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Daniel 4:18

in Daniel 4

This 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 the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation; but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

KJV

This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

This verse in Daniel 4

Commentary

5 notes on this verse

This site's exposition

given the mind of a beast

on Daniel 4:16-18

The sentence takes from the king the mind of a man and gives him “the mind of a beast till seven times pass him by”. Its purpose, “that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind,” returns at verse 25 and from heaven at verse 32.

This site's exposition

But you are able

Albert Barnes notes that the king tells the whole dream without attempting an interpretation of his own. His wise men have failed again, as in verse 7. The king's confidence rests on the spirit he saw in Daniel, as he said in verse 9.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. 27 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 it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:98%@v26-27

This dream I King Nebuchadnezzar have seen,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen - This is the dream which I saw. He had detailed it at length as it appeared to him, without pretending to be able to explain it. Forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom ... - Dan 4:7. But thou art able ... - See the notes at Dan 4:9.

The words behind it

27 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • דְּנָה֙this

    denahH1836 →58 times

  • חֶלְמָ֣אdream the

    chelma'H2493 →22 times

  • חֲזֵ֔יתI saw

    chazeitH2370 →31 times

  • אֲנָ֖הI

    ʾanahH576 →16 times

  • מַלְכָּ֣אking the

    malka'H4430 →180 times

  • נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֑רNebuchadnezzar

    nevukhadnetzarH5020 →31 times

  • וְאַ֨נְתְּand you

    veantahH607 →15 times

  • בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֜רO Belteshazzar

    beleteshatzarH1096 →8 times

  • פִּשְׁרֵ֣א׀interpretation its

    pishre'H6591 →31 times

  • אֱמַ֗רtell!

    ʾemarH560 →71 times

  • כָּל־as to

    kol-

  • קֳבֵל֙because

    kovelH6903 →29 times

  • דִּ֣י׀that

    diH1768 →345 times

  • כָּל־all

    kol-H3606 →82 times

  • חַכִּימֵ֣י[the] wise men of

    chakimeiH2445 →14 times

  • מַלְכוּתִ֗יkingdom my

    malkhutiH4437 →57 times

  • לָֽא־not

    la'-H3809 →82 times

  • יָכְלִ֤ין[are] able

    yakhelinH3202 →11 times

  • פִּשְׁרָא֙interpretation the

    pishra'H6591 →31 times

  • לְהוֹדָ֣עֻתַ֔נִיto make known to me

    lehodautaniH3046 →47 times

  • וְאַ֣נְתְּand you

    veantahH607 →15 times

  • כָּהֵ֔ל[are] able

    kahelH3546 →4 times

  • דִּ֛יwho

    diH1768 →345 times

  • רֽוּחַ־a spirit of

    ruach-H7308 →11 times

  • אֱלָהִ֥יןgods

    ʾelahinH426 →95 times

  • קַדִּישִׁ֖יןholy

    kadishinH6922 →13 times

  • בָּֽךְ׃[is] in you

    bakh

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    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.

    it leads to

    • Daniel 4:7

      When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, and they could not interpret it for me.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Exodus 7:22

      But the magicians of Egypt did the same things by their magic arts. So Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.

    • Isaiah 29:14

      Therefore I will again confound these people with wonder upon wonder. The wisdom of the wise will vanish, and the intelligence of the intelligent will be hidden.”

  • Through

    Daniel 5:8

    So all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or interpret it for him.

    it leads to

    • Daniel 2:27

      Daniel answered the king, “No wise man, enchanter, medium, or magician can explain to the king the mystery of which he inquires.

    • 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.

  • Through

    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.”

    it leads to

    • Daniel 5:16

      But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in…

  • Through

    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.

    it leads to

    • Daniel 5:7–8

      The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be…

    • Isaiah 47:12

      So take your stand with your spells and with your many sorceries, with which you have wearied yourself from your youth. Perhaps you will succeed; perhaps you will inspire terror!

Where this verse is studied

About Daniel

Daniel among the Exiles, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Daniel among the Exiles, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Daniel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.