Daniel 4:18
in Daniel 4This 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.
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This verse in Daniel 4
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis 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
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
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| דְּנָה֙ | denah | this | H1836 → | 58 times |
| חֶלְמָ֣א | chelma' | dream the | H2493 → | 22 times |
| חֲזֵ֔ית | chazeit | I saw | H2370 → | 31 times |
| אֲנָ֖ה | ʾanah | I | H576 → | 16 times |
| מַלְכָּ֣א | malka' | king the | H4430 → | 180 times |
| נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֑ר | nevukhadnetzar | Nebuchadnezzar | H5020 → | 31 times |
| וְאַ֨נְתְּ | veantah | and you | H607 → | 15 times |
| בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֜ר | beleteshatzar | O Belteshazzar | H1096 → | 8 times |
| פִּשְׁרֵ֣א׀ | pishre' | interpretation its | H6591 → | 31 times |
| אֱמַ֗ר | ʾemar | tell! | H560 → | 71 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | as to | ||
| קֳבֵל֙ | kovel | because | H6903 → | 29 times |
| דִּ֣י׀ | di | that | H1768 → | 345 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3606 → | 82 times |
| חַכִּימֵ֣י | chakimei | [the] wise men of | H2445 → | 14 times |
| מַלְכוּתִ֗י | malkhuti | kingdom my | H4437 → | 57 times |
| לָֽא־ | la'- | not | H3809 → | 82 times |
| יָכְלִ֤ין | yakhelin | [are] able | H3202 → | 11 times |
| פִּשְׁרָא֙ | pishra' | interpretation the | H6591 → | 31 times |
| לְהוֹדָ֣עֻתַ֔נִי | lehodautani | to make known to me | H3046 → | 47 times |
| וְאַ֣נְתְּ | veantah | and you | H607 → | 15 times |
| כָּהֵ֔ל | kahel | [are] able | H3546 → | 4 times |
| דִּ֛י | di | who | H1768 → | 345 times |
| רֽוּחַ־ | ruach- | a spirit of | H7308 → | 11 times |
| אֱלָהִ֥ין | ʾelahin | gods | H426 → | 95 times |
| קַדִּישִׁ֖ין | kadishin | holy | H6922 → | 13 times |
| בָּֽךְ׃ | bakh | [is] in you |
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 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
Genesis 41:8In 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.”
- Daniel 4:7
Through
Daniel 5:8So 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.
- Daniel 2:27
Through
Genesis 41:15Pharaoh 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…
- Daniel 5:16
Through
Daniel 5:15Now 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!
- Daniel 5:7–8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About Daniel

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.
