Daniel 4:23

And you, O king, saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying: ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and graze with the beasts of the field till seven times pass him by.’

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Daniel speaks to King Nebuchadnezzar while interpreting the vision of the great tree. He delivers this explanation immediately after identifying the monarch as the tree whose reach extended to the sky.

The words — The text employs עִיר ('ir) for watcher and קַדִישׁ (qadish) for holy one. These terms identify the celestial figure descending from heaven to issue the decree.

The thread — The vision initially appears in Daniel 4:13 when Daniel records his dream. The decree's outcome aligns with Daniel 5:21, where the king's mind becomes like a beast's and he grazes with wild animals.

Why it lands — The verse states that a heavenly figure commands the destruction of earthly power while preserving a remnant. It requires the reader to acknowledge that divine judgment precedes human pride and that sovereignty belongs to God alone.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְדִ֣יve./Diand/ that חֲזָ֣הcha.Zahhe saw מַלְכָּ֡אmal.Ka/'king/ the עִ֣יר'ira watcher וְקַדִּ֣ישׁve./ka.Dishand/ a holy [one]נָחִ֣ת׀na.Chitcoming down מִן־min-from שְׁמַיָּ֡אshe.mai.Ya/'heavens/ the וְאָמַר֩ve./'a.Marand/ saying גֹּ֨דּוּGo.ducut down!אִֽילָנָ֜א'i.la.Na/'tree/ the וְחַבְּל֗וּהִיve./cha.be.Lu./hiand/ destroy/ it בְּרַ֨םbe.Ramnevertheless עִקַּ֤ר'i.Kar[the] stump of שָׁרְשׁ֙וֹהִי֙sha.re.Sho./hiroots/ its בְּאַרְעָ֣אbe./'ar.'A/'in/ ground/ the שְׁבֻ֔קוּshe.Vu.kuleave!וּבֶאֱסוּר֙u./ve./'e.Surand/ with/ a fetter דִּֽי־di-of פַרְזֶ֣לfar.Zeliron וּנְחָ֔שׁu./ne.Chashand/ bronze בְּדִתְאָ֖אbe./dit.'A/'in/ grass/ the דִּ֣יdiof בָרָ֑אva.Ra/'field/ the וּבְטַ֧לu./ve./Taland/ with/ [the] dew of שְׁמַיָּ֣אshe.mai.Ya/'heavens/ the יִצְטַבַּ֗עyitz.ta.Ba'let it become wet וְעִם־ve./'im-and/ [be] with חֵיוַ֤תchei.Vat[the] animal[s] of בָּרָא֙ba.Ra/'field/ the חֲלָקֵ֔הּcha.la.Ke/hportion/ its עַ֛ד'aduntil דִּֽי־di-that שִׁבְעָ֥הshiv.'Ahseven עִדָּנִ֖ין'i.da.Nintimes יַחְלְפ֥וּןyach.le.Funthey will pass עֲלֽוֹהִי׃a.Lo./hiover/ it

King James Version

And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;

Cross-references

Daniel 5:21 He was driven away from mankind, and his mind was like that of a beast. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, setting over it whom He wishes.
Daniel 4:13 As I lay on my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven.