New Living Translation
Daniel 4:33
33“That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws.
Daniel 4:33 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
- New International Version (NIV)Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws.
- New King James Version (NKJV)That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
Context of Daniel 4:33
31“While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. 32You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. 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.’ “That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws. 34“After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal. 35All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’
Read all of Daniel 4Daniel 4:33 word by word
בַּהּ־שַׁעֲתָ֗א מִלְּתָא֮ סָ֣פַת עַל־נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר֒ וּמִן־אֲנָשָׁ֣א טְרִ֔יד וְעִשְׂבָּ֤א כְתוֹרִין֙ יֵאכֻ֔ל וּמִטַּ֥ל שְׁמַיָּ֖א גִּשְׁמֵ֣הּ יִצְטַבַּ֑ע עַ֣ד דִּ֥י שַׂעְרֵ֛הּ כְּנִשְׁרִ֥ין רְבָ֖ה וְטִפְר֥וֹהִי כְצִפְּרִֽין׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The same hourשָׁעָהshâ‛âh · momentH8160
- was the thingמִלָּהmillâh · wordH4406
- fulfilledסוּףsûph · be fulfilledH5487
- uponעַל‛al · uponH5922
- Nebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר, נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּרnebûkkadnetstsar · NebuchadnezzarH5020
- and he was drivenטְרַדţerad · to chase awayH2957
- fromמִן־min · fromH4481
- menאֱנָשׁ'ĕnâsh 'ĕnash · manH606
- and did eatאֲכַל'ăkal · to devourH399
- grassעֲשַׂב‛âsh ‛ăsab · grassH6211
- as oxenתּוֹרtôr · bullockH8450
- and his bodyגְּשֵׁםgeshem · bodyH1655
- was wetצְבַעtseba‛ · to drenchH6647
- with the dewטַלţal · dewH2920
- of heavenשָׁמַ֫יִןshâmayin · heavenH8065
- tillעַד‛ad · tillH5705
- his hairsשְׂעַרώe‛ar · hairH8177
- were grownרְבָהrebâh · to grow greatH7236
- like eagles’נְשַׁרneshar · eagleH5403
- and his nailsטְפַרţephar · nail/clawH2953
- like birds’צְפַרtsephar · birdH6853
Cross-references for Daniel 4:33
- Daniel 5:5Suddenly, they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, near the lampstand. The king himself saw the hand as it wrote,
- Job 20:5the triumph of the wicked has been short lived and the joy of the godless has been only temporary?
- Isaiah 30:14You will be smashed like a piece of pottery— shattered so completely that there won’t be a piece big enough to carry coals from a fireplace or a little water from the well.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:2For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.
- Daniel 4:25You 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.
Commentaries on Daniel 4:33
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 33The same hour was the thing fulfilled - On the word hour, see the note at Daniel 4:19. The use of the word here would seem to confirm the suggestion there made that it means a brief period of time. The idea is clearly that it was done instantly. The event came suddenly upon him, without any interval, as he was speaking. Till his hairs were grown like eagles‘ feathers - By long neglect and inattention. The Greek version of Theodotion has in this place the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 28-37Verses 28-37 Pride and self-conceit are sins that beset great men. They are apt to take that glory to themselves which is due to God only. While the proud word was in the king's mouth, the powerful word came from God. His understanding and his memory were gone, and all the powers of the rational soul were broken. How careful we ought to be, not to do any thing which may provoke God to put us out of our senses! God resists the proud. Nebuchadnezzar would…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 33Boanthropy is a disease that makes a person act like an ox. Several ancient writings support this story. The king’s official records are also empty from 582 to 575 BC, which may fit this period of illness.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3333. driven from men--as a maniac fancying himself a wild beast. It is possible, a conspiracy of his nobles may have co-operated towards his having been "driven" forth as an outcast. hairs ... eagles' feathers--matted together, as the hair-like, thick plumage of the ossifraga eagle. The "nails," by being left uncut for years, would become like "claws."Read the comment
Topics related to Daniel 4:33
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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