region of my kingdom can tell me what it means. But you can tell me, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.’ 19Daniel, whose other name was Belteshazzar, was upset for a short time. His thoughts caused him a lot of trouble. The king said, ‘Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or what it means cause you trouble.’ Then Belteshazzar answered the king. ‘Sir, I would like the dream to be about your enemies and not about you.
Read all of Daniel 4Daniel 4:17 word by word
בִּגְזֵרַ֤ת עִירִין֙ פִּתְגָמָ֔א וּמֵאמַ֥ר קַדִּישִׁ֖ין שְׁאֵֽלְתָ֑א עַד־דִּבְרַ֡ת דִּ֣י יִנְדְּע֣וּן חַ֠יַּיָּא דִּֽי־שַׁלִּ֨יט עִלָּאָ֜ה בְּמַלְכ֣וּת אֲנָשָׁ֗א וּלְמַן־דִּ֤י יִצְבֵּא֙ יִתְּנִנַּ֔הּ וּשְׁפַ֥ל אֲנָשִׁ֖ים יְקִ֥ים עֲלַֽהּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- This matterפִּתְגָםpithgâm · edictH6600
- by the decreeגְּזֵרָהgezêrâh · decreeH1510
- of the watchersעִיר‛îyr · watcherH5894
- and the demandשְׁאֵלָאshe'êlâ' · affairH7595
- by the wordמֵאמַרmê'mar · commandH3983
- of the holy onesקַדִּישׁqaddîysh · holyH6922
- toעַד‛ad · tillH5705
- the intentדִּבְרָהdibrâh · causeH1701
- that the livingחַיchay · livingH2417
- may knowיְדַעyeda‛ · to knowH3046
- that the most Highעִלַּי‛illay · Most HighH5943
- rulethשַׁלִּיטshallîyţ · rulingH7990
- in the kingdomמַלְכוּmalkû · kingdomH4437
- of menאֱנָשׁ'ĕnâsh 'ĕnash · manH606
- and givethנְתַןnethan · to give: giveH5415
- it to whomsoeverמָןmân · who?H4479
- he willצְבָאtsebâ' · to willH6634
- and setteth upקוּםqûm · to stand: establishH6966
- overעַל‛al · uponH5922
- it the basestשְׁפַלshephal · lowH8215
Cross-references for Daniel 4:17
- Daniel 4:13The vision in my mind continued while I lay on my bed. I saw a holy angel that came down from heaven.
- 1 Kings 22:19Then Micaiah said, ‘So now listen to the Lord's message! I saw the Lord as he was sitting on his throne. The great crowd of his angels in heaven were standing around him, on his right side and on his left side.
- 1 Timothy 5:21I say this to you very strongly: Obey what I am telling you to do. Remember that God himself and Christ Jesus, together with their special angels, are all watching what you do. Do not quickly decide if someone has done right or wrong. Be fair and judge everyone in the same way.
- Daniel 4:8Last of all, Daniel came to me and I told him the dream. I call him Belteshazzar, like my god's name. The spirit of the holy gods is in this man, Daniel.
- Isaiah 6:3The seraphs called out to one another. They said, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty! The whole earth is full of his great glory.’
- Revelation 4:8Each of these four beings had six wings. They had eyes all over them, even under their wings. All day and all night they never stop saying: ‘The Lord God has all power and authority. He has no bad thing in him. He is completely good. He has always been alive. He is alive now. He will continue to be alive for ever.’
- Psalms 9:16The Lord has shown us who he is. We know that he brings justice. Wicked people will catch themselves in their own traps. Higgaion. Selah.
- Psalms 83:17May they always be ashamed and frightened. Let them die with shame!
- Ezekiel 25:17I will punish them very much because of the things that they have done. I will show them that I am very angry with them. When and I punish them as they deserve, they will know that I am the Lord. ’
- Daniel 4:25People will chase you away from the city, so that you have to live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like cows do. Dew from the sky will make you wet. You will live in that way for seven years. Then you will understand that the powerful God above rules over human kingdoms. He gives authority to rule to anyone that he chooses.
- Daniel 2:21He makes things happen at the right time. He gives to some kings authority to rule. And he takes that authority away from other kings. He causes some people to become wise. He helps people to understand the things that they learn.
- Daniel 5:18I tell you this, King Belshazzar. The powerful God who rules over everything gave authority to your father, Nebuchadnezzar, to rule as king. God made him very great and very famous, so that he ruled with power. People respected him as a great king.
- Jeremiah 27:5I used my great power and strength to make this earth, as well as the people and the animals who live on it. I give these things that I have made to anyone that I choose.
- Psalms 75:6Who has the power to judge people? Nobody from the east, or from the west, or from the desert can be judge.
- Daniel 11:21The king who rules after him will be an evil man. He will not belong to the royal family, so he should not be the king. He will deceive people to make himself the king. It will happen at a time when people think that they are safe.
- Exodus 9:16But I have let you live, to show you my power. Then people all over the world will know how great I am.
Commentaries on Daniel 4:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17This matter is by the decree of the watchers - See on Daniel 4:13; (note). The Most High ruleth - He never leaves the government of the world to man, to second causes, or to fortuitous occurrences. What are thus called are his agents; they are no moving causes. And setteth up - the basest of men - "Tyrants and kings from Jove proceed Those are permitted, these decreed." The throne ennobles no man: to be properly filled, the man must be noble. Some of the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17This matter is by the decree of the watchers - See the notes at Daniel 4:13. They are described here not only as watching over the affairs of men, but as entrusted wth the execution of high and important designs of God. The representation is, that one of these heavenly beings was seen by Nebuchadnezzar in his visions, and that this one stated to him that he had come to execute what had been determined on by his associates, or in counsel with others. The…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17the Most High rules: God gives kingship and kingdoms to anyone he chooses, even the lowliest (for example, Joseph, Genesis 41:41–57; David, 1 Samuel 16–2 Samuel 5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. demand--that is, determination; namely, as to the change to which Nebuchadnezzar is to be doomed. A solemn council of the heavenly ones is supposed (compare Job 1:6; 2:1), over which God presides supreme. His "decree" and "word" are therefore said to be theirs (compare Da 4:24, "decree of the Most High"); "the decree of the watchers," "the word of the holy ones." For He has placed particular kingdoms under the administration of angelic beings, subject…Read the comment
Topics related to Daniel 4:17
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
EasyEnglish Bible 2018 — Copyright © MissionAssist 2018
Commentaries