Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, December 5th, 2024
the First Week of Advent
the First Week of Advent
advertisement
advertisement
advertisement
Attention!
For 10¢ a day you can enjoy StudyLight.org ads
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!
Bible Commentaries
Clarke's Commentary Clarke Commentary
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
These files are public domain.
Bibliographical Information
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Daniel 4". "The Adam Clarke Commentary". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/acc/daniel-4.html. 1832.
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Daniel 4". "The Adam Clarke Commentary". https://www.studylight.org/
Whole Bible (49)Old Testament (1)Individual Books (6)
Verse 1
CHAPTER IV
Nebuchadnezzar, after having subdued all the neighbouring
countries, and greatly enriched and adorned his own, became so
intoxicated with his prosperity, as to draw down upon himself
a very remarkable judgment, of which this chapter gives a
particular account, in the very words of the edict or
proclamation which the Babylonyish monarch issued on his
restoration to the throne. This state document begins with
Nebuchadnezzar's acknowledging the hand of God in his late
malady, 1-3.
It then gives an account of the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, which
portended the loss of his kingdom and reason for seven years,
on account of his pride and arrogance, 4-18.
So it was explained by Daniel, 19-27,
and so it was verified by the event, 28-33.
It then recites how, at the end of the period fixed by the God
of heaven for the duration of his malady, the Chaldean monarch
became sensible of his dependence on the Supreme Being, and
lifted up has eyes to heaven in devout acknowledgment of the
sovereign majesty of the King of kings, the Ruler of the
earth, whose dominion alone is universal, unchangeable, and
everlasting, 34-37.
NOTES ON CHAP. IV
Verse Daniel 4:1. Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people — This is a regular decree, and is one of the most ancient on record; and no doubt was copied from the state papers of Babylon. Daniel has preserved it in the original language.
Verse 2
Verse Daniel 4:2. I thought it good to show — A part of the decree was a recital of the wonders wrought by the hand of the true God in his kingdom and on his person.
Verse 3
Verse Daniel 4:3. How great are his signs! — There are no preternatural signs like his! His wonders - miraculous interferences, are mighty - they surpass all human power. He is the Sovereign of all kings, and his dominion is everlasting; and every generation is a proof of his all-governing influence. These are very fine sentiments, and show how deeply his mind was impressed with the majesty of God.
Verse 4
Verse Daniel 4:4. I - was at rest — I had returned to my palace in Babylon after having subdued Syria, Phoenicia, Judea, Egypt, and Arabia. It was probably these great conquests that puffed him up with pride, and brought that chastisement upon him which he afterwards describes. See the dream of the emblematical tree explained.
Verse 5
Verse Daniel 4:5. I saw a dream — See this dream circumstantially explained in the following verses.
Verse 10
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.
Verse 13
Verse 13. A watcher and a holy one — These are both angels; but, according to the Chaldean oracles, of different orders. They appear, according to their opinions, to be a kind of judges of human actions who had the power of determining the lot of men; see Daniel 4:17.
Verse 14
Verse 14. Hew down the tree — As the tree was to be cut down, the beasts are commanded to flee away from under his branches. His courtiers, officers, c., all abandoned him as soon as his insanity appeared but he soon fled from the society of men.
Verse 15
Verse 15. Leave the stump — Let him not be destroyed, nor his kingdom alienated.
Verse 16
Verse 16. Let his heart be changed — Let him conceive himself to be a beast, and act as such, herding among the beasts of the field.
Let seven times pass over him. — Let him continue in this state for seven years. I knew a man who was thus changed in his heart - in his imagination. He believed himself to be a bear, and would imitate the ursal growl, c. and the case did not appear to be hypochondriacal. Whether he ever came to sound mind, I know not.
Verse 17
Verse 17. This matter is by the decree of the watchers — See on Daniel 4:13.
The Most High ruleth — He never leaves the government of the world to man, to second causes, or to fortuitous occurrences. What are thus called are his agents; they are no moving causes.
And setteth up - the basest of men. —
"Tyrants and kings from Jove proceed
Those are permitted, these decreed."
The throne ennobles no man: to be properly filled, the man must be noble. Some of the greatest and some of the meanest of men have sat on the throne. Kings differ in education, seldom in intellect, from the common mass of men; the power and authority are from God. The king himself may be given either in mercy or in wrath. When James II. ruled this kingdom, it might well be said, God hath set up over it the basest of men. His successor was one of the best. The former nearly ruined it both in a civil and religious point of view; the latter was the means of restoring it in both these respects.
Verse 19
Verse 19. Daniel - was astonied for one hour — He saw the design of the dream, and he felt the great delicacy of interpreting it. He was not puzzled by the difficulties of it. He felt for the king, and for the nation; and with what force and delicacy does he express the general portent; "The dream to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies!"
Verse 20
Verse 20. The tree that thou sawest — The dream is so fully interpreted in the following verses that it needs no comment.
Verse 26
Verse 26. Thy kingdom shall he sure unto thee — No new king was set up; Evil-merodach his son was regent during his father's insanity.
Verse 27
Verse 27. Break off thy sins by righteousness — Do justice. Thou hast been an oppressive man; show mercy to the poor, many of whom have been made such by thyself: witness the whole nation of the Jews. He was to cease from his sins-repent and bring forth fruits meet for repentance, in order that he might find mercy at the hand of God.
Verse 30
Verse Daniel 4:30. Is not this great Babylon — Here his heart was inflated with pride; he attributed every thing to himself, and acknowledged God in nothing. The walls, hanging gardens, temple of Bel, and the royal palace, all built by Nebuchadnezzar, made it the greatest city in the world.
Verse 31
Verse Daniel 4:31. While the word was in the king's mouth — How awful to a victorious and proud king: "Thy kingdom is departed from thee!" All thy goods and gods are gone in a moment!
Verse 32
Verse Daniel 4:32. They shall make thee, c. — Thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen. The madness that fell upon him induced him to forsake society, and to run to the woods and deserts, where he lived like a wild beast, his hairs growing long and thick, so as to be a substitute for clothing and his nails strong and hooked, that he might the better climb trees and grub up the ground, in order to get roots and earth-nuts. It was the mercy of God that thus clothed and accoutred him. His case seems much like that of the maniac in the Gospel, whose dwelling was among the tombs and in the mountains, and who shunned the society of men.
Verse 36
Verse Daniel 4:36. My reason returned — Every thing was fulfilled that was exhibited by the dream and its interpretation. It is very likely that this unfortunate king had so concealed himself that the place of his retreat was not found out; and the providence of God had so watched over every thing, that, on his return to his palace, he found his counsellors and his lords, who received him gladly, and cleaved to and served him as they had formerly done.
Verse 37
Verse Daniel 4:37. Now I - praise and extol — It is very probable that Nebuchadnezzar was a true convert; that he relapsed no more into idolatry, and died in the faith of the God of Israel. It is supposed that he lived seventeen years after his restoration. But the authorized Version, which is followed in the margin, states the date of this decree to be B.C. 563, the year preceding Nebuchadnezzar's death.