Daniel 4:27
in Daniel 4Therefore, may my advice be pleasing to you, O king. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed. Perhaps there will be an extension of your prosperity.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if there may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
KJV
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
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This verse in Daniel 4
Commentary
9 notes on this verseVerse 27. "'Wherefore, O king, let my counsel meet with thy favor, and make up for thy sins by deeds of charity, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps God will forgive thy transgressions.'" Since he had previously pronounced the sentence of God, which of course cannot be altered, how could he exhort the king to deeds of charity and acts of mercy towards the poor?
This site's exposition
break off thy sins by righteousness
Daniel's counsel is the one word of pastoral appeal in the whole scene, break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor, a call to repentance offered as the one door left before the sentence falls, if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity. The bench reads Daniel's if as genuine hope rather than formality, the prophet who has just pronounced unavoidable judgment still pressing for the king's own choice to soften what is coming.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
How does that insolence and the mighty arrogance of words and the great and terrible flame of the furnace aid Nebuchadnezzar when he is not master of his own soul? And on account of this the blessed Daniel became his counselor, like a good doctor who wishes to heal his hurts. Now he said, "Let my counsel please you and redeem your sins in alms and your unrighteous deeds by pity on the poor. Perhaps he will be patient upon your trespasses." [Daniel 4:27]
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? 31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken;
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
If it may be - Daniel was not certain of pardon for him, nor did he altogether despair of it. With what wisdom and tenderness does he speak: and yet with what plainness?
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to thee,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee - Daniel was permitted to see not only the fact that this calamity impended over the king, but the cause of it, and as that cause was his proud and sinful heart, he supposed that the judgment might be averted if the king would reform his life. If the “cause” were removed, he inferred, not unreasonably, that there was a hope that the calamity might be avoided.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
break off--as a galling yoke (Ge 27:40); sin is a heavy load (Mt 11:28). The Septuagint and Vulgate translate not so well, "redeem," which is made an argument for Rome's doctrine of the expiation of sins by meritorious works.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
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.
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לָהֵ֣ן | lahen | therefore | H2006 → | 19 times |
| מַלְכָּ֗א | malka' | king O | H4430 → | 180 times |
| מִלְכִּי֙ | milki | advice my | H4431 → | |
| יִשְׁפַּ֣ר | yishpar | let it be acceptable | H8232 → | 3 times |
| עֲלָ֔ךְ | alayikh | to you | H5922 → | 104 times |
| וַחֲטָאָךְ֙ | vachatayakh | and sin your | H2408 → | |
| בְּצִדְקָ֣ה | betzidkah | by right doing | H6665 → | |
| פְרֻ֔ק | feruk | break off! | H6562 → | |
| וַעֲוָיָתָ֖ךְ | vaavayatakh | and iniquities your | H5758 → | |
| בְּמִחַ֣ן | bemichan | by showing mercy to | H2604 → | |
| עֲנָ֑יִן | ʾanayin | poor people | H6033 → | |
| הֵ֛ן | hen | whether | H2006 → | 19 times |
| תֶּהֱוֵ֥א | teheve' | it will be | H1934 → | 71 times |
| אַרְכָ֖ה | ʾarkhah | a prolonging | H754 → | |
| לִשְׁלֵוְתָֽךְ׃ | lishlevetakh | of prosperity your | H7963 → |
לָהֵ֣ןtherefore
lahenH2006 →19 times
מַלְכָּ֗אking O
malka'H4430 →180 times
מִלְכִּי֙advice my
milkiH4431 →
יִשְׁפַּ֣רlet it be acceptable
yishparH8232 →3 times
עֲלָ֔ךְto you
alayikhH5922 →104 times
וַחֲטָאָךְ֙and sin your
vachatayakhH2408 →
בְּצִדְקָ֣הby right doing
betzidkahH6665 →
פְרֻ֔קbreak off!
ferukH6562 →
וַעֲוָיָתָ֖ךְand iniquities your
vaavayatakhH5758 →
בְּמִחַ֣ןby showing mercy to
bemichanH2604 →
עֲנָ֑יִןpoor people
ʾanayinH6033 →
הֵ֛ןwhether
henH2006 →19 times
תֶּהֱוֵ֥אit will be
teheve'H1934 →71 times
אַרְכָ֖הa prolonging
ʾarkhahH754 →
לִשְׁלֵוְתָֽךְ׃of prosperity your
lishlevetakhH7963 →
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
Jonah 3:9Who knows? God may turn and relent; He may turn from His fierce anger, so that we will not perish.”
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 12:22
David answered, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let him live.’
- Joel 2:13–14
So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.
- Psalms 106:45
And He remembered His covenant with them, and relented by the abundance of His loving devotion.
- 2 Samuel 12:22
Through
Acts 8:22Repent, therefore, of your wickedness, and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive you for the intent of your heart.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 2:25–26
He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.
- Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- Matthew 7:7–8
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
- Acts 9:11
“Get up!” the Lord told him. “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
- Romans 2:4
Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?
- 2 Timothy 2:25–26
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About Daniel
This page draws on 9 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); Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 3.7.2-3; 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.