New Living Translation
Daniel 4:27
27“‘King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.’
Daniel 4:27 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
- New International Version (NIV)Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.”
Context of Daniel 4:27
25You will be driven from human society, and you will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like a cow, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses. 26But the stump and roots of the tree were left in the ground. This means that you will receive your kingdom back again when you have learned that heaven rules. “‘King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.’ 28“But all these things did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29Twelve months later he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon.
Read all of Daniel 4Daniel 4:27 word by word
לָהֵ֣ן מַלְכָּ֗א מִלְכִּי֙ יִשְׁפַּ֣ר עֲלָ֔ךְ וַחֲטָאָךְ֙ בְּצִדְקָ֣ה פְרֻ֔ק וַעֲוָיָתָ֖ךְ בְּמִחַ֣ן עֲנָ֑יִן הֵ֛ן תֶּהֱוֵ֥א אַרְכָ֖ה לִשְׁלֵוְתָֽךְ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Whereforeלָהֵןlâhên · exceptH3861
- O kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
- let my counselמְלֵךְmelak · counselH4431
- be acceptableשְׁפַרshephar · to acceptableH8232
- unto theeעַל‛al · uponH5922
- and break offפְּרַקperaq · to breakH6562
- thy sinsחֲטָיchăţîy · sinH2408
- by righteousnessצִדְקָהtsidqâh · righteousnessH6665
- and thine iniquitiesעֲוָיָה‛ivyâ' · iniquityH5758
- by shewing mercyחֲנַןchănan · be graciousH2604
- to the poorעֲנָי‛ănâh · poorH6033
- ifהֵןhên · ifH2006
- it may beהֲוָאhâvâ' hâvâh · to beH1934
- a lengtheningאַרְכָֿא'arkâ' 'arkâh · lengtheningH754
- of thy tranquillityשְׁלֵוָהshelêvâh · easeH7963
Cross-references for Daniel 4:27
- Genesis 41:33“Therefore, Pharaoh should find an intelligent and wise man and put him in charge of the entire land of Egypt.
- Psalms 119:46I will speak to kings about your laws, and I will not be ashamed.
- Acts 24:25As he reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the coming day of judgment, Felix became frightened. “Go away for now,” he replied. “When it is more convenient, I’ll call for you again.”
- 2 Corinthians 5:11Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too.
- Job 34:31“Why don’t people say to God, ‘I have sinned, but I will sin no more’?
- Proverbs 16:6Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin. By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil.
- Proverbs 28:13People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.
- Isaiah 55:6Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.
- Ezekiel 18:21But if wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my decrees and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die.
- Matthew 3:8Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.
- Acts 8:22Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts,
- Acts 26:20I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do.
- James 4:8Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
- 1 Peter 4:8Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.
- Psalms 41:1Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble.
- Isaiah 58:5You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the Lord?
Commentaries on Daniel 4:27
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27Break off thy sins by righteousness - Do justice. Thou hast been an oppressive man; show mercy to the poor, many of whom have been made such by thyself: witness the whole nation of the Jews. He was to cease from his sins - repent and bring forth fruits meet for repentance, in order that he might find mercy at the hand of God.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee - Daniel was permitted to see not only the fact that this calamity impended over the king, but the cause of it, and as that cause was his proud and sinful heart, he supposed that the judgment might be averted if the king would reform his life. If the “cause” were removed, he inferred, not unreasonably, that there was a hope that the calamity might be avoided. We cannot but admire here the boldness…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-27Verses 19-27 Daniel was struck with amazement and terror at so heavy a judgment coming upon so great a prince, and gives advice with tenderness and respect. It is necessary, in repentance, that we not only cease to do evil, but learn to do good. Though it might not wholly prevent the judgment, yet the trouble may be longer before it comes, or shorter when it does come. And everlasting misery will be escaped by all who repent and turn to God.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 27Break away from your sins by doing what is right: Righteousness and justice make a nation strong and help keep a king’s rule stable. When righteousness and justice are missing, a nation will fall. Daniel humbly pleaded with the king to change his ways. showing mercy to the oppressed: This was required by God's law (Exodus 23:6–11; Deuteronomy 15:10–11; Proverbs 29:14; 31:9) and Babylon's. Hammurabi was a former great king of Babylon. He ruled from about…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2727. break off--as a galling yoke (Ge 27:40); sin is a heavy load (Mt 11:28). The Septuagint and Vulgate translate not so well, "redeem," which is made an argument for Rome's doctrine of the expiation of sins by meritorious works. Even translate it so, it can only mean; Repent and show the reality of thy repentance by works of justice and charity (compare Lu 11:41); so God will remit thy punishment. The trouble will be longer before it comes, or shorter…Read the comment
Topics related to Daniel 4:27
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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