Daniel 4:22 kjv
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.
Daniel 4:22 nkjv
it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth.
Daniel 4:22 niv
Your Majesty, you are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.
Daniel 4:22 esv
it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth.
Daniel 4:22 nlt
That tree, Your Majesty, is you. For you have grown strong and great; your greatness reaches up to heaven, and your rule to the ends of the earth.
Daniel 4 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel 2:21 | God changes times and seasons, deposes kings and raises kings | God's sovereign power over rulers |
| Daniel 4:17 | The decree is by watchers and the sentence by the word of the holy ones | Divine judgment initiated by holy beings |
| Daniel 4:25 | You will be driven from among men, and your dwelling will be with the beasts | Divine judgment leading to humiliation |
| Daniel 4:32 | you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field | Similar divine judgment, repetition emphasizes certainty |
| Daniel 5:21 | he was driven from among the sons of men. his mind was made like the beasts | Nebuchadnezzar's humiliation mirroring this outcome |
| Psalm 75:7 | but God is the judge; he puts down one and exalts another | Direct parallel of God's judgment and exaltation |
| Psalm 113:7 | He raises the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap | God's action of uplifting the humble |
| 1 Samuel 2:7 | The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts | Yahweh's active role in social standing |
| Proverbs 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall | Consequence of pride, linking to Nebuchadnezzar's fall |
| Jeremiah 27:5 | I have made the earth, the men and the beasts on its face, by my great power | God as creator and sustainer of all life and earth |
| Isaiah 40:23 | He reduces rulers to nothing, and makes the judges of the earth meaningless | God's power to nullify earthly authority |
| Acts 17:26 | and he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth... | God's universal sovereignty over humanity |
| Romans 9:21 | Does not the potter have authority over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? | God's absolute right to determine destiny |
| Philippians 2:6-7 | though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself... | Christ's humiliation as a parallel to divine power to humble |
| Revelation 19:16 | On his robe and on his thigh he has names written, King of kings and Lord of lords. | Christ's ultimate authority and dominion |
| 1 Chronicles 29:11 | Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. | David's acknowledgment of God's universal dominion |
| Deuteronomy 4:39 | So you are to know today and to lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath; there is nothing else. | Reinforces God's unique and total sovereignty |
| Job 40:11 | look at everyone who is proud in heart, and bring him low; tread down the wicked where they stand. | God's willingness to humble the proud |
| Job 41:11 | Who has gone before me, and I should pay him? everything under the heavens is mine. | God's ownership of all creation, thus authority |
| Ezra 1:1 | In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled... | God's sovereign hand in moving gentile kings |
Daniel 4 verses
Daniel 4 22 Meaning
The verse declares the absolute sovereignty of the Most High over all earthly kingdoms. It emphasizes that divine power grants dominion, can humble the proud, and can set up the lowest in positions of authority. This highlights God's ultimate control and His prerogative to elevate or abase individuals and nations according to His will and timing.
Daniel 4 22 Context
This verse is part of Nebuchadnezzar's second recounting of his profound experience in Daniel chapter 4. He recounts how God humbled him due to his pride and arrogance. After Nebuchadnezzar boasted about his achievements and attributed them to his own power, God sent a dream as a warning. This verse describes the divine pronouncement of judgment against the king, signifying his imminent fall from power and disgrace. It serves as a powerful illustration of God's dominion over all earthly rulers and kingdoms, a recurring theme in the book of Daniel, particularly concerning the empires represented by the statue in chapter 2 and the beasts in chapter 7.
Daniel 4 22 Word analysis
וַאֲנָה (wa'anaH): And I; a conjunctive particle followed by the first-person pronoun.
מַלְכָּה (malKaH): A king. In Aramaic, the term is masculine singular, referring to Nebuchadnezzar.
שַׁלִּיט (shaliT): Ruler, has dominion, lord. Implies ultimate authority and control.
וּשְׁלְטָנָא (u'shletan'a): And dominion, and authority, and kingdom. Highlights the scope of power.
דִּֽי־ (diH): Of, that, which; a relative pronoun. Connects Nebuchadnezzar to his kingdom.
לְךְ (lekH): To you, for you. The second-person singular masculine pronoun, referring to Nebuchadnezzar in his address to the people.
בִּֽידָֽי (biYedayH): In my hand. Expresses personal possession and control over his kingdom.
אֲנָא (an'a): I. The first-person pronoun, emphasizing personal agency and responsibility in the eyes of the king.
בַּטּ֤וּל (battul): Made you fall, cast you down, removed. A causative verb indicating active subjugation.
וּתְפוּקוֹן (utefuKon): And ye shall eat. Used in the context of an animal, indicating a return to a primitive, beast-like existence. This speaks to the loss of his human and kingly status.
Group of words: "Yet the Most High rules over the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will."
- This phrase encapsulates the core theological message: divine sovereignty over human governments. It directly contrasts Nebuchadnezzar's perceived personal control ("in my hand") with God's ultimate authority. "Most High" (Elyon) signifies God's supreme transcendence and power. "Gives it to whom he will" underscores His sovereign prerogative to appoint and depose rulers. This doctrine of divine appointment of kings is a fundamental concept in ancient Near Eastern thought but is here specifically attributed to the God of Israel.
Daniel 4 22 Bonus section
The "Most High" (Aramaic: 'Elah 'Elyon) is a significant title for God, emphasizing His supreme and transcendent nature. This title appears frequently in Daniel, connecting the God of Israel to the supreme deity recognized in surrounding cultures, yet asserting His singular preeminence. The statement "gives it to whom he will" directly counters the notion of inherent royal rights or inherited succession as the sole basis of authority. It asserts that even when rulers are appointed through apparent earthly means, God is the ultimate source of their legitimacy and authority, capable of shifting it as He sovereignly decrees. This understanding informed the prophetic messages of judgment and hope throughout the Old Testament, particularly concerning Israel's relationship with Gentile empires.
Daniel 4 22 Commentary
This verse is a pivotal moment in Nebuchadnezzar's testimony, shifting from his prideful claim of personal control to acknowledging God's absolute sovereignty. It illustrates a universal truth: earthly power, no matter how immense it appears, is ultimately derived from and accountable to God. The experience serves as a stark reminder that human rulers are merely stewards of divine authority, and their reign is contingent upon God's will. This principle extends beyond Nebuchadnezzar, applying to all who hold positions of power, emphasizing humility and dependence on God. The verse highlights that even the grandest human kingdoms are transient and subject to God's divine orchestration.