4:15 But leave its taproot 5 in the ground,
with a band of iron and bronze around it 6
surrounded by the grass of the field.
Let it become damp with the dew of the sky,
and let it live with 7 the animals in the grass of the land.
4:18 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its 8 interpretation, for none of the wise men in 9 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.”
7:4 “The first one was like a lion with eagles’ wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off and it was lifted up from the ground. It was made to stand on two feet like a human being, and a human mind 17 was given to it. 18
7:7 “After these things, as I was watching in the night visions 19 a fourth beast appeared – one dreadful, terrible, and very strong. 20 It had two large rows 21 of iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and anything that was left it trampled with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that came before it, and it had ten horns.
7:9 “While I was watching,
thrones were set up,
and the Ancient of Days 22 took his seat.
His attire was white like snow;
the hair of his head was like lamb’s 23 wool.
His throne was ablaze with fire
and its wheels were all aflame. 24
7:19 “Then I wanted to know the meaning 25 of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others. It was very dreadful, with two rows of iron teeth and bronze claws, and it devoured, crushed, and trampled anything that was left with its feet. 7:20 I also wanted to know 26 the meaning of the ten horns on its head, and of that other horn which came up and before which three others fell. This was the horn that had eyes 27 and a mouth speaking arrogant things, whose appearance was more formidable than the others. 28
1 tn Aram “one is your law,” i.e., only one thing is applicable to you.
2 tn Aram “a lying and corrupt word.”
3 tn Aram “I will know.”
4 tn Aram “after this.”
5 tn Aram “the stock of its root.” So also v. 23. The implication here is that although the tree is chopped down, it is not killed. Its life-giving root is spared. The application to Nebuchadnezzar is obvious.
6 sn The function of the band of iron and bronze is not entirely clear, but it may have had to do with preventing the splitting or further deterioration of the portion of the tree that was left after being chopped down. By application it would then refer to the preservation of Nebuchadnezzar’s life during the time of his insanity.
7 tn Aram “its lot be.”
8 tc The present translation reads פִּשְׁרֵהּ (pishreh, “its interpretation”) with the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
9 tn Aram “of.”
10 tn Aram “in strength.”
11 tn Aram “cause to enter.”
12 tn Aram “answered and said.”
13 sn Purple was a color associated with royalty in the ancient world.
14 tn The term translated “golden collar” here probably refers to something more substantial than merely a gold chain (cf. NIV, NCV, NRSV, NLT) or necklace (cf. NASB).
15 tn The Aramaic text has also the words “about you.”
16 tn Or perhaps “one of three rulers,” in the sense of becoming part of a triumvir. So also v. 29.
17 tn Aram “heart of a man.”
18 sn The identity of the first animal, derived from v. 17 and the parallels in chap. 2, is Babylon. The reference to the plucking of its wings is probably a reference to the time of Nebuchadnezzar’s insanity (cf. chap. 4). The latter part of v. 4 then describes the restoration of Nebuchadnezzar. The other animals have traditionally been understood to represent respectively Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome, although most of modern scholarship identifies them as Media, Persia, and Greece. For a biblical parallel to the mention of lion, bear, and leopard together, see Hos 13:7-8.
19 tn The Aramaic text has also “and behold.” So also in vv. 8, 13.
20 sn The fourth animal differs from the others in that it is nondescript. Apparently it was so fearsome that Daniel could find nothing with which to compare it. Attempts to identify this animal as an elephant or other known creature are conjectural.
21 tn The Aramaic word for “teeth” is dual rather than plural, suggesting two rows of teeth.
22 tn Or “the Ancient One” (NAB, NRSV, NLT), although the traditional expression has been retained in the present translation because it is familiar to many readers. Cf. TEV “One who had been living for ever”; CEV “the Eternal God.”
23 tn Traditionally the Aramaic word נְקֵא (nÿqe’) has been rendered “pure,” but here it more likely means “of a lamb.” Cf. the Syriac neqya’ (“a sheep, ewe”). On this word see further, M. Sokoloff, “’amar neqe’, ‘Lamb’s Wool’ (Dan 7:9),” JBL 95 (1976): 277-79.
24 tn Aram “a flaming fire.”
25 tn Aram “to make certain.”
26 tn The words “I also wanted to know” are added in the translation for stylistic reasons.
27 tc The conjunction in the MT before “eyes” is odd. The ancient versions do not seem to presuppose it.
28 tn Aram “greater than its companions.”