New International Version
Daniel 4:18
18“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.”
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.
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)“‘Belteshazzar, that was the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now tell me what it means, for none of the wise men of my kingdom can do so. But you can tell me because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.’
Context of Daniel 4:18
16Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by for him. 17“ ‘The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.’ “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.” 19Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries! 20The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole 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 4:17“ ‘The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.’
- Daniel 2:7Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”
- Daniel 5:8Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant.
- Genesis 41:8In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.
- Isaiah 19:3The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will bring their plans to nothing; they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, the mediums and the spiritists.
- Isaiah 47:12“Keep on, then, with your magic spells and with your many sorceries, which you have labored at since childhood. Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror.
- Daniel 4:8Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)
- Daniel 2:26The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), “Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?”
- 1 Kings 14:2and Jeroboam said to his wife, “Go, disguise yourself, so you won’t be recognized as the wife of Jeroboam. Then go to Shiloh. Ahijah the prophet is there—the one who told me I would be king over this people.
- Amos 3:7Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without 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
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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