Daniel 4:19
in Daniel 4For a time, Daniel, who was also known as Belteshazzar, was perplexed, and his thoughts alarmed him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.” “My lord,” replied Belteshazzar, “may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies!
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken dumb for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine adversaries.
KJV
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.
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This verse in Daniel 4
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Belteshazzar--The use of the Hebrew as well as the Chaldee name, so far from being an objection, as some have made it, is an undesigned mark of genuineness.
This site's exposition
astonied for one hour
on Daniel 4:19-22
Daniel is astonied for one hour, the bench reading his silence as compassion rather than confusion, a man who already sees the judgment and dreads to speak it to the king who has been kind to him. My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee is not evasion but genuine reluctance, and when Daniel does speak the identification is immediate and unadorned, it is thou, O king, no allegory softening what the tree's greatness and the axe both mean. Gill notes that Daniel's grief here matches the compassion other prophets show even while delivering a sentence they cannot alter.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Verse 19. "Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, began quietly to meditate by himself for about an hour, and his meditations greatly troubled him. And the king answered and said, 'Belteshazzar, let not the dream or its interpretation disturb you.' Belteshazzar answered and said..." Daniel silently understood that the dream was directed against the king, and the pallor of his countenance showed forth the fear in his heart, and he felt sorry for the man who had conferred upon him the greatest of honor.
Therefore he, who also interpreted the dream of the king, was grieved and became tearful and for about one hour was amazed and his thoughts troubled him, not wishing to send out his voice, indicating the affection which he had for the king, so that in this even the king was sorely pricked and when he did what was spoken by the prophet, he was able to be saved. And so after Daniel stood voiceless for one hour and was greatly silent, he, while looking at everyone, was confused by his thoughts and his face was changed, and Daniel became pale on account of the fear of the interpretation, lest the king, having heard what was spoken concerning him, become angered and command him to be killed; but when he was empowered by the Spirit and assumed the face of an angel, his appearance became fiery and his eyes shining as a flame of fire, so that in this the king, being astounded, was afraid. For if the sons of Israel were not able to look upon the face of the blessed Moses on account of the glory of his face, how then were the Babylonians not afraid who looked at the face of Daniel which had changed? Certainly when he appeared as a man they were not afraid, but when he was also shown as an angel of God, they were afraid. Then having been calmed from great vision and agony and coming to his own state of human nature, he answered the king and said, "Let, O king, the dream be upon those who hate you and its judgment on your enemies." [Daniel 4:19] And in this way, having begun, he proclaimed to him according to each thing which was to happen to him and encouraged him with comforting words and he again restored his hopes for what was about to be. […]
Daniel did not speak these words ("may the dream be for those who hate you") … because he feared the majesty of the king or in order to flatter him and his fortune but either to show respect for the king and the worship of …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Troubled him - Because he fore-saw such troubles coming upon the king for whom he had a high reverence. Let not the dream trouble thee - Speak out, let the event be what it will. Belteshazzar said - What address and how excellent a spirit is shewn in this short preface.
Then Daniel (whose name was Belteshazzar) was astonied for one hour,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Those that come after the ruined sinner are said to be astonished at his day, as those that went before, and saw it coming (as Daniel here), were affrighted, Job xviii. The preface to the interpretation is a civil compliment which, as a courtier, he passes upon the king.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
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!”
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar - Dan 4:8. It has been objected that the mention in this edict of “both” the names by which Daniel was known is an improbable circumstance; that a pagan monarch would only have referred to him by the name by which he was known in Babylon - the name which he had himself conferred on him in honor of the god (“Belus”) after whom he was called. See the note at Dan 1:
The words behind it
26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֱדַ֨יִן | ʾedayin | then | H116 → | 57 times |
| דָּֽנִיֵּ֜אל | daniyel | Daniel | H1841 → | 57 times |
| דִּֽי־ | di- | who | H1768 → | 345 times |
| שְׁמֵ֣הּ | shemeh | name his | H8036 → | 12 times |
| בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֗ר | beleteshatzar | [was] Belteshazzar | H1096 → | 8 times |
| אֶשְׁתּוֹמַם֙ | ʾeshtomam | he was appalled | H8075 → | |
| כְּשָׁעָ֣ה | keshaah | about a moment | H8160 → | 5 times |
| חֲדָ֔ה | chadah | one | H2298 → | 14 times |
| וְרַעְיֹנֹ֖הִי | vera'yonohi | and thoughts his | H7476 → | 6 times |
| יְבַהֲלֻנֵּ֑הּ | yevahaluneh | they alarmed him | H927 → | 11 times |
| עָנֵ֨ה | ʾaneh | [was] replying | H6032 → | 30 times |
| מַלְכָּ֜א | malka' | king the | H4430 → | 180 times |
| וְאָמַ֗ר | veamar | and [was] saying | H560 → | 71 times |
| בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר֙ | beleteshatzar | O Belteshazzar | H1096 → | 8 times |
| חֶלְמָ֤א | chelma' | dream the | H2493 → | 22 times |
| וּפִשְׁרֵא֙ | ufishre' | and interpretation its | H6591 → | 31 times |
| אַֽל־ | ʾal- | may not | H409 → | 4 times |
| יְבַהֲלָ֔ךְ | yevahalakh | it alarm you | H927 → | 11 times |
| עָנֵ֤ה | ʾaneh | [was] replying | H6032 → | 30 times |
| בֵלְטְשַׁאצַּר֙ | veleteshatzar | Belteshazzar | H1096 → | 8 times |
| וְאָמַ֔ר | veamar | and [was] saying | H560 → | 71 times |
| מָרִ֕י | marei | O lord my | H4756 → | 4 times |
| חֶלְמָ֥א | chelma' | dream the | H2493 → | 22 times |
| לְשָֽׂנְאָ֖ךְ | lesaneayikh | [be] for enemy your | H8131 → | |
| וּפִשְׁרֵ֥הּ | ufishreh | and interpretation its | H6591 → | 31 times |
| לְעָרָֽךְ׃ | learayikh | [be] for adversaries your | H6146 → |
אֱדַ֨יִןthen
ʾedayinH116 →57 times
דָּֽנִיֵּ֜אלDaniel
daniyelH1841 →57 times
דִּֽי־who
di-H1768 →345 times
שְׁמֵ֣הּname his
shemehH8036 →12 times
בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֗ר[was] Belteshazzar
beleteshatzarH1096 →8 times
אֶשְׁתּוֹמַם֙he was appalled
ʾeshtomamH8075 →
כְּשָׁעָ֣הabout a moment
keshaahH8160 →5 times
חֲדָ֔הone
chadahH2298 →14 times
וְרַעְיֹנֹ֖הִיand thoughts his
vera'yonohiH7476 →6 times
יְבַהֲלֻנֵּ֑הּthey alarmed him
yevahalunehH927 →11 times
עָנֵ֨ה[was] replying
ʾanehH6032 →30 times
מַלְכָּ֜אking the
malka'H4430 →180 times
וְאָמַ֗רand [was] saying
veamarH560 →71 times
בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר֙O Belteshazzar
beleteshatzarH1096 →8 times
חֶלְמָ֤אdream the
chelma'H2493 →22 times
וּפִשְׁרֵא֙and interpretation its
ufishre'H6591 →31 times
אַֽל־may not
ʾal-H409 →4 times
יְבַהֲלָ֔ךְit alarm you
yevahalakhH927 →11 times
עָנֵ֤ה[was] replying
ʾanehH6032 →30 times
בֵלְטְשַׁאצַּר֙Belteshazzar
veleteshatzarH1096 →8 times
וְאָמַ֔רand [was] saying
veamarH560 →71 times
מָרִ֕יO lord my
mareiH4756 →4 times
חֶלְמָ֥אdream the
chelma'H2493 →22 times
לְשָֽׂנְאָ֖ךְ[be] for enemy your
lesaneayikhH8131 →
וּפִשְׁרֵ֥הּand interpretation its
ufishrehH6591 →31 times
לְעָרָֽךְ׃[be] for adversaries your
learayikhH6146 →
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 7:28Thus ends the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face turned pale. But I kept the matter to myself.”
it leads to
- Luke 2:19
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
- Luke 2:51
Then He went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But His mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
- Daniel 10:8
So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision. No strength remained in me; my face grew deathly pale, and I was powerless.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 2:19
Through
Daniel 8:27I, Daniel, was exhausted and lay ill for days. Then I got up and went about the king’s business. I was confounded by the vision; it was beyond understanding.
it leads to
- Daniel 7:28
Thus ends the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face turned pale. But I kept the matter to myself.”
- Habakkuk 3:16
I heard and trembled within; my lips quivered at the sound. Decay entered my bones; I trembled where I stood. Yet I must wait patiently for the day of distress to come upon the…
- Daniel 7:28
Through
1 Samuel 3:17“What was the message He gave you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God punish you, and ever so severely, if you hide from me anything He said to you.”
it leads to
- Ruth 1:17
Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”
- 2 Samuel 3:35
Then all the people came and urged David to eat something while it was still day, but David took an oath, saying, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if I taste bread…
- Ruth 1:17
Through
Daniel 4:24This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree that the Most High has issued against my lord the king:
it leads to
- Psalms 107:40
He pours out contempt on the nobles and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.
- Psalms 107:40
Where this verse is studied
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About Daniel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Daniel; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 4:19; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 3.7.4-9; 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; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.