Daniel 5:17

Daniel Interprets the Handwriting on the Wall

5:17 But Daniel replied to the king, “Keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else! However, I will read the writing for the king and make known its ¹  interpretation.

Daniel 2:28

2:28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, ²  and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the times to come. ³  The dream and the visions you had while lying on your bed ⁴  are as follows.

Daniel 4:15

4:15 But leave its taproot ⁵  in the ground,

with a band of iron and bronze around it ⁶ 

surrounded by the grass of the field.

Let it become damp with the dew of the sky,

and let it live with ⁷  the animals in the grass of the land.

Daniel 4:23

4:23 As for the king seeing a holy sentinel coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the wild animals, until seven periods of time go by for him’ –

¹ tn Or “the.”

² tn Aram “a revealer of mysteries.” The phrase serves as a quasi-title for God in Daniel.

³ tn Aram “in the latter days.”

⁴ tn Aram “your dream and the visions of your head upon your bed.”

³ 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.

⁴ 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.

⁵ tn Aram “its lot be.”