Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. Punished with insanity for his haughtiness, he sinks to the level of the beasts (illustrating ; Psalms 49:10). The opposition between bestial and human life set forth here... [ Continue Reading ]
I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. I THOUGHT IT GOOD - `It was seemly before me' (Psalms 107:2). TO SHOW THE SIGNS AND WONDERS THAT THE HIGH GOD HATH WROUGHT TOWARD ME - tokens significant of God's omnipotent agency. The plural is used, as i... [ Continue Reading ]
_HOW GREAT ARE HIS SIGNS! AND HOW MIGHTY ARE HIS WONDERS! HIS KINGDOM IS AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM, AND HIS DOMINION IS FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace: I NEBUCHADNEZZAR WAS AT REST - my wars over, my kingdom at peace. AND FLOURISHING - `green.' Image from a tree "planted by the waters" (). Appropriate to the image in the dream, , note. Prosperous ().... [ Continue Reading ]
_I SAW A DREAM WHICH MADE ME AFRAID, AND THE THOUGHTS UPON MY BED AND THE VISIONS OF MY HEAD TROUBLED ME._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. THEREFORE MADE I A DECREE TO BRING IN ALL THE WISE MEN OF BABYLON BEFORE ME, THAT THEY MIGHT MAKE KNOWN UNTO ME THE INTERPRETATION OF THE DREAM. It may... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
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, DANIEL ... WHOSE NAME WAS BELTESHAZZAR - called so from the god Bel or Belus (see note, ).... [ Continue Reading ]
O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. O BELTESHAZZAR, MASTER OF THE MAGICIANS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY... [ Continue Reading ]
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 ... A TREE - so the Assyrian is compared to a "cedar in Lebanon" (; cf. , "I the Lord have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried u... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE TREE GREW, AND WAS STRONG, AND THE HEIGHT THEREOF REACHED UNTO HEAVEN, AND THE SIGHT THEREOF TO THE END OF ALL THE EARTH:_ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD HAD SHADOW UNDER IT - implying that God's purpose in est... [ Continue Reading ]
I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; I SAW ... A WATCHER AND AN HOLY ONE CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN - rather, 'even an holy one.' Only one angel is intended, and he not one of the bad, but of the holy angels. Called a "watcher," bec... [ Continue Reading ]
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: HEW DOWN THE TREE - (; , "Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find non... [ Continue Reading ]
Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots 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 in the grass of the earth: LEAVE THE STUMP OF HIS ROOTS IN THE EARTH, EVEN WITH A BAND OF... [ Continue Reading ]
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. LET HIS HEART BE CHANGED FROM MAN'S - "heart," understanding (, "Make the heart of this people fat"). SEVEN TIMES - i:e., years (). "Seven" is the perfect number: a week of years:... [ Continue Reading ]
This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. THE DEMAND BY THE WORD OF THE HOLY ONES... [ Continue Reading ]
_THIS DREAM I KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAVE SEEN. NOW THOU, O BELTESHAZZAR, DECLARE THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF, FORASMUCH AS ALL THE WISE MEN OF MY KINGDOM ARE NOT ABLE TO MAKE KNOWN UNTO ME THE INTERPRETATION: BUT THOU ART ABLE; FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY GODS IS IN THEE._ No JFB commentary on this ver... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpret... [ Continue Reading ]
The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; THE TREE THAT THOU SAWEST ... WHOSE LEAVES WERE FAIR, AND THE FRUIT THEREOF MUCH ... UNDER WHICH THE BEASTS ... DWELT, AND UPON WHOSE BRANCHES THE FOWLS ... HAD TH... [ Continue Reading ]
It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. IT IS THOU, O KING. He speaks pointedly, and without circumlocution (so Nathan said to David, , "Thou art the man"). While pitying the king, be un... [ Continue Reading ]
_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 LE... [ Continue Reading ]
This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: THIS IS THE DECREE OF THE MOST HIGH. What was termed in by Nebuchadnezzar "the decree of the watchers" is here more accurately termed by Daniel "the decree of the Most High." They ar... [ Continue Reading ]
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 givet... [ Continue Reading ]
And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. THY KINGDOM SHALL BE SURE UNTO THEE, AFTER THAT THOU SHALT HAVE KNOWN ... - a promise of spiritual grace to him, causing the judgment t... [ Continue Reading ]
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. BREAK OFF THY SINS BY RIGHTEOUSNESS - as a galling yoke (Genesis 27:40). Sin is a heavy load, and... [ Continue Reading ]
_ALL THIS CAME UPON THE KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR._ NO JFB COMMENTARY ON THIS VERSE.... [ Continue Reading ]
At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. AT THE END OF TWELVE MONTHS. This respite was granted to him to leave him without excuse. So the 120 years granted before the flood (). At the first announcement of the coming judgment he was alarmed, as Ahab, who for... [ Continue Reading ]
The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? IS NOT THIS GREAT BABYLON, THAT I HAVE BUILT? Herodotus ascribes the building of Babylon to Semiramis and Nitocris, his informant under... [ Continue Reading ]
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. WHILE THE WORD WAS IN THE KING'S MOUTH, THERE FELL A VOICE FROM HEAVEN, SAYING - in the very act of speaking, so that there could be no... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ No JFB commentary on t... [ Continue Reading ]
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. THE SAME HOUR ... HE WAS DRIVEN FROM MEN - as a maniac,... [ Continue Reading ]
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 NE... [ Continue Reading ]
And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH ARE REPUTED AS NOTHING - (; ). HE DOETH A... [ Continue Reading ]
At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. AT THE SAME TIME MY REASON RETURNED UNTO ME. An... [ Continue Reading ]
Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase. NOW I NEBUCHADNEZZAR PRAISE AND EXTOL AND HONOUR THE KING OF HEAVEN. He heaps word on word, as if he cannot say enough in prais... [ Continue Reading ]