New King James Version
Daniel 4:12
12Its 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.
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.
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- 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 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
10“These were the visions of my head while on my bed: I was looking, and behold, A tree in the midst of the earth, And its height was great. 11The tree grew and became strong; Its height reached to the heavens, And it could be seen to the ends of all the earth. 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. 13“I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. 14He cried aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts get out 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 27:6And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant; and the beasts of the field I have also given him to serve him.
- Ezekiel 17:23On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it; and it will bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell birds of every sort; in the shadow of its branches they will dwell.
- Ezekiel 31:6All the birds of the heavens made their nests in its boughs; Under its branches all the beasts of the field brought forth their young; And in its shadow all great nations made their home.
- Lamentations 4:20The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, Was caught in their pits, Of whom we said, “Under his shadow We shall live among the nations.”
- Mark 13:32“But of that day and 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 put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries