Daniel 4:10

Contemporary English Version

In my sleep I saw a very tall tree in the center of the world.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
In the visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this:

Hebrew Names Version
Thus were the visions of my head on my bed: I saw, and, behold, a tree in the midst of the eretz; and the height of it was great.

King James Version
Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.

English Standard Version
The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great.

New American Standard Bible
'Now these were the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, there was a tree in the middle of the earth and its height was great.

New Century Version
These are the visions I saw while I was lying in my bed: I looked, and there in front of me was a tree standing in the middle of the earth. And it was very tall.

Amplified Bible
'The visions that passed through my mind as I lay on my bed were these: I was looking, and behold, there was a tree in the middle of the earth, and its height was great.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed. And beholde, I sawe a tree in the middes of the earth and the height thereof was great:

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'Now these were the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the earth and its height was great.

Berean Standard Bible
In these visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this come to pass: There was a tree in the middle of the land, and its height was great.

Complete Jewish Bible
I looked in the visions of my head as I lay on my bed, and there appeared a holy watcher coming down from heaven.

Darby Translation
Thus were the visions of my head upon my bed: I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great.

Easy-to-Read Version
These are the visions I saw while I was lying in my bed: I looked, and there in front of me was a tree standing in the middle of the earth. The tree was very tall.

George Lamsa Translation
These were the visions which I saw in my bed: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great.

Good News Translation
"While I was asleep, I had a vision of a huge tree in the middle of the earth.

Lexham English Bible
Now these were the visions of my head as I was lying on my bed: I was gazing and, look, a tree was in the midst of the earth, and its height was exalted.

Literal Translation
As to the visions of my head on my bed, I was looking, and, behold, a tree was in the middle of the earth. And its height was great.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I sawe a vision in my heade vpon my bed: and beholde, there stode a tre vpon the grounde,

American Standard Version
Thus were the visions of my head upon my bed: I saw, and, behold, a tree in the midst of the earth; and the height thereof was great.

Bible in Basic English
On my bed I saw a vision: there was a tree in the middle of the earth, and it was very high.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven.

King James Version (1611)
Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed: I saw, and behold, a tree in the middest of the earth, and the height thereof was great.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Thus were the visions of my head vpon my bed: And behold, I saw a tree in the mids of the earth, and the heyght therof was great,

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
I beheld in the night vision upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven and cried aloud, and thus he said,

English Revised Version
Thus were the visions of my head upon my bed: I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.

World English Bible
Thus were the visions of my head on my bed: I saw, and, behold, a tree in the midst of the earth; and the height of it was great.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
This is the visioun of myn heed in my bed. Y siy, and lo! a tree was in the myddis of erthe, and the hiynesse therof was ful greet.

Update Bible Version
Thus were the visions of my head on my bed: I looked, and saw a tree in the midst of the earth; and the height thereof was great.

Webster's Bible Translation
Thus [were] the visions of my head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and its hight [was] great.

New English Translation
Here are the visions of my mind while I was on my bed. While I was watching, there was a tree in the middle of the land. It was enormously tall.

New King James Version
"These were the visions of my head while on my bed: I was looking, and behold, A tree in the midst of the earth, And its height was great.

New Living Translation
"‘While I was lying in my bed, this is what I dreamed. I saw a large tree in the middle of the earth.

New Life Bible
This is what I saw in my mind as I lay on my bed: I saw a tree in the center of the land. It was very tall.

New Revised Standard
Upon my bed this is what I saw; there was a tree at the center of the earth, and its height was great.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The visions then of my head upon my bed were these , - I was looking, when lo! a tree in the midst of the land, and, the height thereof, was great.

Douay-Rheims Bible
10 [7] [fn] This was the vision of my head in my bed: I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was exceeding great.

Revised Standard Version
The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth; and its height was great.

Young's Literal Translation
As to the visions of my head on my bed, I was looking, and lo, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height [is] great:

THE MESSAGE
"‘This is what I saw as I was stretched out on my bed. I saw a big towering tree at the center of the world. As I watched, the tree grew huge and strong. Its top reached the sky and it could be seen from the four corners of the earth. Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant—enough food for everyone! Wild animals found shelter under it, birds nested in its branches, everything living was fed and sheltered by it.

Contextual Overview

⁴ I was enjoying a time of peace and prosperity, ⁵ when suddenly I had some horrifying dreams and visions. ⁶ Then I commanded every wise man in Babylonia to appear in my court, so they could explain the meaning of my dream. ⁷ After they arrived, I told them my dream, but they were not able to say what it meant. ⁸ Finally, a young man named Daniel came in, and I told him the dream. The holy gods had given him special powers, and I had renamed him Belteshazzar after my own god. ⁹ I said, "Belteshazzar, not only are you the wisest of all advisors and counselors, but the holy gods have given you special powers to solve the most difficult mysteries. So listen to what I dreamed and tell me what it means: ¹⁰ In my sleep I saw a very tall tree in the center of the world. ¹¹ It grew stronger and higher, until it reached to heaven and could be seen from anywhere on earth. ¹² It was covered with leaves and heavy with fruit— enough for all nations. Wild animals enjoyed its shade, birds nested in its branches, and all creatures on earth lived on its fruit. ¹³ "While I was in bed, having this vision, a holy angel came down from heaven

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

saw: Chal, was seeing

a tree: This represented his exceedingly prosperous condition, the height of his exaltation, the extent of his dominions and renown, the splendour of his kingdom, the multitude of his subjects who received protection from him, and the peace and plenty they enjoyed. Daniel 4:20-26, Psalms 37:35, Psalms 37:36, Isaiah 10:33, Isaiah 10:34, Jeremiah 12:2, Ezekiel 31:3-18

Reciprocal: Genesis 40:9 - a vine Judges 9:8 - The trees Ezekiel 17:23 - under Daniel 1:17 - Daniel had understanding Daniel 4:13 - in the Hosea 14:6 - branches Mark 4:32 - shooteth

Cross-References

Genesis 3:13
The Lord God then asked the woman, "What have you done?" "The snake tricked me," she answered. "And I ate some of that fruit."

Genesis 4:9
Afterwards the Lord asked Cain, "Where is Abel?" "How should I know?" he answered. "Am I supposed to look after my brother?"

Genesis 4:10
Then the Lord said: Why have you done this terrible thing? You killed your own brother, and his blood flowed onto the ground. Now his blood is calling out for me to punish you.

Genesis 9:5
I created humans to be like me, and I will punish any animal or person that takes a human life. If an animal kills someone, that animal must die. And if a person takes the life of another, that person must be put to death.

Genesis 18:20
The Lord said, "Abraham, I have heard that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are doing all kinds of evil things.

Exodus 3:7
The Lord said: I have seen how my people are suffering as slaves in Egypt, and I have heard them beg for my help because of the way they are being mistreated. I feel sorry for them,

Numbers 35:33
I, the Lord , live among you people of Israel, so your land must be kept pure. But when a murder takes place, blood pollutes the land, and it becomes unclean. If that happens, the murderer must be put to death, so the land will be clean again. Keep murder out of Israel!

Joshua 7:19
"Achan," Joshua said, "the Lord God of Israel has decided that you are guilty. Is this true? Tell me what you did, and don't try to hide anything."

Job 16:18
If I should die, I beg the earth not to cover my cry for justice.

Job 24:12
And along the city streets, the wounded and dying cry out, yet God does nothing.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed,.... So things appeared to my fancy thus; they ran in my head or brain in a dream in my bed, as if I saw them with my eyes, as follows; for so I thought,

I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth; an emblem of a powerful prince well settled, and strongly supported in his power and government; so the Assyrian monarch, Ezekiel 31:3 and here Nebuchadnezzar himself, as it is afterwards explained; who was well established in his monarchy, the metropolis of which was Babylon; and which stood pretty much in the midst of the then known world:

and the height thereof was great; taller than trees in common; denoting the superiority of the Babylonian monarch over all kings and kingdoms of the earth.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thus were the visions of my head in my bed - These are the things which I saw upon my bed. When he says that they were the “visions of his head,” he states a doctrine which was then doubtless regarded as the truth, that the head is the seat of thought.

I saw - Margin, “was seeing.” Chaldee, “seeing I saw.” The phrase would imply attentive and calm contemplation. It was not a flitting vision; it was an object which he contemplated deliberately so as to retain a distinct remembrance of its form and appearance.

And, behold, a tree in the midst of the earth - Occupying a central position on the earth. It seems to have been by itself - remote from any forest: to have stood alone. Its central position, no less than its size and proportions, attracted his attention. Such a tree, thus towering to the heavens, and sending out its branches afar, and affording a shade to the beasts of the field, and a home to the fowls of heaven Daniel 4:12, was a striking emblem of a great and mighty monarch, and it undoubtedly occurred to Nebuchadnezzar at once that the vision had some reference to himself. Thus in Ezekiel 31:3, the Assyrian king is compared with a magnificent cedar: “Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon, with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of a high stature, and his top was among the thick boughs.” Compare also Ezekiel 17:22-24, where “the high tree and the green tree” refer probably to Nebuchadnezzar. See the note at Isaiah 2:13. Compare Isaiah 10:18-19; Jeremiah 22:7, Jeremiah 22:23. Homer often compares his heroes to trees. Hector, felled by a stone, is compared with an oak overthrown by a thunderbolt. The fall of Simoisius is compared by him to that of a poplar, and that of Euphorbus to the fall of a beautiful olive. Nothing is more obvious than the comparison of a hero with a lofty tree of the forest, and hence, it was natural for Nebuchadnezzar to suppose that this vision had a reference to himself.

And the height thereof was great - In the next verse it is said to have reached to heaven.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Daniel 4:10. I saw - a tree — This vision Nebuchadnezzar says made him afraid. What a mercy it is that God has hidden futurity from us! Were he to show every man the lot that is before him, the misery of the human race would be complete.

Great men and princes are often represented, in the language of the prophets, under the similitude of trees; see Ezekiel 17:5-6; Dan 31:3, c. Jeremiah 22:15; Psalms 1:3; Psalms 37:35.