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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Daniel 4:4-18

Nebuchadnezzar, before he relates the judgments of God that had been wrought upon him for his pride, gives an account of the fair warning he had of them before they came, a due regard to which might have prevented them. But he was told of them, and of the issue of them, before they came to pass, that, when they did come to pass, by comparing them with the prediction of them, he might see, and say, that they were the Lord's doing, and might be brought to believe that there is a divine... read more

John Gill

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

I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house ,.... Being returned from his wars, and having obtained victory over the Egyptians, and other nations, and made himself an universal monarch; and now was in entire rest from all his enemies; enjoying himself in his family, and among his courtiers, and nothing to disturb him from any quarter. Josephus F2 Joseph. Antiqu. l. 10. c. 10. sect. 6. says this was a little after the history of the former chapter; but it must be many years after that:... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:5

I saw a dream which made me afraid ,.... Things were represented to his fancy in a dream, as if he saw them with his eyes, as the tree, its leaves and fruit; the shaking and cutting it down to the stump, &c.; and though he did not understand the meaning of it, yet he thought it portended some evil, which threw him into a panic; he was afraid that something bad would befall him, though he knew not what: thus God can make the minds of the greatest men uneasy amidst all their glory, pride,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:6

Therefore made I a decree ,.... Published a proclamation; signifying it was his mind and will to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before him ; all together, supposing that one or other of them, or by consulting together, would be able to explain things to his satisfaction, and make him more easy: that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream ; for though they could not tell the interpretation of his former dream, because he could not relate to them the dream... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:7

Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers ,.... See Gill on Daniel 2:2 , and I told the dream before them, but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof ; because they could not; before they pretended, if the dream was told, they could give the interpretation of it; but now, though it was told, they could not do it; which shows the vanity of their art, the falsehood of their pretensions, and that they were but jugglers and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:8

But at the last Daniel came in before me ,.... Whether sent for or no is not clear; the reason why he came not with the rest might be because he did not associate with them; nor did they care he should be among them, and present at this time; and it may be the king had forgot the knowledge he had of dreams; or, however, did not choose to send for him until he had tried all his wise men; and so it was ordered by the providence of God, and which is the chief reason of all, that he should come... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 4:9

O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians ,.... So he called him, either because he excelled them in knowledge, and was greater than they, as Jacchiades; though not of their rank and order, which Daniel would have scorned to have been among, and reckoned of; so that this would have been no compliment, but a grief unto him; or because he was appointed by the king chief over them, and even over their governors; See Gill on Daniel 2:48 , because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 4:4

I - was at rest - I had returned to my palace in Babylon after having subdued Syria, Phoenicia, Judea, Egypt, and Arabia. It was probably these great conquests that puffed him up with pride, and brought that chastisement upon him which he afterwards describes. See the dream of the emblematical tree explained. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 4:5

I saw a dream - See this dream circumstantially explained in the following verses. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 4:4

Verse 4 Nebuchadnezzar here explains how he acknowledged the Supreme God. He does not relate the proofs which he had previously received; but since his pride was subdued in this last dream, he makes a passing allusion to it. Meanwhile, as he doubtless recalled his former dreams to mind, and condemned himself for his ingratitude, in burying in oblivion this great power of God, and in wiping away the remembrance of those benefits by which God had adorned him. Here, however, he speaks only of his... read more

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