Daniel 4:16 kjv
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.
Daniel 4:16 nkjv
Let his heart be changed from that of a man, Let him be given the heart of a beast, And let seven times pass over him.
Daniel 4:16 niv
Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by for him.
Daniel 4:16 esv
Let his mind be changed from a man's, and let a beast's mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him.
Daniel 4:16 nlt
For seven periods of time,
let him have the mind of a wild animal
instead of the mind of a human.
Daniel 4 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel 4:18 | "Now you, Belteshazzar, declare it, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to declare me the interpretation; but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you." | Interpretation by Daniel |
| Proverbs 18:12 | "Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, but humility comes before honor." | Humility precedes honor |
| Psalm 75:6-7 | "For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the judge: He puts down one, and exalts another." | God's sovereignty in promotion |
| Isaiah 14:12-14 | "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! You have cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’" | Nebuchadnezzar's pride parallels Lucifer's fall |
| Luke 14:11 | "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." | Christ's teaching on humility |
| Matthew 23:12 | "And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." | Christ's teaching on humility |
| Romans 12:3 | "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith." | Sober self-assessment |
| James 4:6 | "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.’" | God resists the proud |
| 1 Peter 5:5 | "Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.’" | Clothed with humility |
| Daniel 2:21 | "And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding." | God's control over kingdoms |
| Daniel 5:21 | "Then he was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whoever he chooses." | God's ultimate dominion |
| Jeremiah 18:7-10 | "The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, if it does evil in my sight so that it does not obey my voice, then I will reconsider the good with which I said I would benefit it." | God's conditional sovereignty |
| Deuteronomy 8:18 | "But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day." | God as the source of power |
| Job 40:9-14 | "Do you have an arm like God? And can you thunder with a voice like His? ‘Adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, And clothe yourself with glory and beauty. Disperse the rage of your anger; Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low, And tread down the wicked in their place. Hide them all in the dust together, Bind their faces in the hidden place.’ Then I also will confess to you That your own right hand can save you." | God's ultimate power over the proud |
| Acts 12:21-23 | "So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave a public speech to them. And the people shouted, ‘The voice of a god and not of a man!’ Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and breathed his last." | Divine judgment on human pride |
| Genesis 3:5 | "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." | The root of pride |
| Philippians 2:3-8 | "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem the other better than himself. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." | Christ's example of humility |
| 1 Corinthians 4:7 | "For who makes you different from anyone else? And what do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you had not received it?" | Acknowledging what is received |
| Psalm 51:17 | "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise." | Value of a contrite spirit |
| Galatians 6:14 | "But may it never be that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." | Boasting only in Christ |
Daniel 4 verses
Daniel 4 16 Meaning
The verse speaks of Nebuchadnezzar's profound fear after seeing the vision and hearing the angelic decree concerning his humbling. This fear leads him to seek wisdom from Daniel, acknowledging God's superior knowledge and power, and ultimately the need for a different approach to his own life and kingdom. The core meaning revolves around the breaking of pride and the recognition of divine sovereignty.
Daniel 4 16 Context
Nebuchadnezzar has just recounted a prophetic vision of a mighty tree that was felled by a heavenly decree, a vision interpreted by Daniel as a warning of the king's impending descent into madness and bestial behavior due to his pride. This verse occurs immediately after Daniel's dire explanation. The historical context is Nebuchadnezzar's reign in Babylon, a period of great power and expansion for the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The original audience would have been accustomed to narratives of divine intervention in the affairs of kings and nations. This particular warning stands out as an extraordinary instance of a pagan king receiving a supernatural message and then, in fear and distress, seeking further counsel from a foreign prophet, acknowledging the "spirit of the holy gods."
Daniel 4 16 Word Analysis
Now ( Aram. כְּעַן, kə‘an): Indicates immediacy, marking a transition from hearing the interpretation to taking action. It signifies a present realization prompted by the prophetic word.
you, Belteshazzar: Refers directly to Daniel, using his Babylonian name. This addresses him as the intermediary between the divine message and the king's understanding.
declare ( Aram. הַגֵּיד, hagged): Means to tell, to make known, to proclaim. Nebuchadnezzar is commanding Daniel to announce the interpretation.
it: Refers to the interpretation of the vision, the divine judgment announced.
because: Introduces the reason for singling out Daniel.
all ( Aram. כָּל, kōl): Emphasizes the comprehensive failure of the Babylonian wise men.
the: Definite article.
wise ( Aram. חַכִּימַי, ḥakkîmáy): Refers to the trained scholars and diviners within the Babylonian court.
men ( Aram. גִּבְרֵי, gibrey): Males, individuals.
of: Possessive preposition.
my: King's possession.
kingdom ( Aram. מַלְכוּתִי, malḵûtîy): The dominion and realm under his authority.
are not able: States their complete inability to decipher the dream's meaning.
able ( Aram. יָכִילוּ, yāḵîlū): To be able, capable, to have strength or power.
to declare ( Aram. לְהַגּוֹדָעָה, lǝhaḡōdā‘â): Infinitive form of "declare," signifying the action of making known.
me: The recipient of the interpretation.
the interpretation ( Aram. פְּשָׁר, pǝšār): The explanation, the solution, or unraveling of the enigma.
but ( Aram. אְ LA, lā): Adversative conjunction, indicating contrast.
you ( Aram. אַנְתְּ, ’ant): Pronoun for Daniel.
are: State of being.
able: Capable.
for: Introduces the reason for Daniel's ability.
the spirit ( Aram. רוּחַ, rûaḥ): Refers to the animating, intelligent essence.
of the holy ( Aram. קַדִּישִׁין, qa dīšīn): "Holy" is plural in form but can refer to a singular divine entity or the class of divine beings. In this context, it points to the supreme, sacred, and transcendent nature of the divine.
gods: While plural (אלהים, ‘ĕlōhîm in Hebrew, אלהין, ‘ělāhîn in Aramaic), when used with "holy" in the Old Testament, it often refers to the One True God, in this context, the God of Israel. It can also refer to the angelic host serving God. This phrasing acknowledges God's attributes and power as understood by Nebuchadnezzar, albeit indirectly. Daniel's later response will clarify it is the one God.
is in you: Indicates the indwelling presence or capability granted by the divine spirit.
Words-group analysis: "all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to declare me the interpretation" highlights the complete failure of human wisdom apart from divine revelation, a recurring theme in Daniel. "for the spirit of the holy gods is in you" shows Nebuchadnezzar's acknowledgment, albeit in his own religious framework, that Daniel possesses an extraordinary source of wisdom—the divine. This sets the stage for Daniel's unique role as interpreter.
Daniel 4 16 Bonus Section
Nebuchadnezzar's phrasing, "the spirit of the holy gods," is characteristic of his polytheistic background. However, in the context of Daniel, this acknowledgment functions to highlight the efficacy and power of the God of Israel, who alone can grant true understanding. Daniel will confirm this in his interpretation, aligning the divine wisdom with the singular Most High God (cf. Daniel 2:28, 36-37; 4:2, 17). This verse is a critical point in the narrative, as the king's personal response to the vision marks the beginning of his experiential learning about God's absolute sovereignty, which will culminate in his seven-year humbling. It reflects a common biblical motif of God using even pagan rulers to demonstrate His might and purpose.
Daniel 4 16 Commentary
Nebuchadnezzar's fear is not a conversion, but a reaction to overwhelming evidence of divine power. His request to Daniel demonstrates a crucial shift: realizing his own limited understanding and the superior insight possessed by Daniel, whom he associates with divine wisdom. This acknowledgment sets up the presentation of the interpretation and the subsequent plea for mercy. It underscores the principle that true wisdom originates from God, and human pride leads to an inability to grasp divine truth or plan. The king's desperate seeking of Daniel's counsel, admitting the inadequacy of his own wise men, shows how even powerful, self-aggrandizing rulers can be humbled by experiences that reveal the limits of their earthly authority and intellect when confronted by the ultimate sovereign.