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

10These are the visions I had while I was asleep: I was looking, and I saw an oak tree in the middle of the earth. It was very tall. 11The tree grew, and it became strong enough and tall enough to reach the sky. It could be seen everywhere on earth. It had beautiful leaves and plenty of fruit, enough to feed everyone. Wild animals found shade under it. Birds came to live in its branches. It fed every living creature. 13“I was seeing these visions as I was asleep. I saw a guardian, a holy being, come down from heaven. 14He shouted loudly, ‘Cut down the oak tree! Cut off its branches! Strip off its leaves! Scatter its fruit! Make the animals under it run away, and make 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 handed all these countries over to my servant King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I have even made wild animals serve him.
• Ezekiel 17:23I will plant it on a high mountain in Israel. It will grow branches and produce fruit. It will become a magnificent cedar tree. Every kind of bird will nest in it and find a home in the shelter of its branches.
• Ezekiel 31:6All the birds made their nests in its branches. All the wild animals gave birth to their young under it. All the powerful nations lived in its shade.
• Lamentations 4:20The person the Lord anointed ⌞as king⌟, who is the breath of our life, was caught in their pits. We had thought that we would live in our king’s shadow among the nations.”
• Mark 13:32“No one knows when that day or hour will come. Even the angels in heaven and the Son don’t know. Only the Father knows.
• Luke 13:19It’s like a mustard seed that someone planted in a garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds 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