Daniel 4:8 - Forerunner Commentary

Daniel 4:8

6 Therefore I issued a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

7 ^aThen the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told them the dream; but they did not make known to me its interpretation.

8 But at last Daniel came before me ^a(his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; ^bin him is the Spirit of the Holy God), and I told the dream before him, saying:

9 “Belteshazzar, ^achief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.

10 “These were the visions of my head while on my bed:
I was looking, and behold,
^aA tree in the midst of the earth,
And its height was great.

11 The tree grew and became strong;
Its height reached to the heavens,
And it could be seen to the ends of all the earth.

12 Its leaves were lovely,
Its fruit abundant,
And in it was food for all.
^aThe beasts of the field found shade under it,
The birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches,
And all flesh was fed from it.

13 “I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was ^aa watcher, ^ba holy one, coming down from heaven.

14 He cried¹ aloud and said thus:
^a‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,
Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.
^bLet the beasts get out from under it,
And the birds from its branches.

15 Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth,
Bound with a band of iron and bronze,
In the tender grass of the field.
Let it be wet with the dew of heaven,
And let him graze with the beasts
On the grass of the earth.

16 Let his heart be changed from that of a man,
Let him be given the heart of a beast,
And let seven ^atimes pass over him.

17 ‘This decision is by the decree of the watchers,
And the sentence by the word of the holy ones,
In order ^athat the living may know
^bThat the Most High rules in the kingdom of men,
^cGives it to whomever He will,
And sets over it the ^dlowest of men.’

18 “This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, ^asince all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, ^bfor the Spirit of the Holy God is in you.”

Daniel Explains the Second Dream

19 Then Daniel, ^awhose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts ^btroubled him. So the king spoke, and said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may ^cthe dream concern those who hate you, and its interpretation² concern your enemies!

20 ^a“The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and which could be seen by all the earth,

Verse Comparison: Daniel 4:8

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American Standard Version
But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him, `saying',

Amplified® Bible
But at last Daniel came in before me--he who was named Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God--and I told the dream before him, saying,

Contemporary English Version
Finally, a young man named Daniel came in, and I told him the dream. The holy gods had given him special powers, and I had renamed him Belteshazzar after my own god.

Darby English Version
But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and before him I told the dream:

Good News Bible
Then Daniel came in. (He is also called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god.) The spirit of the holy gods is in him, so I told him what I had dreamed. I said to him:

King James Version
But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my God, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,

New American Standard Bible
"But finally Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and I related the dream to him, {saying,}

New International Version
Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)

New King James Version
But at last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; in him is the Spirit of the Holy God), and I told the dream before him, saying:

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
"But finally Daniel came in before me, who also has the name as Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom dwells a spirit of the holy gods; and I related the dream to him, saying,

Revised Standard Version
At last Daniel came in before me--he who was named Belteshaz'zar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods--and I told him the dream, saying,

Young's Literal Translation
And at last come up before me hath Daniel, whose name `is' Belteshazzar -- according to the name of my god -- and in whom `is' the spirit of the holy gods, and the dream before him I have told:

New English Translation
Later Daniel entered (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god,¹ and in whom there is a spirit of the holy gods). I recounted the dream for him as well,

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