New English Translation
Daniel 4:33
33Now in that very moment this pronouncement about Nebuchadnezzar came true. He was driven from human society, he ate grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until his hair became long like an eagle’s feathers, and his nails like a bird’s 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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.
Context of Daniel 4:33
31While these words were still on the king’s lips, a voice came down from heaven: “It is hereby announced to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that your kingdom has been removed from you! 32You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and 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.” Now in that very moment this pronouncement about Nebuchadnezzar came true. He was driven from human society, he ate grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until his hair became long like an eagle’s feathers, and his nails like a bird’s claws. 34But at the end of the appointed time I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up toward heaven, and my sanity returned to me. I extolled the Most High, and I praised and glorified the one who lives forever. For his authority is an everlasting authority, and his kingdom extends from one generation to the next. 35All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he wishes with the army of heaven and with those who inhabit the earth. No one slaps his hand and says 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 5:5At that very moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the royal palace wall, opposite the lampstand. The king was watching the back of the hand that was writing.
- Job 20:5that the elation of the wicked is brief, the joy of the godless lasts but a moment.
- Isaiah 30:14It shatters in pieces like a clay jar, so shattered to bits that none of it can be salvaged. Among its fragments one cannot find a shard large enough to scoop a hot coal from a fire or to skim off water from a cistern.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:2For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come in the same way as a thief in the night.
- Daniel 4:25You 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.
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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