Discovery BoxDaniel 4:1-3 
Context4:1 (3:31) 1 “King Nebuchadnezzar, to all peoples, nations, and language groups that live in all the land: Peace and prosperity! 2 4:2 I am delighted to tell you about the signs and wonders that the most high God has done for me.
4:3 “How great are his signs!
How mighty are his wonders!
His kingdom will last forever, 3
and his authority continues from one generation to the next.”
Daniel 4:32-37
Context4:32 You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and seven periods of time will pass by for you before 4 you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.”
4:33 Now in that very moment 5 this pronouncement about 6 Nebuchadnezzar came true. 7 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. 8
4:34 But at the end of the appointed time 9 I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up 10 toward heaven, and my sanity returned to me.
I extolled the Most High,
and I praised and glorified the one who lives forever.
For his authority is an everlasting authority,
and his kingdom extends from one generation to the next.
4:35 All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing. 11
He does as he wishes with the army of heaven
and with those who inhabit the earth.
No one slaps 12 his hand
and says to him, ‘What have you done?’
4:36 At that time my sanity returned to me. I was restored 13 to the honor of my kingdom, and my splendor returned to me. My ministers and my nobles were seeking me out, and I was reinstated 14 over my kingdom. I became even greater than before. 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all his deeds are right and his ways are just. He is able to bring down those who live 15 in pride.
1 sn Beginning with 4:1, the verse numbers through 4:37 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Aramaic text (BHS), with 4:1 ET = 3:31 AT, 4:2 ET = 3:32 AT, 4:3 ET = 3:33 AT, 4:4 ET = 4:1 AT, etc., through 4:37 ET = 4:34 AT. Thus Dan 3:31-33 of the Aramaic text appears as Dan 4:1-3 in the English Bible, and the corresponding verses of ch. 4 differ accordingly. In spite of the division of the Aramaic text, a good case can be made that 3:31-33 AT (= 4:1-3 ET) is actually the introduction to ch. 4.
2 tn Aram “May your peace increase!”
3 tn Aram “his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.”
4 tn Aram “until.”
5 tn Aram “hour.”
6 tn Or “on.”
7 tn Aram “was fulfilled.”
8 tn The words “feathers” and “claws” are not present in the Aramaic text, but have been added in the translation for clarity.
9 tn Aram “days.”
10 tn Aram “lifted up my eyes.”
11 tc The present translation reads כְּלָא (kÿla’), with many medieval Hebrew
12 tn Aram “strikes against.”
13 tc The translation reads הַדְרֵת (hadret, “I returned”) rather than the MT הַדְרִי (hadri, “my honor”); cf. Theodotion.
14 tc The translation reads הָתְקְנֵת (hotqÿnet, “I was established”) rather than the MT הָתְקְנַת (hotqÿnat, “it was established”). As it stands, the MT makes no sense here.
15 tn Aram “walk.”
