4:16 Let his mind 1 be altered from that of a human being,
and let an animal’s mind be given to him,
and let seven periods of time 2 go by for 3 him.
4:33 Now in that very moment 4 this pronouncement about 5 Nebuchadnezzar came true. 6 He was driven from human society, he ate grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until his hair became long like an eagle’s feathers, and his nails like a bird’s claws. 7
1 tn Aram “its heart.” The metaphor of the tree begins to fade here and the reality behind the symbol (the king) begins to emerge.
2 sn The seven periods of time probably refer to seven years.
3 tn Aram “over” (also in vv. 23, 25, 32).
4 tn Aram “hour.”
5 tn Or “on.”
6 tn Aram “was fulfilled.”
7 tn The words “feathers” and “claws” are not present in the Aramaic text, but have been added in the translation for clarity.