Daniel 4:18

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 his mind be altered from that of a human being, and let an animal’s mind be given to him, and let seven periods of time go by for him. 17This announcement is by the decree of the sentinels; this decision is by the pronouncement of the holy ones, so that those who are alive may understand that the Most High has authority over human kingdoms, and he bestows them on whomever he wishes. He establishes over them even the lowliest of human beings.’ “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, for none of the wise men in my kingdom are able to make known to me the interpretation. But you can do so, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.” 19Then Daniel (whose name is also Belteshazzar) was upset for a brief time; his thoughts were alarming him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream and its interpretation alarm you.” But Belteshazzar replied, “Sir, if only the dream were for your enemies and its interpretation applied to your adversaries! 20The tree that you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached to the sky, and which could be seen in all the land,

Daniel 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 4:17This announcement is by the decree of the sentinels; this decision is by the pronouncement of the holy ones, so that those who are alive may understand that the Most High has authority over human kingdoms, and he bestows them on whomever he wishes. He establishes over them even the lowliest of human beings.’
• Daniel 2:7They again replied, “Let the king inform us of the dream; then we will disclose its interpretation.”
• Daniel 5:8So all the king’s wise men came in, but they were unable to read the writing or to make known its interpretation to the king.
• Genesis 41:8In the morning he was troubled, so he called for all the diviner-priests of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.
• Isaiah 19:3The Egyptians will panic, and I will confuse their strategy. They will seek guidance from the idols and from the spirits of the dead, from the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, and from the magicians.
• Isaiah 47:12Persist in trusting your amulets and your many incantations, which you have faithfully recited since your youth! Maybe you will be successful – maybe you will scare away disaster.
• Daniel 4:8Later Daniel entered (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom there is a spirit of the holy gods). I recounted the dream for him as well,
• Daniel 2:26The king then asked Daniel (whose name was also Belteshazzar), “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I saw, as well as its interpretation?”
• 1 Kings 14:2Jeroboam told his wife, “Disguise yourself so that people cannot recognize you are Jeroboam’s wife. Then go to Shiloh; Ahijah the prophet, who told me I would rule over this nation, lives there.
• Amos 3:7Certainly the sovereign Lord does nothing without first revealing his plan 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

• Babylon
• Converts
• Heathen
• Testimony
• Wicked (People)
• Wise Men

In the dictionaries

• Nebuchadnezzar
• Nebuchadnezzar; Nebuchadrezzar
• Nebuchadnezzar, or Nebuchadrezzar
• Wise men
• Abase
• Alter
• Break
• Dominion
• Dream
• Dwelling

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