Daniel 4:17
in Daniel 4This decision is the decree of the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones, so that the living will know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes, setting over it the lowliest of men.’
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the lowest of men.
KJV
This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.
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This verse in Daniel 4
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
This matter is by the decree of the watchers - See the notes at Dan 4:13. They are described here not only as watching over the affairs of men, but as entrusted wth the execution of high and important designs of God. The representation is, that one of these heavenly beings was seen by Nebuchadnezzar in his visions, and that this one stated to him that he had come to execute what had been determined on by his associates, or in counsel with others.
This site's exposition
a beast's heart be given
on Daniel 4:16-18
Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him sets the punishment's shape, a king reduced not merely in circumstance but in the very reason that makes a man a man, for seven times, a period the bench reads as years rather than days given the scale of what follows. The purpose clause is the chapter's own theology stated in advance, to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, the same sentence Daniel will repeat almost unchanged at verse 25 and the voice from heaven at verse 32. The king lays the whole dream before Daniel by name, all the wise men of my kingdom are not able, but thou art able, an admission from Babylon's throne that its own arts have already lost this contest twice.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
The dream which was seen by Nebuchadnezzar was displayed as a punishment for the king himself, whose heart was exalted and lifted up against God, having set up a golden image and having forced all to be idolaters, it was shown to him through a vision that even he might see that he has the lot of being under the authority of God, even if he seems to at some time reign over all the kings of the earth. And so that it may be shown that the kingdom which was given to him was from God, Daniel said to him, "You O king, are a king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given a strong and powerful and honorable kingdom in every place where the sons of men dwell." [Daniel 2:37-38] And the king himself, having been amazed at the dream which Daniel interpreted, spoke similarly, "In truth your God, he is God of gods and Lord of lords because he is able to reveal this mystery." [Daniel 2:47] And so when he forgot the first matters and he was later arrogantly lifted up, he received this punishment from God as an example and a model which was meant for all human tyrants and kings, so as they who think they are above man may not brag, and that they who are lifted up may not boast against God, but they may foresee their danger and may fear God, seeing that they also have a Lord in the heavens. For also Antiochus who was called Epiphanes, who became the king of Syria, who tortured the slaves of God with various torments, and having undertaken baser things at last even he came upon the deserved retribution from God and was punished with divine scourges, and he was not even able to endure his own stench, but while he was still living, worms swarmed from his impious eyes, and though proclaiming many entreaties and confessions to God, his salvation did come upon him. […]
This is what the angel means, that the fate of the tree will come to pass for this purpose, for everyone to know through this that there is one God, Lord and King, who appoints kings on the earth and entrusts the kingdom to whomever …
Verse 17. "In the decision of the watchmen, i.e., the angels, lies the decree and the speech and the petition of the holy ones." Moreover it is both Greek and Latin usage to call the rainbow iris, because it is said to descend to earth in a multicolored arch.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
It is by the decree of the watchers; not that the great God needs the counsel or concurrence of the angels in any thing he determines or does, but, as he uses their ministration in executing his counsels, so he is sometimes represented, after the manner of men, as if he consulted them. So it denotes the solemnity of this sentence.
Of the holy ones - The decree was God's, and the demand was of the holy angels; if God enact it, the angels had the dispensation of it put into their hands, and they all consent to it as a just judgment of God to be executed by them according to the will of God. The most high ruleth - Nebuchadnezzar and his flatterers conceded he was a God in earth unaccountable to any.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
This matter is by the decree of the watchers,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Not only as members of God's council (Da 7:10; Zec 1:10) do they subscribe to His "decree," but that decree is in answer to their prayers, wherein they demand that every mortal who tries to obscure the glory of God shall be humbled [CALVIN]. Angels are grieved when God's prerogative is in the least infringed.
This matter is by the decree of the watchers - See on Dan 4:13 (note). 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.
The words behind it
24 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בִּגְזֵרַ֤ת | bigzerat | [is] by [the] decree of | H1510 → | |
| עִירִין֙ | ʾirin | watchers | H5894 → | 3 times |
| פִּתְגָמָ֔א | pitgama' | command the | H6600 → | |
| וּמֵאמַ֥ר | umemar | and [is by the] word of | H3983 → | |
| קַדִּישִׁ֖ין | kadishin | holy [ones] | H6922 → | 13 times |
| שְׁאֵֽלְתָ֑א | sheeleta' | affair the | H7595 → | |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | to | H5705 → | 35 times |
| דִּבְרַ֡ת | divrat | [the] cause | H1701 → | |
| דִּ֣י | di | <of> that | H1768 → | 345 times |
| יִנְדְּע֣וּן | yindeun | they will know | H3046 → | 47 times |
| חַ֠יַּיָּא | chaiyaiya' | living [people] the | H2417 → | 7 times |
| דִּֽי־ | di- | that | H1768 → | 345 times |
| שַׁלִּ֨יט | shalit | [is] having mastery | H7990 → | 10 times |
| עִלָּאָ֜ה | ilaya' | Most High the | H5943 → | 10 times |
| בְּמַלְכ֣וּת | bemalkhut | over [the] kingdom of | H4437 → | 57 times |
| אֲנָשָׁ֗א | ʾenosha' | human the | H606 → | 25 times |
| וּלְמַן־ | uleman- | and to whomever | H4479 → | 10 times |
| דִּ֤י | di | whom | H1768 → | 345 times |
| יִצְבֵּא֙ | yitzbe' | he will be pleased | H6634 → | 10 times |
| יִתְּנִנַּ֔הּ | yiteninah | he will give it | H5415 → | 7 times |
| וּשְׁפַ֥ל | ushefal | and a lowly [one] of | H8215 → | |
| אֲנָשִׁ֖ים | ʾanashim | humankind | H606 → | 25 times |
| יְקִ֥ים | yekim | he will set up | H6966 → | 35 times |
| עֲלַֽהּ׃ | alaiyah | over it | H5922 → | 104 times |
בִּגְזֵרַ֤ת[is] by [the] decree of
bigzeratH1510 →
עִירִין֙watchers
ʾirinH5894 →3 times
פִּתְגָמָ֔אcommand the
pitgama'H6600 →
וּמֵאמַ֥רand [is by the] word of
umemarH3983 →
קַדִּישִׁ֖יןholy [ones]
kadishinH6922 →13 times
שְׁאֵֽלְתָ֑אaffair the
sheeleta'H7595 →
עַד־to
ʾad-H5705 →35 times
דִּבְרַ֡ת[the] cause
divratH1701 →
דִּ֣י<of> that
diH1768 →345 times
יִנְדְּע֣וּןthey will know
yindeunH3046 →47 times
חַ֠יַּיָּאliving [people] the
chaiyaiya'H2417 →7 times
דִּֽי־that
di-H1768 →345 times
שַׁלִּ֨יט[is] having mastery
shalitH7990 →10 times
עִלָּאָ֜הMost High the
ilaya'H5943 →10 times
בְּמַלְכ֣וּתover [the] kingdom of
bemalkhutH4437 →57 times
אֲנָשָׁ֗אhuman the
ʾenosha'H606 →25 times
וּלְמַן־and to whomever
uleman-H4479 →10 times
דִּ֤יwhom
diH1768 →345 times
יִצְבֵּא֙he will be pleased
yitzbe'H6634 →10 times
יִתְּנִנַּ֔הּhe will give it
yiteninahH5415 →7 times
וּשְׁפַ֥לand a lowly [one] of
ushefalH8215 →
אֲנָשִׁ֖יםhumankind
ʾanashimH606 →25 times
יְקִ֥יםhe will set up
yekimH6966 →35 times
עֲלַֽהּ׃over it
alaiyahH5922 →104 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Daniel 2:21He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
it leads to
- Psalms 113:7–8
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the dump
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 75:5–7
Do not lift up your horn against heaven or speak with an outstretched neck.’”
- Psalms 31:14–15
But I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”
- Daniel 7:25
He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for…
- James 3:15–17
Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
- Psalms 113:7–8
Through
1 Samuel 2:8He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth…
it leads to
- Daniel 2:48
Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many generous gifts. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.
- James 2:5
Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
- Daniel 6:3
Soon, by his extraordinary spirit, Daniel distinguished himself among the administrators and satraps. So the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
- Daniel 2:48
Where this verse is studied
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Studies3
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About Daniel
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; 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 3.4.1-8; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER FOUR; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 4:17.