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Daniel 4:12

in Daniel 4

Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and upon it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, in its branches the birds of the air nested, and from it every creature was fed.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of the heavens dwelt in the branches thereof, and all flesh was fed from it.

KJV

The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.

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This verse in Daniel 4

Commentary

8 notes on this verse

A commentator

Hippolytus of Rome

Commentary on Daniel 3.8.3-10 · Written before 235.

For the tree "grew great and strong, which reached unto the height of heaven and its trunk to the limits of all the earth," [Daniel 4:11] Scripture indicates it to be the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar, as also Daniel distinctly stated, because the king was exalted and became glorious and ruled over all the earth and mastered the farthest nations. Its branches were dignitaries and commanders and governors and all who were appointed by him were as branches which are put forward from a tree.

This site's exposition

a tree in the midst of the earth

on Daniel 4:10-12

The tree in the midst of the earth grows until its height reaches unto heaven and its sight to the end of all the earth, an image the bench reads against the ancient world's own common figure of a king as a great tree sheltering his people, meat for all, shadow for the beasts, boughs for the birds. The picture is entirely benevolent before the watcher ever speaks, which is itself the point Henry marks, greatness is not the sin the vision comes to judge; what the tree becomes in the king's own heart is.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

Theodoret of Cyrus

COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 4:12 · Written before 458.

By "foliage" he refers to the visible splendor in apparel, throne, palace, warriors bearing shields and javelins, and foot soldiers, and by "fruit" to the tribute offered from all quarters.

A commentator

Theodoret of Cyrus

COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 4:12 · Written before 458.

proposed

Barbarians lived a wild life, whereas more reasonable and civilized people, rapid and uplifted in their thinking, continued to pass their life under his authority.

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

If the bramble be promoted over the trees, he invites them to come and trust in his shadow, such as it is, Judg. ix. It is protection that draws allegiance. The kings of the earth are to their subjects but as the shadow of a great tree; but Christ is to his subjects as the shadow of a great rock, Isa. xxxii.
The leaves thereof were fair,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

beasts . . . shadow under it--implying that God's purpose in establishing empires in the world is that they may be as trees affording men "fruits" for "meat," and a "shadow" for "rest" (compare La 4:20). But the world powers abuse their trust for self; therefore Messiah comes to plant the tree of His gospel kingdom, which alone shall realize God's purpose (Eze 17:23;

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens

1 more voice on this verse

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

The leaves thereof were fair - Were beautiful. That is, they were abundant, and green, and there were no signs of decay. Everything indicated a vigorous and healthy growth - a tree in its full beauty and majesty - a striking emblem of a monarch in his glory. And the fruit thereof much - It was loaded with fruit - showing that the tree was in its full vigour. And in it was meat for all - Food for all, for so the word meat was formerly used.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

But leave its main roots in the ground but its main roots leave over.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Daniel 4:12:1, via Sefaria, The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

19 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • עָפְיֵ֤הּfoliage its

    ʾafeyehH6074 →3 times

  • שַׁפִּיר֙[was] beautiful

    shapirH8209 →

  • וְאִנְבֵּ֣הּand fruit its

    veinbehH4 →3 times

  • שַׂגִּ֔יא[was] plentiful

    sagi'H7690 →13 times

  • וּמָז֨וֹןand food

    umazonH4203 →

  • לְכֹ֖לָּא־for <the> all

    lekhola-ʾH3606 →82 times

  • בֵ֑הּ[was] on it

    veh

  • תְּחֹת֜וֹהִיunder it

    techotohiH8460 →5 times

  • תַּטְלֵ֣ל׀it had shade

    tatlelH2927 →

  • חֵיוַ֣ת[the] animal[s] of

    cheivatH2423 →20 times

  • בָּרָ֗אfield the

    bara'H1251 →8 times

  • וּבְעַנְפ֙וֹהִי֙and in branches its

    uveanfohiH6056 →4 times

  • יְדוּרָן֙they nested

    yedurunH1753 →7 times

  • צִפֲּרֵ֣י[the] birds of

    tzipareiH6853 →4 times

  • שְׁמַיָּ֔אheavens the

    shemaiya'H8065 →38 times

  • וּמִנֵּ֖הּand from it

    uminehH4481 →109 times

  • יִתְּזִ֥יןit fed

    yitezinH2110 →

  • כָּל־all

    kol-H3606 →82 times

  • בִּשְׂרָֽא׃<the> flesh

    bisra'H1321 →3 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

10 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Matthew 13:32Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”13 worksLuke 13:19It is like a mustard seed that a man tossed into his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”8 worksEzekiel 31:6All the birds of the air nested in its branches, and all the beasts of the field gave birth beneath its boughs; all the great nations lived in its shade.4 worksLamentations 4:20The LORD’s anointed, the breath of our life, was captured in their pits. We had said of him, “Under his shadow we will live among the nations.”3 worksEzekiel 17:23I will plant it on the mountain heights of Israel so that it will bear branches; it will yield fruit and become a majestic cedar. Birds of every kind will nest under it, taking shelter in the shade of its branches.3 worksDaniel 4:14He called out in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.3 works
The other 4 cross-references, with their words ▾
Judges 9:15But the thornbush replied, ‘If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’3 worksMark 13:32No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.2 worksJeremiah 27:6–7So now I have placed all these lands under the authority of My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. I have even made the beasts of the field subject to him.2 worksEzekiel 31:3Look at Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches that shaded the forest. It towered on high; its top was among the clouds.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Mark 13:32

    No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

    it leads to

    • Matthew 24:36–42

      No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

    • Acts 1:7

      Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.

    • Matthew 25:13

      Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

    • Revelation 3:3

      Remember, then, what you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know the hour when I will…

    • 1 Thessalonians 5:1–2

      Now about the times and seasons, brothers, we do not need to write to you.

  • Through

    Ezekiel 17:23

    I will plant it on the mountain heights of Israel so that it will bear branches; it will yield fruit and become a majestic cedar. Birds of every kind will nest under it, taking…

    it leads to

    • Matthew 13:32

      Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

    • Ezekiel 31:6

      All the birds of the air nested in its branches, and all the beasts of the field gave birth beneath its boughs; all the great nations lived in its shade.

  • Through

    Luke 13:19

    It is like a mustard seed that a man tossed into his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”

    it leads to

    • Ezekiel 17:22–24

      This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will take a shoot from the lofty top of the cedar, and I will set it out. I will pluck a tender sprig from its topmost…

Where this verse is studied

About Daniel

Daniel in the Lions' Den, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Daniel in the Lions' Den, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Daniel: the study guide →Read Daniel 4 →

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Daniel; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 3.8.3-10; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 4:12.

Read on in Daniel 4 →