Daniel 4:8
in Daniel 4But at last, into my presence came Daniel (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods). And I told him the dream:
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him, saying,
KJV
But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,
⋯
This verse in Daniel 4
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThen he described what happened in his second vision, as none of the magicians, soothsayers, and Chaldeans were able to declare the matter to the king, until Daniel was called who also described to Nebuchadnezzar his first vision, so that in all things God might glorify his own slaves the prophets beyond the other barbarians and foreign nations, who pretend to be flattered in their human wisdom, having practiced earthly learning.
This site's exposition
did not make known unto me
on Daniel 4:7-9
The magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans and soothsayers hear the dream told and did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof, the guild failing a second time exactly as it failed in chapter two. Daniel comes in last, called by his Babylonian name Belteshazzar after the king's own god, and the king's own words, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods, credit Daniel's gift to Babylon's pantheon even while seeking the one true answer no pagan art can give. Gill reads the king's confidence in Daniel here as built on the record of chapter two, a trust earned rather than assumed.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Verse 8. "'Then at last my associate, Daniel, whose name according to the name of my god is Belteshazzar, entered before my presence.'" With the exception of the Septuagint translators (who for some reason or other have omitted this whole passage), the other three translators have translated the word as "associate" (collega). Consequently by the judgment of the teachers of the Church, the Septuagint edition has been rejected in the case of this book, and it is the translation of Theodotion which is commonly read, since it agrees with the Hebrew as well as with the other translators.
The spirit filled the soul of Daniel with wisdom.… Even Nebuchadnezzar recognized that the Holy Spirit was in Daniel.… One thing he said was true and one was false. That he had the spirit was true, but he was not the chief of the magicians. He was no magician, but he was wise by the Holy Spirit.… You see the power of the Holy Spirit; they who had seen the vision do not understand, while they who had not seen it understand and interpret it.
We are not capable of glorifying God on our own; only in the Spirit is this made possible. In him we are able to thank God for the blessings we have received. To the extent that we are purified from evil, each receives a smaller or larger portion of the Spirit's help that each may offer the sacrifice of praise to God. If we offer glory to God, in the Spirit, we mean that the Spirit enables us to fulfill the requirements of true religion.… The words of Paul are appropriate: "I think I have the Spirit of God." … Likewise it is said concerning Daniel, "the Holy Spirit of God is in you."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He compliments Daniel very highly, takes notice of the name which he had himself given him, in the choice of which he thinks he was very happy and that it was a good omen: "His name was Belteshazzar, from Bel, the name of my god. " He applauds his rare endowments: He has the spirit of the holy gods, so he tells him to his face (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
But at the last Daniel came in before me,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
But at the last - After the others had shown that they could not interpret the dream. Why Daniel was not called with the others does not appear; nor is it said in what manner he was at last summoned into the presence of the king. It is probable that his skill on a former occasion Dan. 2 was remembered, and that when all the others showed that they had no power to interpret the dream, he was called in by Nebuchadnezzar.
The words behind it
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעַ֣ד | vead | and until | H5705 → | 35 times |
| אָחֳרֵ֡ין | ʾochorein | at last | H318 → | |
| עַל֩ | ʾal | he came in | H5954 → | 14 times |
| קָֽדָמַ֨י | kadamai | before me | H6925 → | 42 times |
| דָּנִיֵּ֜אל | daniyel | Daniel | H1841 → | 57 times |
| דִּֽי־ | di- | who | H1768 → | 345 times |
| שְׁמֵ֤הּ | shemeh | name his | H8036 → | 12 times |
| בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר֙ | beleteshatzar | [is] Belteshazzar | H1096 → | 8 times |
| כְּשֻׁ֣ם | keshum | like [the] name of | H8036 → | 12 times |
| אֱלָהִ֔י | ʾelahi | god my | H426 → | 95 times |
| וְדִ֛י | vedi | and who | H1768 → | 345 times |
| רֽוּחַ־ | ruach- | a spirit of | H7308 → | 11 times |
| אֱלָהִ֥ין | ʾelahin | gods | H426 → | 95 times |
| קַדִּישִׁ֖ין | kadishin | holy | H6922 → | 13 times |
| בֵּ֑הּ | beh | [is] in him | ||
| וְחֶלְמָ֖א | vechelma' | and dream the | H2493 → | 22 times |
| קָֽדָמ֥וֹהִי | kadamohi | before him | H6925 → | 42 times |
| אַמְרֵֽת׃ | ʾamret | I said | H560 → | 71 times |
וְעַ֣דand until
veadH5705 →35 times
אָחֳרֵ֡יןat last
ʾochoreinH318 →
עַל֩he came in
ʾalH5954 →14 times
קָֽדָמַ֨יbefore me
kadamaiH6925 →42 times
דָּנִיֵּ֜אלDaniel
daniyelH1841 →57 times
דִּֽי־who
di-H1768 →345 times
שְׁמֵ֤הּname his
shemehH8036 →12 times
בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר֙[is] Belteshazzar
beleteshatzarH1096 →8 times
כְּשֻׁ֣םlike [the] name of
keshumH8036 →12 times
אֱלָהִ֔יgod my
ʾelahiH426 →95 times
וְדִ֛יand who
vediH1768 →345 times
רֽוּחַ־a spirit of
ruach-H7308 →11 times
אֱלָהִ֥יןgods
ʾelahinH426 →95 times
קַדִּישִׁ֖יןholy
kadishinH6922 →13 times
בֵּ֑הּ[is] in him
beh
וְחֶלְמָ֖אand dream the
vechelma'H2493 →22 times
קָֽדָמ֥וֹהִיbefore him
kadamohiH6925 →42 times
אַמְרֵֽת׃I said
ʾamretH560 →71 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 1:7The chief official gave them new names: To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
it leads to
- Daniel 5:12
did this because Daniel, the one he named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, as well as knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Summon…
- Daniel 2:49
And at Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to manage the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king’s court.
- Daniel 5:12
Through
Daniel 4:9“O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery baffles you. So explain to me the visions I saw in my…
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.
- Daniel 5:11
There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that…
- Daniel 2:48
Through
Daniel 4:18This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you are able, because…
it leads to
- Daniel 5:15
Now the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this inscription and interpret it for me, but they could not give its interpretation.
- Genesis 41:8
In the morning his spirit was troubled, so he summoned all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.
- Genesis 41:15
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”
- Daniel 4:7–9
When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, and they could not interpret it for me.
- Daniel 5:15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About Daniel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Basil of Caesarea, ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 63; Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Daniel; Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 16:31; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 3.2.2-6; Jerome, St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER FOUR; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.