New English Translation
Daniel 4:23
23As for the king seeing a holy sentinel coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the wild animals, until seven periods of time go by for him’ –
Daniel 4:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;
- New International Version (NIV)“Your Majesty saw a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live with the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,'
- New King James Version (NKJV)“And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him’;
Context of Daniel 4:23
21whose foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful, and from which there was food available for all, under whose branches wild animals used to live, and in whose branches birds of the sky used to nest – 22it is you, O king! For you have become great and strong. Your greatness is such that it reaches to heaven, and your authority to the ends of the earth. As for the king seeing a holy sentinel coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the wild animals, until seven periods of time go by for him’ – 24this is the interpretation, O king! It is the decision of the Most High that this has happened to my lord the king. 25You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and you will become damp with the dew of the sky. Seven periods of time will pass by for you, before you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.
Read all of Daniel 4Daniel 4:23 word by word
וְדִ֣י חֲזָ֣ה מַלְכָּ֡א עִ֣יר וְקַדִּ֣ישׁ נָחִ֣ת׀ מִן־שְׁמַיָּ֡א וְאָמַר֩ גֹּ֨דּוּ אִֽילָנָ֜א וְחַבְּל֗וּהִי בְּרַ֨ם עִקַּ֤ר שָׁרְשׁ֙וֹהִי֙ בְּאַרְעָ֣א שְׁבֻ֔קוּ וּבֶאֱסוּר֙ דִּֽי־פַרְזֶ֣ל וּנְחָ֔שׁ בְּדִתְאָ֖א דִּ֣י בָרָ֑א וּבְטַ֧ל שְׁמַיָּ֣א יִצְטַבַּ֗ע וְעִם־חֵיוַ֤ת בָּרָא֙ חֲלָקֵ֔הּ עַ֛ד דִּֽי־שִׁבְעָ֥ה עִדָּנִ֖ין יַחְלְפ֥וּן עֲלֽוֹהִי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And whereas the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
- sawחֲזָהchăzâ' chăzâh · to seeH2370
- a watcherעִיר‛îyr · watcherH5894
- and an holy oneקַדִּישׁqaddîysh · holyH6922
- coming downנְחֵתnechath · to descendH5182
- fromמִן־min · fromH4481
- heavenשָׁמַ֫יִןshâmayin · heavenH8065
- and sayingאֲמַר'ămar · to sayH560
- Hewגְּדַדgedad · to chopH1414
- the treeאִילָן'îylân · treeH363
- and destroyחֲבַלchăbal · to destroyH2255
- it; yetבְּרַםberam · neverthelessH1297
- leaveשְׁבַקshebaq · to be leftH7662
- the stumpעִקַּר‛iqqar · rootH6136
- of the rootsשֹׁ֫רֶשׁshôresh · rootH8330
- thereof in the earthאֲרַע'ăra‛ · earth: soilH772
- even with a bandאֱסוּר'ĕsûr · bondH613
- of ironפַּרְזֶלparzel · ironH6523
- and brassנְחָשׁnechâsh · bronzeH5174
- in the tender grassדֶּ֫תֶאdethe' · grassH1883
- of the fieldבַּרbar · fieldH1251
- and let it be wetצְבַעtseba‛ · to drenchH6647
- with the dewטַלţal · dewH2920
- his portionחֲלָקchălâq · portionH2508
- withעִם‛im · withH5974
- the beastsחֵיוָאchêyvâ' · beastH2423
- tillעַד‛ad · tillH5705
- sevenשִׁבְעָהshib‛âh · sevenH7655
- timesעִדָּן‛iddân · timeH5732
- passחֲלַףchălaph · to passH2499
- overעַל‛al · uponH5922
Cross-references for Daniel 4:23
- Daniel 4:13While I was watching in my mind’s visions on my bed, a holy sentinel came down from heaven.
- Daniel 4:15But leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the animals in the grass of the land.
- Daniel 5:21He was driven from human society, his mind was changed to that of an animal, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until he came to understand that the most high God rules over human kingdoms, and he appoints over them whomever he wishes.
Commentaries on Daniel 4:23
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23And whereas the king saw a watcher - See the note at Daniel 4:13. The recapitulation in this verse is slightly varied from the statement in Daniel 4:14-16, still so as not materially to affect the sense. Daniel seems to have designed to recal the principal circumstances in the dream, so as to identify it in the king‘s mind, and so as to prepare him for the statement of the fearful events which were to happen to him.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-27Verses 19-27 Daniel was struck with amazement and terror at so heavy a judgment coming upon so great a prince, and gives advice with tenderness and respect. It is necessary, in repentance, that we not only cease to do evil, but learn to do good. Though it might not wholly prevent the judgment, yet the trouble may be longer before it comes, or shorter when it does come. And everlasting misery will be escaped by all who repent and turn to God.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23Cut down the tree: They must cut down the tree because of Nebuchadnezzar’s pride (Daniel 4:27–30).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 4:23
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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