Daniel 4:32

God's power and sovereignty Humility

³⁰ The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?

³¹ While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.

And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

³³ The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.

³⁴ And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: 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.”
KJV: And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
WEB: You shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like oxen. Seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.’”
ASV: and thou shalt be driven from men; and they dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen; and seven times shall pass over thee; until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
DARBY: and they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High ruleth over the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
BLB: And they shall drive you away from men, and your dwelling [shall be] with the beasts of the field; they shall make you eat you grass like oxen, and seven times shall pass over you, until when you come to know that the Most High [is] ruling over the kingdom of man, and to whom that He chooses, He gives it.”

ÅB: fra menneskene blir du utstøtt, og hos markens dyr skal din bolig være, urter skal du spise slik som oksene, og syv tider skal skride fram over deg, inntil du sanner at den Høyeste har makt over kongedømmet blant menneskene og gir det til den han vil.
OTB: Du skal bli drevet bort fra menneskene, og din bolig skal være med markens dyr. Du skal spise gress som okser, og syv tider skal gå over deg, til du vet at Den Høyeste hersker i menneskenes rike og gir det til hvem Han vil."
B1930: fra menneskene blir du utstøtt, og hos markens dyr skal din bolig være, urter skal du ete likesom oksene, og syv tider skal skride frem over dig, inntil du sanner at den Høieste har makt over kongedømmet blandt menneskene og gir det til den han vil.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Daniel 5:21
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.
Read in context
Jeremiah 27:5
I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.
Read in context
Proverbs 8:15–16
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
Read in context
Job 12:18–21
He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
Read in context
Exodus 9:29
And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD’s.
Read in context
Exodus 8:10
And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God.
Read in context
Joshua 4:24
That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.
Read in context
Isaiah 37:20
Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only.
Read in context