Daniel 4:8-27 RVA

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:16

Let his heart be changed from man's ,.... Not as to the substance, but as to the quality: and let a beast's heart be given unto him ; from a human heart, let it be changed into a brutal one; let him be deprived of the use of reason, and have no more exercise of it than a brute has; let him be wholly governed by the animal senses, and behave and act as a beast does; be as senseless, stupid, and savage, as that: and such a heart Nebuchadnezzar had; not that his rational soul departed from... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:17

This matter is by the decree of the watchers ,.... That is, the cutting down the tree, and what is signified by it, was with the advice, consent, and approbation of the watchers, by whom is generally understood angels; not that they were the authors of this decree, but approvers of it; and were ready, not only to subscribe it, but to execute it; it being against a wicked man, and an oppressor of the Lord's people: they are represented as assessors with God; called into a consultation with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:18

This dream I King Nebuchadnezzar have seen ,.... So things were represented to him by a vision in a dream: now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof ; at once, directly; as he was well assured he could, by what he had already done; having both told him his dream when forgotten by him, and the meaning of it; and therefore doubted not but he could interpret his dream, being told him: forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:19

Then Daniel (whose name was Belteshazzar) was astonied for one hour ,.... Not at the difficulty of interpreting the dream, which was plain and easy to him; but at the sad and shocking things he saw plainly by the dream were coming upon the king: and though he was a wicked prince, and justly deserved such treatment; and thus he continued for the space of an hour like one thunder struck, filled with amazement, quite stupid, dumb, and silent: and his thoughts troubled him ; both about what... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:20-21

The tree which thou sawest , In these two verses is related part of the dream, which respects the flourishing estate of Nebuchadnezzar and his kingdom; See Gill on Daniel 4:10 , Daniel 4:11 , Daniel 4:12 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:22

It is thou, O king, that art grown, and become strong ,.... Here begins the interpretation of the dream: the tree was an emblem of King Nebuchadnezzar, of his greatness, and growing power and strength: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven ; he overtopped all the kings of the earth, exceeding them in honour and power, and aspired to deity itself; See Gill on Daniel 4:11 . and thy dominion to the end of the earth ; as far as Hercules's pillars, as Strabo F17 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:23

And whereas the king saw a watcher, and an Holy One ,.... Here is related another part of the dream, which respects the cutting down of the tree, or the miserable condition the king should be brought into; see Daniel 4:13 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:24

This is the interpretation, O king ,.... Of this part of the dream, namely, what follows in the two next verses: and this is the decree of the most High ; called before the decree of the watchers, Daniel 4:17 , and is no other than the decree of that sovereign and absolute Being, whose purposes are unfrustrable: which is come upon my lord the king ; the decree had passed concerning him, and would be most certainly fulfilled: and, because of the certainty of it, it is represented as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:25

That they shall drive thee from men ,.... From conversation with men, as unfit for it; from his court and palace, from his nobles and princes. Saadiah interprets this of the angels: it may be rendered impersonally or passively, as in Daniel 4:33 , "thou shalt be driven from men" F18 לך טררין "truderis", Michaelis. ; not by his family, his wife and children; or by his nobles, who are afterwards said to seek him; but by the most high God, and to show his power over him; and it may... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:26

And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots ,.... That is the watchers and the Holy Ones; or it was commanded: this was the order given by the most High: thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee ; signifying that another king should not be set up in his place; and though the kingdom and administration of it would depart from, him for a while, yet it would be restored again, and be firm and stable: after that thou shall have known that the heavens do rule ; that is,... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:17

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:18

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:20-21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:22

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:23

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:24

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:25

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:26

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