Daniel 4 – The Humbling of a King
Daniel 4 records a royal testimony like no other—King Nebuchadnezzar tells how pride led to his fall, and how God restored him after he recognized heaven’s rule. This chapter reveals how God reaches even the proudest hearts, and that true greatness comes through humility.
When God Humbles Kings to Reveal His Glory
Daniel 4 is a divine interruption in the pride of power. Nebuchadnezzar learns—through a dream and seven years of madness—that no ruler stands above God. This chapter, written in the king’s own words, is a declaration of who truly reigns in heaven and on earth.
✔ Nebuchadnezzar receives a second dream.
✔ Daniel interprets it as a warning to repent.
✔ The king ignores it and is driven to madness.
✔ God restores him when he looks to heaven.
📖 Key Verse: “They that walk in pride he is able to abase.” – Daniel 4:37
🔎 God’s power isn’t just to reveal dreams—but to transform hearts through mercy and judgment.
Daniel Chapter 4 Overview
Daniel 4:1–18 – The Tree and the Warning Dream
📖 Daniel 4:1–3 – “Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people… I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.”
🔎 The chapter begins with a public testimony:
🔹 This is Nebuchadnezzar’s personal proclamation—a unique moment where a pagan king praises the Most High before telling how he was humbled.
🔹 It sets the tone: what follows is not merely history—it’s confession, witness, and warning.
🔹 He declares God’s eternal kingdom, contrasting it with his temporary earthly reign.
➡️ Spiritual Insight: Every testimony of God’s work—especially from the least expected mouths—can become a trumpet of truth to the world.
📖 Daniel 4:4–5 – “I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house… I saw a dream which made me afraid.”
🔎 Pride is most dangerous in seasons of peace:
🔹 “At rest” and “flourishing” symbolize complacency and self-confidence.
🔹 God interrupts his comfort with fear, reminding him that security apart from heaven is fragile.
🔹 The king has faced divine dreams before—he knows when heaven is speaking.
➡️ Devotional Warning: God often sends disruption not to destroy—but to warn and wake us from spiritual slumber.
📖 Daniel 4:6–9 – “I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation…”
🔎 The failure of Babylon’s wise men reappears:
🔹 Once again, the magicians and astrologers are powerless before a divine message.
🔹 Nebuchadnezzar now turns to Daniel—whom he calls by his Hebrew title and acknowledges as Spirit-filled.
🔹 This growing respect for Daniel shows the king’s internal shift, though not yet full surrender.
➡️ End-Time Pattern: The world’s systems will fail to interpret the times—but God’s people, filled with His Spirit, will be able to make known His will.
📖 Daniel 4:10–17 – “I saw a tree in the midst of the earth… the height thereof reached unto heaven…”
🔎 The dream of the great tree is filled with prophetic imagery:
🔹 A towering tree represents a powerful, influential kingdom—Nebuchadnezzar’s own empire.
🔹 Its size, fruitfulness, and provision reflect Babylon’s vast reach and wealth.
🔹 The command to cut it down shows a coming judgment for pride and self-exaltation.
🔹 The stump bound with iron and brass symbolizes preservation during discipline—God will not destroy him completely.
📖 Daniel 4:17 – “This matter is by the decree of the watchers…”
🔹 “Watchers” – angelic beings who carry out God’s judgments and observe human affairs.
🔹 “That the living may know…” – This is the core message: God alone rules, and gives kingdoms to whomever He will—even the lowest.
➡️ Prophetic Echo: Just like this tree, empires will rise and fall until God’s kingdom stands alone (see Daniel 2:44). Pride leads to collapse, but God’s mercy preserves the repentant.
📖 Daniel 4:18 – “Thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation…”
🔎 The king turns again to Daniel—not out of desperation, but recognition of divine truth:
🔹 He trusts that Daniel’s connection to God can unlock the meaning.
🔹 This sets up a moment of bold prophetic confrontation—Daniel must now speak hard truth to power.
➡️ Spiritual Note: God places His messengers in positions of trust—not to flatter kings, but to warn them in love.
Daniel 4:19–27 – The Plea to Repent
📖 Daniel 4:19 – “Then Daniel… was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him.”
🔎 The prophet is distressed by what he must say:
🔹 “Astonied” – literally stunned or speechless. Daniel is overwhelmed with concern for the king.
🔹 He cares about Nebuchadnezzar, even though this is the same man who once threw his friends into fire.
🔹 The true spirit of a prophet is not just boldness—it’s burdened love for souls, even those in power.
➡️ Spiritual Insight: Truth must be spoken with courage, but delivered with compassion and sorrow (see Ezekiel 33:11).
📖 Daniel 4:20–22 – “It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong…”
🔎 Daniel interprets the tree: it is Nebuchadnezzar himself.
🔹 The tree’s greatness mirrors the king’s rise to global dominance and splendor.
🔹 Daniel doesn’t flatter or soften the message—he speaks plainly.
🔹 The king’s strength and glory are acknowledged, but it is clear: God gave it.
➡️ Key Principle: All earthly greatness is on loan from heaven—and can be revoked if misused.
📖 Daniel 4:23–25 – “They shall drive thee from men… till thou know that the most High ruleth…”
🔎 The judgment is shocking:
🔹 The king will lose his mind, position, and dignity, living like an animal for “seven times” (likely seven years).
🔹 This is no ordinary madness—it’s divinely appointed humiliation, a total stripping of pride.
🔹 The purpose is not destruction—it’s revelation: that God rules in the kingdom of men.
➡️ Prophetic Pattern: Just as Babylon will fall later (Daniel 5), its king first undergoes a personal fall—both driven by pride.
📖 Daniel 4:26 – “Thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known…”
🔎 God offers hope even in judgment:
🔹 The stump imagery returns—restoration is promised, but only after humility.
🔹 The kingdom will remain in waiting, like a throne covered in dust, until the king lifts his eyes upward.
🔹 This verse is pure grace—God disciplines, but He also preserves for restoration.
➡️ Spiritual Truth: God humbles us to heal us. He never takes without offering a way back.
📖 Daniel 4:27 – “Break off thy sins by righteousness… and thine iniquities by shewing mercy…”
🔎 A call to repentance:
🔹 “Break off thy sins” – This is decisive language. Real repentance isn’t passive—it breaks, changes, separates.
🔹 Righteousness and mercy are paired—turn from sin, and turn toward others with justice and compassion.
🔹 Daniel pleads with the king: “Maybe this warning doesn’t have to be fulfilled.” It’s an echo of Jonah’s call to Nineveh.
➡️ End-Time Parallel: Before judgment falls, God always gives space to repent (Revelation 2:21). What we do with that moment determines what happens next.
Daniel 4:28–33 – The Fall of Pride
📖 Daniel 4:28–30 – “At the end of twelve months… the king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built… by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?”
🔎 The clock of mercy runs out after twelve months of patience:
🔹 A full year passes after the warning—God gives ample space for repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
🔹 The king appears unchanged. His words ooze self-exaltation: “I have built… by my power… for my majesty.”
🔹 This is not ignorance—it is willful pride, the same spirit that led to Lucifer’s fall (Isaiah 14:12–14).
➡️ Devotional Warning: When we take credit for what God gave, we invite judgment. Pride is the seed of spiritual insanity.
📖 Daniel 4:31 – “While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven…”
🔎 God interrupts the prideful monologue mid-sentence:
🔹 “While the word was in his mouth” – The judgment is swift and surgically timed.
🔹 A voice from heaven ends the speech—and begins the fall.
🔹 This echoes Acts 12:23, where Herod is struck for taking glory that belonged to God.
➡️ Spiritual Principle: When pride reaches its peak, heaven responds decisively. God shares His glory with no one (Isaiah 42:8).
📖 Daniel 4:32–33 – “They shall drive thee from men… and he did eat grass as oxen…”
🔎 The dream is fulfilled literally and fully:
🔹 The king loses his sanity and descends into animalistic behavior—a sign of complete humbling.
🔹 “Seven times” pass—likely seven years, symbolizing a full period of divine discipline.
🔹 His appearance becomes beast-like: hair like eagles’ feathers, nails like claws. This is not poetic—it is prophetic degradation.
➡️ Prophetic Echo: Nebuchadnezzar’s madness prefigures spiritual Babylon’s confusion and fall (Revelation 18:2 – “Babylon is fallen… and become the habitation of devils”).
🔍 Symbolic Depth: The Image Reversed
Remember: in Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar was the head of gold on the great statue. Here, he has become beast-like, a fallen image.
The irony is stunning:
🔹 He once saw an image representing empires—now he lives like an animal, cut off from society.
🔹 This reveals the trajectory of pride—it leads us away from God’s image, and into confusion and corruption (Romans 1:21–25).
➡️ Spiritual Pattern: Rejecting God’s authority always leads to the breakdown of identity, reason, and dominion.
Daniel 4:34–37 – The Return and the Praise
📖 Daniel 4:34 – “And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me…”
🔎 Restoration begins with a look upward:
🔹 The king’s sanity doesn’t return with time—it returns when he acknowledges heaven.
🔹 “Lifted up mine eyes” – This posture is the first sign of repentance. Pride looks down; humility looks up.
🔹 As soon as he recognizes God’s sovereignty, clarity is restored—physically, mentally, and spiritually.
➡️ Spiritual Truth: Deliverance begins the moment the heart turns toward God. Worship restores what pride destroyed.
📖 Daniel 4:35 – “All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing… he doeth according to his will…”
🔎 Nebuchadnezzar’s new theology is bold and true:
🔹 He declares that God is uncontested—no one can stay His hand.
🔹 His language now reflects a proper view of man’s smallness and God’s infinite rule.
🔹 The king who once glorified himself now exalts God’s unmatched authority.
➡️ Key Insight: True transformation isn’t about behavior change—it’s about seeing God rightly.
📖 Daniel 4:36 – “At the same time… my honour and brightness returned unto me…”
🔎 God not only restores him—but restores him with glory:
🔹 His position, advisers, and majesty return—but now he carries it differently.
🔹 God didn’t restore him for his sake alone—but for the sake of the watching world.
🔹 This mirrors Job 42:10 – “The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.”
➡️ Spiritual Reflection: God can restore everything that was lost—but He often waits until our hearts are truly surrendered.
📖 Daniel 4:37 – “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven…”
🔎 The final verse is a song of surrender:
🔹 The once-prideful king now praises the true King.
🔹 He declares that God’s works are truth, and His ways judgment—a confession learned through trial.
🔹 “Them that walk in pride he is able to abase.” – This is his final testimony, and perhaps the most important one in all Scripture on pride.
➡️ Prophetic Pattern: Babylon begins with pride and ends with praise. This is the journey God wants for every soul—including end-time Babylon (Revelation 18:4).
Daniel Chapter 4 - Deeper Study
Overview: From Pride to Praise
🔹 Timeframe: Likely near the end of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign (~570 BC).
🔹 Setting: Babylonian palace and surrounding kingdom.
🔹 Theme: God rules over all kings and kingdoms—and humbles those who exalt themselves.
Key Takeaways
🔑 God gives warnings before judgment.
🔑 Pride is the root of spiritual downfall.
🔑 Repentance can delay or soften judgment.
🔑 God restores the broken who look up.
🔑 Testimonies of God’s work are powerful tools for witness.
Prophetic Patterns & Dual Fulfillment
🔮 The great tree – Symbolizes a powerful kingdom cut down in judgment, like other empires in prophecy (see Isaiah 10:33–34).
🔮 Madness and restoration – Parallels the fall and rise of spiritual Babylon (see Revelation 18:2–4).
🔮 Seven times – A prophetic duration symbolizing complete judgment or testing.
Historical & Cultural Context
📜 Royal proclamations – Kings of Babylon often issued public decrees in their own voice, making this chapter a unique piece of inspired autobiography.
📜 Mental affliction in ancient culture – Seen as a divine curse; Nebuchadnezzar’s madness would have shamed him deeply.
📜 Restoration of kings – Rare in history, but this story shows God’s mercy on display to a watching empire.
💡 Final Reflection: Will You Look Up Before You’re Brought Down?
Nebuchadnezzar’s story is not just about a king—it’s about all of us. Pride blinds us, but God’s mercy waits on the other side of surrender.
📌 Are you ignoring God’s warnings in your life?
📌 Is pride keeping you from acknowledging heaven’s rule?
📌 Will you bow now—or be broken later?
🚀 Heaven rules. Pride falls. And God restores those who look up.
Nebuchadnezzar Praises God
Dan 4:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
Dan 4:2 I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.
Dan 4:3 How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream
Dan 4:4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:
Dan 4:5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.
Dan 4:6 Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.
Dan 4:7 Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.
Dan 4:8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,
Dan 4:9 O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
Dan 4:10 Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.
Dan 4:11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:
Dan 4:12 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
Dan 4:13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;
Dan 4:14 He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:
Dan 4:15 Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth:
Dan 4:16 Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.
Dan 4:17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.
Dan 4:18 This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.
Daniel Interprets the Second Dream
Dan 4:19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.
Dan 4:20 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;
Dan 4:21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:
Dan 4:22 It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.
Dan 4:23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;
Dan 4:24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
Dan 4:25 That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
Dan 4:26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.
Dan 4:27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation
Dan 4:28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
Dan 4:29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
Dan 4:30 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?
Dan 4:31 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.
Dan 4:32 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.
Dan 4:33 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.
Nebuchadnezzar Restored
Dan 4:34 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:
Dan 4:35 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?
Dan 4:36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.
Dan 4:37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
Date Written
605–536 BC
Written By
Daniel – a Hebrew prophet during the Babylonian exile
Language
Hebrew (Chapters 1-2:4a, 8-12)
Aramaic (Chapters 2:4b-7)
Verses
37