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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Daniel recounts Nebuchadnezzar’s humiliation to Belshazzar during the royal feast when the mysterious writing appears on the wall.

The words — The Hebrew phrase וּמִן־ בְּנֵי אֲנָשָׁא (u/min be.Nei 'a.na.Sha) literally translates to "and away from the sons of men," marking total removal from human society.

The thread — This motif of divine displacement reappears in Daniel 4:25 and echoes the sovereign leveling of power in Ezekiel 17:24.

Why it lands — The text states that physical degradation precedes the acknowledgment of God's absolute authority to rule and appoint kings. It demands recognition that human power is contingent on divine permission.

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

וּמִן־u./min-and/ away from בְּנֵי֩be.Nei[the] sons of אֲנָשָׁ֨א'a.na.Sha/'<the>/ humankind טְרִ֜ידte.Ridhe was chased וְלִבְבֵ֣הּ׀ve./li.Ve/hand/ heart/ his עִם־'im-with חֵיוְתָ֣אcheiv.Ta/'animal[s]/ the שַׁוִּ֗יְוshe.vithey made וְעִם־ve./'im-and/ [was] with עֲרָֽדַיָּא֙'a.ra.dai.Ya/'wild donkeys/ the מְדוֹרֵ֔הּme.do.Re/hdwelling place/ his עִשְׂבָּ֤א'is.Ba/'<the>/ grass כְתוֹרִין֙khe./to.Rinlike/ oxen יְטַ֣עֲמוּנֵּ֔הּye.Ta.'a.mu.Ne/hthey fed/ him וּמִטַּ֥לu./mi./Taland/ from/ [the] dew of שְׁמַיָּ֖אshe.mai.Ya/'heavens/ the גִּשְׁמֵ֣הּgish.Me/hbody/ his יִצְטַבַּ֑עyitz.ta.Ba'it became wet עַ֣ד'aduntil דִּֽי־di-that יְדַ֗עye.Da'he knew דִּֽי־di-that שַׁלִּ֞יטsha.Lit[was] having mastery אֱלָהָ֤א'e.la.Ha/'<the>/ God עִלָּאָה֙i.la.ya/'Most High/ the בְּמַלְכ֣וּתbe./mal.Khutover/ [the] kingdom of אֲנָשָׁ֔א'a.na.Sha/'<the>/ humankind וּלְמַן־u./le./man-and/ to/ whomever דִּ֥יdiwhom יִצְבֵּ֖הyitz.Behhe will be pleased יְהָקֵ֥יםye.ha.Keimhe will appoint עֲלַֽהּ׃a.la.ye/hover/ it

King James Version

And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.

Cross-references

Daniel 4:25 You will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. You will feed on grass like an ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.
Ezekiel 17:24 Then all the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD. I bring the tall tree down and make the low tree tall. I dry up the green tree and make the withered tree flourish. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done it.’”
Daniel 4:17 This decision is the decree of the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones, so that the living will know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes, setting over it the lowliest of men.’
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?’”
Exodus 9:14 Otherwise, I will send all My plagues against you and your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth.
Job 30:3 Gaunt from poverty and hunger, they gnawed the dry land, and the desolate wasteland by night.
Psalms 83:17 May they be ever ashamed and terrified; may they perish in disgrace.
Daniel 4:32 You will be driven away from mankind to live with the beasts of the field, and you will feed on grass like an ox. And seven times will pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.”
Daniel 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride.