Daniel 4:16-18
New English Translation
16 Let his mind[a] be altered from that of a human being,
and let an animal’s mind be given to him,
and let seven periods of time[b] go by for[c] him.
17 This announcement is by the decree of the sentinels;
this decision is by the pronouncement of the holy ones,
so that[d] those who are alive may understand
that the Most High has authority over human kingdoms,[e]
and he bestows them on whomever he wishes.
He establishes over them even the lowliest of human beings.’
18 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its[f] interpretation, for none of the wise men in[g] my kingdom are able to make known to me the interpretation. But you can do so, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Daniel 4:16 tn Aram “its heart.” The metaphor of the tree begins to fade here and the reality behind the symbol (the king) begins to emerge.
- Daniel 4:16 sn The seven periods of time probably refer to seven years.
- Daniel 4:16 tn Aram “over” (also in vv. 23, 25, 32).
- Daniel 4:17 tc The present translation follows an underlying reading of עַל־דִּבְרַת (ʿal divrat, “so that”) rather than MT עַד־דִּבְרַת (ʿad divrat, “until”).
- Daniel 4:17 tn Aram “the kingdom of man”; NASB “the realm of mankind”; NCV “every kingdom on earth.”
- Daniel 4:18 tc The present translation, as also in the next verse, reads פִּשְׁרֵהּ (pishreh, “its interpretation”) with the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss; the Kethib is פִּשְׁרָא (pishraʾ, “the interpretation”).
- Daniel 4:18 tn Aram “of.”
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