DAN 4:33 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 4:1–37: God judged King Nebuchadnezzar

The author of Daniel 4 wrote in the Aramaic language. These Notes are based on the BSB, which is based on the Aramaic text called the MT (Masoretic Text). However, the early Greek translation known as the Septuagint is different from the Aramaic text in many places in Daniel 4. Scholars are uncertain why the two are so different. It may be that the Greek translators worked from an Aramaic text that was different from that of the MT. The Notes will discuss the differences between the two texts for certain important passages.

The verse numbers of the BSB and most English versions are different from the verse numbers in the Aramaic text. The NJPS and NJB are two exceptions. They follow the verse numbers in the Aramaic text.Baldwin (p. 107) notes that the chapter divisions in the present Aramaic text were not necessarily those of the original text. The difference in numbering can cause confusion when citing verses in different translations. For example, Daniel 4:1 in the BSB is 3:31 in the NJPS and NJB. Daniel 4:4 is 4:1 in the NJB and NJPS, and so on. When these Notes cite verses in the NJPS and the NJB, they will give both the verse numbers in those versions and the corresponding BSB verse numbers.

Versions give different headings to Daniel 4. For example:

Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream (NRSV)

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream about a tree (NLT)

A letter from Nebuchadnezzar about his insanity (GW)

In some languages it may be more natural that the heading be a full sentence. For example:

Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a second dream

Nebuchadnezzar dreamed about a tree

Nebuchadnezzar wrote a letter about how he became insane

Special Problems:

1. Change of Speaker: In Daniel 4, the person who tells the story varies between the king and the narrator. For example:

A. In 4:1–18 the king told what happened to him in the first person.

B. In 4:19–27 the narrator told the story of how Daniel interpreted the king’s dream.

C. In 4:28–33 the narrator told what happened to Nebuchadnezzar.

D. In 4:34–37 the king again spoke directly in the first person.

The Notes will inform you when there is a change of speaker and suggest how to translate these passages.

2. Repetition: When Daniel interpreted the king’s dream (4:19–27), he repeated parts of what the king had previously told him (in 4:10–16). Later, when the narrator told what happened to the king (4:28–33), he repeated what Daniel had said would happen (in 4:25). This kind of repetition creates suspense in the story. Repetition also helps to emphasize the main theme of the account. For example, at the end of the account, the king repeated information from the beginning (4:3, 34). This information is the theme of the chapter: God is sovereign over human rulers.

3. Synonyms: The author liked to use synonyms, different words with the same or similar meaning. In some cases, he used synonyms to emphasize an idea. For example, in 4:37 the king used three synonyms in the same sentence to emphasize the idea of praise. In some languages this may not be natural. The Notes will suggest other ways you can translate synonyms.

4. Commands: In the dream, the angel made a number of commands. The text does not usually say to whom the angel was giving these commands. Sometimes the angel commanded non-living objects to do something. In all these cases, the angel was speaking a message from God. And when God commands that something happen, it will certainly happen. In some languages it may not be natural to use commands in this way. If that is true in your language, you may be able to translate these commands as authoritative declarations. The Notes will give examples of how you may do this.

5. Poetic Parallelism: The author of Daniel 4 liked to use poetic form to communicate ideas. In Aramaic poetry, authors often used pairs of clauses to say the same thing in two different ways. This type of poetry has many different functions. Sometimes the author used poetry to emphasize themes. Other times he used poetry to mark the climax of a section. This kind of poetry may not be natural in your language. The Notes will describe the function of the poetic speech in Daniel. They will also suggest some options on how you might translate this type of poetry in your own language.

6. Form: The author wrote Daniel 4 in the form of a royal proclamation. This proclamation form gives authority to the account. The style of the proclamation is similar to that of a letter, and the beginning of the chapter is similar to other Aramaic letters. The king first identifies himself. Second, he indicates to whom he is writing, that is, those he intends to read his letter. Third, he greets his readers. In your language, people may have a different way of identifying the author or addressee of a letter. The Notes will suggest some options on how to translate this letter style.

7. Key Terms: Two key terms in Daniel 4 are “earth” and “heaven.” Both words have more than one meaning. The Aramaic word that the BSB generally translates as “earth” can mean either “ground,” “land,” or “world.” The Aramaic word that the BSB generally translates as “heaven” can mean either “sky” or “where God lives.” In 4:26 the author used the word “Heaven” to refer to God himself. The author plays on these two words and their meanings to highlight the main theme of the chapter: “God in heaven rules over the affairs of men on earth.” The Notes will explain the meaning of these two key terms in each context.

Paragraph 4:33

Nebuchadnezzar received the punishment that God had decreed for him.

4:33a

At that moment the sentence against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled.

¶ These things happened to Nebuchadnezzar at that very time.
¶ Immediately, God caused this message about Nebuchadnezzar to be fulfilled.
¶ At once these words came true.

At that moment: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as moment means “a moment, a short space of time.” In this context, it has the more specific sense of “at the same moment, at once.”HALOT, 2001. See also Daniel 3:6–15; 4:33, 5:5. As soon as the king stopped speaking, the events began to occur. Other ways to translate this include:

At once

That very same hour (NLT)

the sentence against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled: The Aramaic text more literally says, “the word was fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar.” The BSB translates this expression using a passive verb (was fulfilled). If it is more natural in your language to use active verbs, you may be able to say:

At once, God caused these events to happen to the king just as he had announced:

Immediately, the words came true (NCV)

In some languages, it may be more natural to translate this verse in the first person. For example:

Immediately, these things began to happen to me.

the sentence: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as the sentence is literally “the word.” It refers to what God had proclaimed in 4:32–33. God had said he would punish the king. Other ways to say this in English are:

what had been said (NIV)

the prophecy (NLT)

this judgment (REB)

In some languages it may be more natural to express this idea using a verb. For example:

God judged the king just as he had announced

was fulfilled: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates was fulfilled here means that God caused what he said in 4:32–33 to happen. Here is another way to translate this:

came true (GNT)

4:33b

He was driven away from mankind.

He was forced to live away from other people
People banished him from human society.
People sent me away from their towns.

He was driven away from mankind: Nebuchadnezzar was forced to live away from other people. See the Notes at 4:25a. There are at least two ways to translate this:

Using a passive verb. For example:
Nebuchadnezzar was forced to go away from people (NCV)
Using an active verb. The subject is not in focus. For example:
they (indefinite) forced him to live away from other people
people/others banished him from human society

In some languages it may be more natural to use the first person to refer to Nebuchadnezzar. See the Notes at 4:28–31.

They (indefinite) forced me to live far away from people

They (indefinite) banished me from human society

4:33c

He ate grass like an ox,

and made to eat grass like cattle.
He ate grass like an ox.
I had to eat grass like cattle do.

He ate grass like an ox: See also the Notes at 4:25c, 4:32c. The king acted like an ox. He ate grass in the fields as oxen do.

ate: The verb ate here refers to something the king did on a regular or consistent basis.

like an ox: See also the Notes at 4:25c. In this context, the word ox is probably a collective term for cattle in general. In some languages it may be natural to use a plural term. For example:

like cattle (GW)

like oxen/cattle do

4:33d

and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven,

Each day he became wet from dew from the sky,
The morning dews soaked/chilled him.
Every day my body became damp from the dew.

his body was drenched with the dew of heaven: See the Notes at 4:15c; 4:25d. The king lived outside, without any shelter.The GeCL has: “and slept unprotected in the open.” So he got wet with dew every morning. Other ways to translate this include:

He became wet from dew (NCV)

Dew from the sky made his body wet (GW)

the dew of heaven: See the Notes at 4:15c.

4:33e

until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle

while his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers.
His hair grew very long,
My hair grew as long as eagle feathers,

until: The Aramaic connector that the BSB translates as until here introduces something that happened over the same time period as the previous clauses. While the king lived out in the open, his hair grew long. Other ways to translate this include:

As time went by (CEV)

He lived this way until (NLT)

and during that time

his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle: This Aramaic expression that the BSB translates as his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle is literally “his hair like eagles grew big/great.”

grew like: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as grew is a general word that means “grow big.” In this context it refers to hair that grows long and wild, shaggy and unkempt. Use an expression that is natural in your language to refer to hair that is not cut for a long time. For example:

grew as long as (RSV)

his hair became shaggy like (REB)

like the feathers of an eagle: The Aramaic text does not mention feathers. However, the word is implied from the context and the BSB has supplied it. An eagle is a large flesh-eating bird. It has a large wing span and long feathers. In some cultures, people may not be familiar with eagles. In that case, you may need to:

use the term for a similar large bird. For example:
like a vulture’s feathers
use a general term. For example:
like the feathers of a huge bird
translate the meaning of the comparison. For example:
very long/wild

4:33f

and his nails like the claws of a bird.

His nails grew long like the claws of a bird.
and his nails started to look like birds' claws.
and my fingernails and toenails grew as long as the claws of a large bird.

and his nails like the claws of a bird: The Aramaic expression that the BSB translates as and his nails like the claws of a bird is literally “and his nails like birds.” The verb is implied from 4:33e. The king’s nails grew long, sharp, and curved like birds’ claws. In some cultures, people may only know about small birds and may not be familiar with birds that have long claws. In that case, you may have to translate the meaning without using this comparison. Examples of different ways to translate this expression include:

his nails grew as long as birds’ claws (GW)

his nails grew long, like the claws of a large bird

his nails became extremely long

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.

OET interlinear DAN 4:33

Hebrew word order