Daniel 4:15-16

4:15 But leave its taproot ¹  in the ground,

with a band of iron and bronze around it ² 

surrounded by the grass of the field.

Let it become damp with the dew of the sky,

and let it live with ³  the animals in the grass of the land.

4:16 Let his mind ⁴  be altered from that of a human being,

and let an animal’s mind be given to him,

and let seven periods of time ⁵  go by for ⁶  him.

Daniel 4:32

4:32 You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and seven periods of time will pass by for you before ⁷  you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.”

¹ tn Aram “the stock of its root.” So also v. 23. The implication here is that although the tree is chopped down, it is not killed. Its life-giving root is spared. The application to Nebuchadnezzar is obvious.

² sn The function of the band of iron and bronze is not entirely clear, but it may have had to do with preventing the splitting or further deterioration of the portion of the tree that was left after being chopped down. By application it would then refer to the preservation of Nebuchadnezzar’s life during the time of his insanity.

³ tn Aram “its lot be.”

⁴ tn Aram “its heart.” The metaphor of the tree begins to fade here and the reality behind the symbol (the king) begins to emerge.

⁵ sn The seven periods of time probably refer to seven years.

⁶ tn Aram “over” (also in vv. 23, 25, 32).

⁷ tn Aram “until.”