English Standard Version
Daniel 4:33
33Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws.
Daniel 4:33 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
- New International Version (NIV)Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
- New King James Version (NKJV)That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws.
Context of Daniel 4:33
31While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, "O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will." Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws. 34At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; 35all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, "What have you done?"
Read all of Daniel 4Daniel 4:33 word by word
בַּהּ־שַׁעֲתָ֗א מִלְּתָא֮ סָ֣פַת עַל־נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר֒ וּמִן־אֲנָשָׁ֣א טְרִ֔יד וְעִשְׂבָּ֤א כְתוֹרִין֙ יֵאכֻ֔ל וּמִטַּ֥ל שְׁמַיָּ֖א גִּשְׁמֵ֣הּ יִצְטַבַּ֑ע עַ֣ד דִּ֥י שַׂעְרֵ֛הּ כְּנִשְׁרִ֥ין רְבָ֖ה וְטִפְר֥וֹהִי כְצִפְּרִֽין׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The same hourשָׁעָהshâ‛âh · momentH8160
- was the thingמִלָּהmillâh · wordH4406
- fulfilledסוּףsûph · be fulfilledH5487
- uponעַל‛al · uponH5922
- Nebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר, נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּרnebûkkadnetstsar · NebuchadnezzarH5020
- and he was drivenטְרַדţerad · to chase awayH2957
- fromמִן־min · fromH4481
- menאֱנָשׁ'ĕnâsh 'ĕnash · manH606
- and did eatאֲכַל'ăkal · to devourH399
- grassעֲשַׂב‛âsh ‛ăsab · grassH6211
- as oxenתּוֹרtôr · bullockH8450
- and his bodyגְּשֵׁםgeshem · bodyH1655
- was wetצְבַעtseba‛ · to drenchH6647
- with the dewטַלţal · dewH2920
- of heavenשָׁמַ֫יִןshâmayin · heavenH8065
- tillעַד‛ad · tillH5705
- his hairsשְׂעַרώe‛ar · hairH8177
- were grownרְבָהrebâh · to grow greatH7236
- like eagles’נְשַׁרneshar · eagleH5403
- and his nailsטְפַרţephar · nail/clawH2953
- like birds’צְפַרtsephar · birdH6853
Cross-references for Daniel 4:33
- Daniel 5:5Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote.
- Job 20:5that the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment?
- Isaiah 30:14and its breaking is like that of a potter's vessel that is smashed so ruthlessly that among its fragments not a shard is found with which to take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern."
- 1 Thessalonians 5:2For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
- Daniel 4:25that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.
Commentaries on Daniel 4:33
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 33The same hour was the thing fulfilled - On the word hour, see the note at Daniel 4:19. The use of the word here would seem to confirm the suggestion there made that it means a brief period of time. The idea is clearly that it was done instantly. The event came suddenly upon him, without any interval, as he was speaking. Till his hairs were grown like eagles‘ feathers - By long neglect and inattention. The Greek version of Theodotion has in this place the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 28-37Verses 28-37 Pride and self-conceit are sins that beset great men. They are apt to take that glory to themselves which is due to God only. While the proud word was in the king's mouth, the powerful word came from God. His understanding and his memory were gone, and all the powers of the rational soul were broken. How careful we ought to be, not to do any thing which may provoke God to put us out of our senses! God resists the proud. Nebuchadnezzar would…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 33Boanthropy is a disease that makes a person act like an ox. Several ancient writings support this story. The king’s official records are also empty from 582 to 575 BC, which may fit this period of illness.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3333. driven from men--as a maniac fancying himself a wild beast. It is possible, a conspiracy of his nobles may have co-operated towards his having been "driven" forth as an outcast. hairs ... eagles' feathers--matted together, as the hair-like, thick plumage of the ossifraga eagle. The "nails," by being left uncut for years, would become like "claws."Read the comment
Topics related to Daniel 4:33
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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