God’s Word Translation
Daniel 4:18
18⌞I said,⌟ “This is the dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me its meaning because the wise advisers in my kingdom can’t tell it to me. However, you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
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 its human mind be changed, and give it the mind of an animal. Let it remain like this for seven time periods. 17The guardians have announced this decision. The holy ones have announced this so that every living creature will know that the Most High has power over human kingdoms. He gives them to whomever he wishes. He can place the lowest of people in charge of them.’ ” ⌞I said,⌟ “This is the dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me its meaning because the wise advisers in my kingdom can’t tell it to me. However, you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.” 19Then Daniel (who had been renamed Belteshazzar) was momentarily stunned. What he was thinking frightened him. I told him, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream and its meaning frighten you.” Belteshazzar answered, “Sir, I wish that the dream were about those who hate you and its meaning were about your enemies. 20You saw an oak tree grow and become strong enough and tall enough to reach the sky. It could be seen everywhere on earth.
Read all of Daniel 4Daniel 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 4:17The guardians have announced this decision. The holy ones have announced this so that every living creature will know that the Most High has power over human kingdoms. He gives them to whomever he wishes. He can place the lowest of people in charge of them.’ ”
- Daniel 2:7Once more they said, “Your Majesty, tell us the dream, and we’ll tell you its meaning.”
- Daniel 5:8All the king’s wise advisers came, but they couldn’t read the writing or tell the king its meaning.
- Genesis 41:8In the morning he was so upset that he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could tell him what they meant.
- Isaiah 19:3The Egyptians will lose courage. I will unravel their plans. They will turn to idols, ghosts, mediums, and fortunetellers.
- Isaiah 47:12Keep practicing your spells and your evil magic. You have practiced them ever since you were young. You may succeed. You may cause terror.
- Daniel 4:8Finally, Daniel came to me. (He had been renamed Belteshazzar after my god ⌞Bel⌟.) The spirit of the holy gods is in him. I told him the dream:
- Daniel 2:26The king asked Daniel (who had been renamed Belteshazzar), “Can you tell me the dream I had and its meaning?”
- 1 Kings 14:2Jeroboam told his wife, “Go to Shiloh, but disguise yourself so that people will not recognize you as my wife. The prophet Ahijah, who told me I would be king of these people, is there.
- Amos 3:7Certainly, the Almighty Lord doesn’t do anything unless he ⌞first⌟ reveals his secret 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
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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