Daniel 4 6

Daniel 4:6 kjv

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.

Daniel 4:6 nkjv

Therefore I issued a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

Daniel 4:6 niv

So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me.

Daniel 4:6 esv

So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

Daniel 4:6 nlt

So I issued an order calling in all the wise men of Babylon, so they could tell me what my dream meant.

Daniel 4 verses

Daniel 4 6 meaning

King Nebuchadnezzar, profoundly disturbed by a dream that deeply troubled him, commanded all the trained specialists in his Babylonian court—including his magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and soothsayers—to gather before him. His explicit purpose was for these wise men to reveal to him the true meaning and implications of the dream he had experienced.

Daniel 4 6 Context

This verse introduces Nebuchadnezzar's response to a profoundly disturbing dream. Unlike in Daniel 2, where he demanded both the dream's content and its interpretation (indicating he had forgotten both or wanted proof), here, in Daniel 4, the king states that he "saw a dream which made me fearful" (v.5) and was "terrified" by it. This implies he remembers having a dream and its distressing effect, but perhaps not all its intricate details, or more importantly, he has no grasp of its meaning. This psychological distress directly prompts his decree in verse 6.

Within the larger narrative of Daniel, this account serves as a dramatic display of God's sovereign power over even the most powerful earthly ruler, through the humble, God-fearing prophet Daniel. It underscores the inadequacy of worldly wisdom and pagan religious systems against the revelatory power of the one true God. Historically, Nebuchadnezzar II ruled the Neo-Babylonian Empire (605-562 BC) and heavily relied on his court specialists. His constant resort to these "wise men" reflects the standard cultural practice of ancient Near Eastern monarchies seeking divine or magical insights into disturbing phenomena, though these practices are consistently portrayed as futile by the biblical narrative.

Daniel 4 6 Word analysis

• Therefore (עַל־קָבֵל - ‘al-qābēl): An Aramaic idiom indicating a logical consequence or in view of. It signifies that Nebuchadnezzar's distressed state (v. 5) directly caused him to take this action.
• I issued a decree (צֶם־מִדַּת מִנִּי - ṣem-middaṯ minnī): Ṣem (to set, to place) combined with middaṯ (a measure, an official command or decree) highlights the king's supreme royal authority. This was a direct, absolute command from the most powerful ruler of his time.
• to bring (לְהֵיתָיָא - lĕhêṯāyā’): Hiph'il infinitive in Aramaic, meaning "to cause to come" or "to bring." It shows his imperative, demanding the presence of these individuals.
• all (כֹּל - kōl): Emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the summons. No wise man, no matter how specialized, was to be left out, reflecting the urgency and the king's desperation for a solution.
• the wise men (חַכִּימִין - ḥakkîmîn): The Aramaic plural of ḥakkîm ("wise"). This is a general term in Daniel, encompassing various classes of pagan savants: kharṭummin (magicians), ’ashshāfīn (enchanters), mĕkhashshĕfīn (sorcerers), kaśdāyīn (Chaldeans/astrologers) (cf. Dan 2:2). Their collective failure underscores the bankruptcy of all worldly, pagan wisdom in understanding divine mysteries.
• of Babylon (דִּי בָבֶל - dî Bāḇel): Specifies the location and allegiance. These were the elite of the Babylonian empire, representing the peak of ancient occult and divinatory practices.
• before me (לְקָדָמַי - lĕqāḏāmāy): Denotes being in the immediate presence of the king, indicating respect, submission, and accountability. It's a demand for direct presentation of their skill.
• that they might make known (דִּי יְהוֹדְעוּן - dî yĕhōḏe‘ûn): Purpose clause using the Hiph'il imperfect, meaning "so that they may cause to know" or "reveal." Their assigned task was explicit.
• to me (לִי - lî): The object of revelation is personal to the king.
• the interpretation (פִּשְׁרָא - pishrā’): The Aramaic word for "interpretation," "solution," or "unraveling." This is what the wise men consistently fail to provide concerning Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams, highlighting God's exclusive ability to do so.
• of the dream (חֶלְמָא - ḥelmā’): The Aramaic word for "dream." It was the specific, terrifying dream (v.5) that he now needed interpreted.

Words-group analysis:

• "I issued a decree to bring all the wise men of Babylon": This phrase highlights Nebuchadnezzar's absolute power and his comprehensive reliance on his pagan advisors. It sets the stage for demonstrating the inherent limitation of human wisdom, even when drawing upon all available expertise, when faced with a divine revelation. The phrase "all the wise men" specifically points to a complete mobilization of the empire's intellectual and spiritual resources to tackle this challenge.
• "that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream": This segment clearly articulates the precise demand placed upon the wise men. The emphasis on "make known" (reveal) and "interpretation" shows the core need: not merely to recall a forgotten dream, but to discern its profound, hidden meaning. This task, as revealed in Daniel, is beyond human capability without divine assistance, creating a profound contrast with Daniel's God-given ability.

Daniel 4 6 Bonus section

It's notable that in Daniel 4, unlike in Chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar seems to recall the existence and effect (terrified him) of the dream, even if not its full content or meaning. This makes the wise men's task more explicitly about interpretation of an understood (if vaguely remembered) vision, rather than demanding the impossible feat of both recalling and interpreting a completely forgotten dream. This subtlety heightens the dramatic tension, as it implies the king truly desired a meaning he felt was eluding him, further showcasing the inability of Babylonian magic and astrology to penetrate divine revelation even when given clues.

Daniel 4 6 Commentary

Daniel 4:6 succinctly encapsulates Nebuchadnezzar's conventional and immediate response to a divinely induced crisis. Troubled by a terrifying dream, he automatically turns to the collective wisdom of his court, showcasing the ingrained practice of ancient Near Eastern rulers consulting specialists for such matters. This act of summoning "all the wise men of Babylon" is crucial for setting up a dramatic narrative. It highlights the pinnacle of human and pagan understanding within his vast empire, only to contrast it sharply with the singular, supernatural wisdom Daniel possesses from the true God. The verse underscores the king's reliance on human institutions while simultaneously foreshadowing their inevitable failure, thereby magnifying the glory of God who alone can reveal mysteries and dictate the affairs of men and empires. This initial command sets in motion the events that will ultimately lead to Nebuchadnezzar's forced humility and his acknowledgment of the Most High God's supreme sovereignty.