New Living Translation
Daniel 4:18
18“‘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.’
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.
- New International Version (NIV)“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.”
- 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.”
Context of Daniel 4:18
16For seven periods of time, let him have the mind of a wild animal instead of the mind of a human. 17For this has been decreed by the messengers; it is commanded by the holy ones, so that everyone may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world. He gives them to anyone he chooses— even to the lowliest of people.” “‘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.’ 19“Upon hearing this, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) was overcome for a time, frightened by the meaning of the dream. Then the king said to him, ‘Belteshazzar, don’t be alarmed by the dream and what it means.’ “Belteshazzar replied, ‘I wish the events foreshadowed in this dream would happen to your enemies, my lord, and not to you! 20The tree you saw was growing very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see.
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 4:17For this has been decreed by the messengers; it is commanded by the holy ones, so that everyone may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world. He gives them to anyone he chooses— even to the lowliest of people.”
- Daniel 2:7They said again, “Please, Your Majesty. Tell us the dream, and we will tell you what it means.”
- Daniel 5:8But when all the king’s wise men had come in, none of them could read the writing or tell him what it meant.
- Genesis 41:8The next morning Pharaoh was very disturbed by the dreams. So he called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. When Pharaoh told them his dreams, not one of them could tell him what they meant.
- Isaiah 19:3The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will confuse their plans. They will plead with their idols for wisdom and call on spirits, mediums, and those who consult the spirits of the dead.
- Isaiah 47:12“Now use your magical charms! Use the spells you have worked at all these years! Maybe they will do you some good. Maybe they can make someone afraid of you.
- Daniel 4:8At last Daniel came in before me, and I told him the dream. (He was named Belteshazzar after my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)
- Daniel 2:26The king said to Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar), “Is this true? Can you tell me what my dream was and what it means?”
- 1 Kings 14:2So Jeroboam told his wife, “Disguise yourself so that no one will recognize you as my wife. Then go to the prophet Ahijah at Shiloh—the man who told me I would become king.
- Amos 3:7Indeed, the Sovereign Lord never does anything until he reveals his plans 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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