New International Version
Daniel 4:12
12Its 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)It had fresh green leaves, and it was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. All the world was fed from this tree.
Context of Daniel 4:12
10These are the visions I saw while lying in bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. 11The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. 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. 13“In the visions I saw while lying in bed, I looked, and there before me was a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven. 14He called in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
Read all of Daniel 4Daniel 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 will give all your countries into the hands of my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.
- Ezekiel 17:23On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches.
- Ezekiel 31:6All the birds of the sky nested in its boughs, all the animals of the wild gave birth under its branches; all the great nations lived in its shade.
- Lamentations 4:20The Lord’s anointed, our very life breath, was caught in their traps. We thought that under his shadow we would live among the nations.
- Mark 13:32“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
- Luke 13:19It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched 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
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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