Daniel 4:36
in Daniel 4At the same time my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne, and surpassing greatness was added to me.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
At the same time mine understanding returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added unto me.
KJV
At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.
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This verse in Daniel 4
Commentary
9 notes on this verseVerse 36. "'And my nobles and officers sought me out and I was restored to my kingdom, and all the greater magnificence accrued to me.'" Well then, according to those who argue against the historical character of this account, all the angelic powers are going to seek out the devil again, and he will increase to such a degree of might, that the very one who formerly exalted himself against God is going to be greater than he was before his sin.
This site's exposition
my reason returned unto me
on Daniel 4:36-37
At the same time my reason returned unto me closes the circle from verse 33, the kingdom, honour and brightness restored once the heart that had been given a beast's has been given back a man's, and counsellors and lords sought him out the moment his sanity is confirmed. The chapter's last word is the doxology it opened preparing, I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment, and the final line names the lesson without needing another sentence to explain it, those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Squalid and dirty, in all likelihood, unkempt and with nails grown long, he washed away the dirt, and thanks to divine grace he was recognized as the person who previously had administered the mighty kingdom. "My rulers and my nobility sought me out": they put …
And so we find in the records that Nebuchadnezzar reigned twenty-five years. For after he reigned the first eighteen years, then after being lifted up, he set up the image. Then after twelve months this happened to him and he was banished from men and his kingdom was taken from him. And when he humbled himself and begged the Lord and confessed and entreated God the Most High, he was sought by his magistrates and having returned, he reigned again for seven years. Just as he himself also described saying, "And after the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven and my thoughts returned to me and I blessed the Most High and praised and glorified him who lives forever, because his authority is an eternal authority and his kingdom is from generation to generation and all who dwell upon the earth are reckoned as nothing, and according to his will he does in the power of heaven and in the dwelling of the earth, and there is not anyone who shall stand against his hand and will say to him, 'What have you done?' In the same season my thoughts returned to me and I came into the honor of my kingdom. And my form returned to me and my princes and my magistrates sought me, and I was strengthened over my kingdom and extravagant majesty was added to me. […]
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Brightness - I had again the majesty of a king in my countenance. I was established - In wonted power and place, owned and obeyed, by all. Majesty was added - He was the most august and magnificient prince on earth, much more so than before.
At the same time my reason returned unto me,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
An inscription in the East India Company's Museum is read as describing the period of Nebuchadnezzar's insanity [G. In the so-called standard inscription read by SIR H.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-brackets
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
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 counselors and his lords, who received him gladly, and cleaved to and served him as they had formerly done.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
At the same time my reason returned unto me - Showing that he regarded himself as having been insane. And for the glory of my kingdom - That is, his restoration to the exercise of his reason contributed to the glory of his kingdom, either by the acts of justice and beneficence which he intended should characterize the remainder of his reign, or by his purpose to reform the abuses which had crept into the government while he was deprived of his reason, or by his determination to complete public works which had been purposed or commenced before his affliction. Mine honor and brightness returned unto me - Evidently referring to his intellect. He was again restored to that strength and clearness of understanding by which, before his affliction, he had been able to do so much for the glory of his kingdom. And my counselors and my lords sought unto me - As they had done formerly. During his state of mental alienation, of course, the great lords of the empire would not resort to him for counsel. And excellent majesty was added unto me - Majesty and honor appropriate to my state, instead of the treatment incident to the condition of a maniac; Theodotion renders this, “and greater majesty was added to me.” It is by no means improbable that additional honor would be conferred on the recovered monarch.
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בֵּהּ־ | beh- | at it | ||
| זִמְנָ֞א | zimna' | time the | H2166 → | 11 times |
| מַנְדְּעִ֣י׀ | mandei | understanding my | H4486 → | 4 times |
| יְת֣וּב | yetuv | it returned | H8421 → | 8 times |
| עֲלַ֗י | ʾalai | to me | H5922 → | 104 times |
| וְלִיקַ֨ר | velikar | and to [the] honor of | H3367 → | 7 times |
| מַלְכוּתִ֜י | malkhuti | kingdom my | H4437 → | 57 times |
| הַדְרִ֤י | hadri | majesty my | H1923 → | 3 times |
| וְזִוִי֙ | vezivi | and splendor my | H2122 → | 6 times |
| יְת֣וּב | yetuv | it returned | H8421 → | 8 times |
| עֲלַ֔י | ʾalai | to me | H5922 → | 104 times |
| וְלִ֕י | veli | and <obj.> me | ||
| הַדָּֽבְרַ֥י | hadaverai | counselors my | H1907 → | 4 times |
| וְרַבְרְבָנַ֖י | veravrevanai | and nobles my | H7261 → | 8 times |
| יְבַע֑וֹן | yevaon | they sought | H1156 → | 12 times |
| וְעַל־ | veal- | and over | H5922 → | 104 times |
| מַלְכוּתִ֣י | malkhuti | kingdom my | H4437 → | 57 times |
| הָתְקְנַ֔ת | hatekenat | it was established | H8627 → | |
| וּרְב֥וּ | urevu | and greatness | H7238 → | 5 times |
| יַתִּירָ֖ה | yatirah | surpassing | H3493 → | 8 times |
| ה֥וּסְפַת | husefat | it was added | H3255 → | |
| לִֽי׃ | li | to me |
בֵּהּ־at it
beh-
זִמְנָ֞אtime the
zimna'H2166 →11 times
מַנְדְּעִ֣י׀understanding my
mandeiH4486 →4 times
יְת֣וּבit returned
yetuvH8421 →8 times
עֲלַ֗יto me
ʾalaiH5922 →104 times
וְלִיקַ֨רand to [the] honor of
velikarH3367 →7 times
מַלְכוּתִ֜יkingdom my
malkhutiH4437 →57 times
הַדְרִ֤יmajesty my
hadriH1923 →3 times
וְזִוִי֙and splendor my
veziviH2122 →6 times
יְת֣וּבit returned
yetuvH8421 →8 times
עֲלַ֔יto me
ʾalaiH5922 →104 times
וְלִ֕יand <obj.> me
veli
הַדָּֽבְרַ֥יcounselors my
hadaveraiH1907 →4 times
וְרַבְרְבָנַ֖יand nobles my
veravrevanaiH7261 →8 times
יְבַע֑וֹןthey sought
yevaonH1156 →12 times
וְעַל־and over
veal-H5922 →104 times
מַלְכוּתִ֣יkingdom my
malkhutiH4437 →57 times
הָתְקְנַ֔תit was established
hatekenatH8627 →
וּרְב֥וּand greatness
urevuH7238 →5 times
יַתִּירָ֖הsurpassing
yatirahH3493 →8 times
ה֥וּסְפַתit was added
husefatH3255 →
לִֽי׃to me
li
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
Matthew 6:33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
it leads to
- Psalms 34:9–10
Fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 12:31
But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added unto you.
- Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
- John 6:27
Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of…
- Psalms 84:11–12
For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.
- Psalms 34:9–10
Through
Proverbs 22:4The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life.
it leads to
- Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
- James 4:10
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.
- Proverbs 21:21
He who pursues righteousness and loving devotion finds life, righteousness, and honor.
- Matthew 6:33
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
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 3.11.1-5; 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 4:36.