Daniel 4 Commentary

“Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.”

Tree often denotes princes; (Ezechiel xxxi. 3.) and according to the false principles (Calmet) of those who pretend to explain dreams, always (Haydock) implies some great personage. (Achmet. C. 200.) (Grotius) — But nothing is more vain than these pretensions. (Calmet)

“Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw , and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. I saw: Cald. I was seeing”

A watcher. A vigilant angel, perhaps the guardian of Israel. (Challoner) — Chaldean hir; (Haydock) whence Iris the messenger of the gods, is derived. (St. Jerome) — Theodotion retains eir. See St. Jerome in Psalm lxxvi. 4. The scholiast (Rom. ed.) says: “the Septuagint render it an angel, the rest a watcher.” These supernatural agents (Haydock) and saints are represented as judges, ver. 14. (Calmet)

“The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:”

Branches, to shew that all (Haydock) the king’s subjects should abandon him.

“The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.”

Let it, the tree, representing the king who was confined when he began to shew signs of madness: but he broke loose, and fled away. (Calmet)

“I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;”

Changed, &c. It does not appear, by Scripture, that Nabuchodonosor was changed from human shape, much less that he was changed into an ox, but only that he lost his reason, and became mad; and in this condition remained abroad in the company of beasts, eating grass like an ox, till his hair grew in such a manner as to resemble the feathers of eagles, and his nails to be like birds’ claws. (Challoner) — Origen represents the whole as an allegorical description of the fall of Lucifer. See St. Jerome. But his arguments have made little impression: and it is universally believed that Nabuchodonosor was thus punished for his pride, after a whole year had been allowed him to see if he would repent. The manner of this strange metamorphose has been variously explained. But it seems that he was seized with the species of madness styled Lycanthropy, (Calmet) as Virgil (Ec. vi. 48.) relates of the daughters of Prœtus, who “with mimick’d mooings fill’d the fields.” (Haydock) — Thus many fancy they are kings, or horses, (Calmet) and that they are continually mounting above the clouds, of which we have an instance in a woman still living at Whitby, who in other respects appears to be sufficiently sensible, (Haydock) as Tertullian and others think Nabuchodonosor was, that he might suffer more. Yet it is commonly supposed he lost his senses for a while, till God was pleased to restore them at the time appointed; when his former humiliating state might make a deep impression upon his mind, as well as upon his subjects, and caution all future generations to guard against the fatal consequences of pride. His son, Evilmerodac, probably ruled during his absence. Most of the Chaldean writings have perished; so that we need not be surprised if they take no notice of this event, which was so disgraceful to the nation. Yet Megasthenes, (in Eusebius pręp. ix. ult.) seems to hint at it, when he represents the king seized with a divine fury, and crying out: (Calmet Diss.) “I, the same Nabuchodonosor, foretell unto you, Babylonians, a fatal calamity, which neither my ancestor Belus, nor even the kingdom of Bel, (Haydock, the gods) have power to avert. For a Persian mule (Cyrus; Calmet) shall come, assisted by your demons, and bring on slavery….Having uttered this oracle, he suddenly disappeared.” (Haydock) — Beast’s heart. In his hypochondriac temper he imagined himself (Calmet) to be an ox, (Haydock) avoided the society of men, going naked and feeding on grass, upon his hands and feet, till (after seven years) God restored him to his senses and kingdom. (Worthington) — The food which he used would tend to purge him, and naturally abate the disorder. (Barthol.) — Yet none but God could tell precisely when the madness would seize or leave him. — Times. This usually denotes years, in Daniel; (vii. 25. and xii. 7.) and of course (Calmet) we must understand it here in this sense; (Worthington) though some have explained it of an indeterminate length of time, or of weeks, months, or seasons. Only winter and summer were admitted, so that half this period would thus suffice. See Theod. (Calmet)

“He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches: aloud: Cald. with might”

Over it. Kings are not always of the most noble dispositions. (Haydock) — “All honour comes from Jove.” (Homer, Iliad 17.) — Let the greatest monarchs be humble, (Haydock) and cast their crowns at the feet of God. (Calmet)

“Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.”

Hour. Chaldean shaha, (Haydock) implies “a little while;” (Grotius) yet of some duration, not precisely like one of the modern hours. The prophet was silent, being troubled by the divine spirit, (Chap. x. 8.) at the view of impending misery; or unwilling to hurt the king’s feelings, till he should urge him to speak. (Calmet) — He was sorry to denounce such calamities, yet must speak the truth. (Worthington) — Trouble. Theodotion, “make thee hurry.” He perceived the prophet’s anxiety, and encouraged him.

“And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;”

Remain. His son and the nobles should act in his name, ver. 13.

“This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:”

Alms. Chaldean, “justice,” is often taken in this sense. (Syr. &c.; 2 Corinthians ix. 9.; Calmet) — The prediction was conditional, and therefore Daniel exhorts the king to strive to obtain pardon by the powerful remedy of alms-deeds; as he did, after enduring some punishment. (Worthington) — Yet this is very doubtful, ver. 31.

“That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.”

Came. Daniel informs us of this event, unless the king speak of himself in the third person, from ver. 16 to 31, giving an account of what he had heard and experienced. (Haydock) — A year of trial was allowed him at first; (Theod.) or he obtained this reprieve by his alms, and lost his former merit by relapsing into pride. (St. Jerome)

“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. a lengthening: or, an healing of thine error”

Answered his own vain thoughts. (Haydock) — He was admiring the city, (Calmet) which he had greatly enlarged and beautified. (Beros. &c.)

“While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.”

Heaven: God having looked on me with pity. (St. Augustine, ep. 111. (Calmet) or 122.; Worthington) seems to think that he was saved; and the author [St. Augustine?] of the Book on Pred. & grace, (chap. 15) attributes to him, remarks that his repentance was different from that of Pharao. Hence none must despair. (St. Jerome, ep. vii. to Lęta.) — See Theod.; Cornelius a Lapide, &c., who maintain that same opinion: but St. Thomas Aquinas expresses his doubts. Isaias (xiv. 9.) seems to consign him to hell; and the king here manifests his adhesion to Bel, (ver. 5.) and great inconstancy, chap. ii. 47., and iii. 15. His conviction seems therefore to have been only in speculation, (Calmet) or momentary, like that of the philosophers, (Romans i.) which would render them only more criminal; and we must confess, (Haydock) that this conversion is very equivocal. (Sanctius, ver. 24 and 34.) (Haydock)

“And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.”

With, or “by the powers (angels. ver. 10.)….as by men.” (Grotius) — The stars are also frequently thus described, Matthew xxiv. 29. The king probably believed that the God of the Jews was above his gods, the sun, fire, &c. (Calmet)

“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.”

Shape. He had not assumed that of an ox, (Haydock) but had greatly neglected his person, (Calmet) so that he was covered with hair, &c., ver. 30. (Haydock)

“And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:”

I, &c. From this place some commentators infer, that this king became a true convert, and dying not long after, was probably saved. (Challoner) (Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 10.) — This is the last act of his which is recorded. If he had lived much longer, he would probably have restored the Jews. (Worthington) — But the time decreed by heaven for their liberation was not yet arrived. (Haydock)