Daniel 4

8. But at the last, etc. Daniel seems to have kept himself aloof from the soothsayers, whose pretensions and artifices he could not countenance.

the spirit of the holy gods. Nebuchadrezzar here speaks like a polytheist, but in vers. 3, 34, 35, he shows belief in the One God.

12 meat. Rather, “food”; as it should be rendered in almost every instance in which the word “meat” occurs in the English Bible.

13 a watcher and a holy one. That is, “a watcher [who was] also a holy one.” A phrase for an angel, taken from the Babylonian mythology, and occurring frequently in the Apocrypha, especially the Book of Enoch.

15 even with a band of iron and brass. As a fence around it, that it should be carefully guarded and preserved.

let his portion be with the beasts. Here is a change from the tree to a person represented by it.

16 let his heart be changed. The desires and sympathies of a man shall be exchanged for the propensities of a beast.

seven times. The term is quite indefinite.

17. This matter. Or, “sentence.” “Demand” means “requirement.”

to the intent, etc. To show the supreme power of the Most High God over the mightiest potentates.

the basest of men. A person of humble condition.

19. Astonied. Terrified at the import of the dream.

for one hour. Rather, “for an instant”: see iii. 6.

the dream be to them that hate thee, etc. A loyal utterance. I could have wished that these calamities had befallen thy foes rather than thyself.

25. They shall drive thee, etc. Rather, “thou shalt be driven,” etc.; “thou shalt be made to eat,” etc.; “thou shalt be wetted,” etc. The threatening seems to be that, by a Divine visitation for his pride, he should become a maniac (see vers. 34, 36), affected by what is generally called lycanthropy, imagining himself a beast, and constantly endeavouring to act accordingly, by ranging among the animals in the parks connected with the royal residence.

27 break off thy sins by righteousness. Cp. Jer. xviii. 7, 8; Jonah iii. 10. Daniel spoke with faithfulness, courtesy, and generous feeling.

29 he walked in the palace. “He was walking upon the royal palace”: (see R.V. and marg.), i.e., on the flat roof.

30 great Babylon that I have built. Parallel cases in history of great monarchs whose pride preceded their swift downfall are those of Alexander the Great, Philip II of Spain, and Napoleon.

33 like eagles’ [feathers], etc. These words are, of course, like those in vers. 11, 12, 22, tinged with Eastern hyperbole. Farrar translates: “rough like eagles’ feathers.” But it seems not unlikely that the king’s fancies were gratified as far as was safe; whilst his kingdom was preserved for him when his reason should return.