Daniel 4:35

All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Nebuchadnezzar speaks this declaration after his sanity is restored but before his throne and honor are fully reinstated. He addresses the Most High, acknowledging divine authority following his period of madness.

The words — חֲשִׁיבִ֔ין (cha.shi.Vin) literally means "considered" or "counted," and מִצְבְּיֵ֗/הּ (mitz.be.Ye/h) translates to "pleases" or "counsel." The text states these peoples are counted as nothing while God acts according to His own will.

The thread — This theme of unthwarted divine action appears in Job 42:2, Psalms 115:3, and Psalms 135:6. These passages collectively affirm that God executes His will without human interference or accountability.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that God’s actions require no justification to human observers. Readers are asked to accept divine sovereignty as an established fact rather than a subject for human debate.

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

וְכָל־ve./kholand/ all דָּיְרֵ֤יda.'a.rei[the] inhabitants of אַרְעָא֙'ar.'A/'earth/ the כְּלָ֣הke./Lah[are] as/ not חֲשִׁיבִ֔יןcha.shi.Vinconsidered וּֽכְמִצְבְּיֵ֗הּu./khe./mitz.be.Ye/hand/ as/ pleases/ he עָבֵד֙'a.Ved[he is] doing בְּחֵ֣ילbe./Cheilwith/ [the] army of שְׁמַיָּ֔אshe.mai.Ya/'heavens/ the וְדָיְרֵ֖יve./da.'a.reiand/ [the] inhabitants of אַרְעָ֑א'ar.'A/'earth/ the וְלָ֤אve./La'and/ not אִיתַי֙'i.Taithere דִּֽי־di-[is] who יְמַחֵ֣אye.ma.Che'he will strike בִידֵ֔הּvi./De/hon/ hand/ his וְיֵ֥אמַרve./Ye.marso/ he may sayלֵ֖הּle/hto/ himמָ֥הmahwhat?עֲבַֽדְתְּ׃'a.Vadthave you done

King James Version

And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Cross-references

Job 42:2 “I know that You can do all things and that no plan of Yours can be thwarted.
Psalms 135:6 The LORD does all that pleases Him in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and in all their depths.
Psalms 115:3 Our God is in heaven; He does as He pleases.
Romans 11:33 O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
Isaiah 40:15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are considered a speck of dust on the scales; He lifts up the islands like fine dust.
Isaiah 43:13 Even from eternity I am He, and none can deliver out of My hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”
Ephesians 1:11 In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,
Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
Acts 4:28 They carried out what Your hand and will had decided beforehand would happen.
Romans 9:19 One of you will say to me, “Then why does God still find fault? For who can resist His will?”