DAN 4:22 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=minor/spelling Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) That was you, your majesty. You’ve grown and become strong—your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth.

4:22 Note: KJB: Dān.4.25

4:22 OSHB note: Marks an anomalous form.

4:22 OSHB note: We have abandoned or added a ketib/qere relative to BHS. In doing this we agree with L against BHS.

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth.

UST Your majesty, that tree represents you! You have become very powerful. It is as though your greatness reaches up to the sky, and you rule people all over the world.

BSB you, O king, are [that tree]! For you have become great and strong; your greatness has grown to reach the sky, and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth.

OEB No OEB DAN book available

WEBBE it is you, O king, that have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown, and reaches to the sky, and your dominion to the end of the earth.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET it is you, O king! For you have become great and strong. Your greatness is such that it reaches to heaven, and your authority to the ends of the earth.

LSV It [is] you, O king, for you have become great and mighty, and your greatness has become great, and has reached to the heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth;

FBV This is you, Your Majesty. You have grown strong, your power has become so great that it has reached high into the sky, and your rule extends to the ends of the earth.

T4T ◄Your majesty/O King►, that tree represents you! You have become very powerful. It is as though your greatness reaches up to the sky, and you rule people all over the world.

LEB —it is you, O king, who have grown great and you have grown strong, and so your greatness has increased and it has reached to heaven[fn] and your sovereignty to the end of the earth.

4:22 Or “the sky”

BBE It is you, O King, who have become great and strong: for your power is increased and stretching up to heaven, and your rule to the end of the earth.

Moff branches the birds roosted, O king, it is yourself! You have grown and grown strong, _ for your power has grown till it is high as heaven and your dominion stretches to the world’s

JPS (4-19) 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.

ASV 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.

DRA They shall cast thee out from among men, and thy dwelling shall be with cattle and with wild beasts, and thou shalt eat grass as an ox, and shalt be wet with the dew of heaven: and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth over the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

YLT 'Thou it [is], O king, for thou hast become great and mighty, and thy greatness hath become great, and hath reached to the heavens, and thy dominion to the end of the earth;

Drby it is thou, O king, who art grown and become strong; for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto the heavens, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.

RV 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.
(it is thou/you, Oh king, that art grown and become strong: for thy/your greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy/your dominion to the end of the earth. )

SLT It is thou, O king, who increased and wert strong: and thy greatness increased and reached to the heavens, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.

Wbstr It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth to heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.

KJB-1769 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.
(It is thou/you, Oh king, that art grown and become strong: for thy/your greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy/your dominion to the end of the earth. )

KJB-1611 It is thou, O King, that art growen and become strong: for thy greatnesse is growen and reacheth vnto heauen, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation)

Bshps It is thou, O king, whiche are great and mightie, for thy greatnesse increaseth, & reacheth vnto the heauen, so doth thy dominion to the endes of the earth.
(It is thou/you, Oh king, which are great and mighty, for thy/your greatness increaseth/increases, and reacheth unto the heaven, so doth/does thy/your dominion to the ends of the earth.)

Gnva That they shall driue thee from men, and thy dwelling shalbe with the beasts of the fielde: they shall make thee to eate grasse as the oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dewe of heauen: and seuen times shall passe ouer thee, till thou knowe, that the most High beareth rule ouer the kingdome of men, and giueth it to whom so euer he will.
(That they shall drive thee/you from men, and thy/your dwelling shall be with the beasts/animals of the field: they shall make thee/you to eat grass as the oxes, and they shall wet thee/you with the dew of heaven: and seven times shall pass over thee/you, till thou/you know, that the most High beareth/bears rule over the kingdom of men, and giveth/gives it to whom so ever he will. )

Cvdl Euen thou (o kynge) art the tre, greate & stroge. Thy greatnesse increaseth, & reacheth vnto the heauen, so doth thy power to the endes of the earth.
(Even thou/you (o king) art the tree, great and stroge. Thy/Your greatness increaseth/increases, and reacheth unto the heaven, so doth/does thy/your power to the ends of the earth.)

Wycl Thei schulen caste thee out fro men, and thi dwellyng schal be with beestys and wielde beestis, and thou schalt ete hey, as an oxe doith, but also thou schalt be bisched with the dew of heuene, also seuene tymes schulen be chaungid on thee, til thou knowe, that hiy God is Lord `on the rewme of men, and yyueth it to whom euer he wole.
(They should cast/threw thee/you out from men, and thy/your dwelling shall be with beast/animalys and wild beasts/animals, and thou/you shalt/shall eat hey, as an ox doth/does, but also thou/you shalt/shall be bisched with the dew of heaven, also seven times should be changed on thee/you, till thou/you know, that high God is Lord on the realm of men, and giveth/gives it to whom ever he wole.)

Luth Man wird dich von den Leuten verstoßen, und mußt bei den Tieren auf dem Felde bleiben; und man wird dich Gras essen lassen wie die Ochsen; und wirst unter dem Tau des Himmels liegen und naß werden, bis über dir sieben Zeiten um sind, auf daß du erkennest, daß der Höchste Gewalt hat über der Menschen Königreiche und gibt sie, wem er will.
(They becomes you/yourself from the people violated, and must at/in the animals on/in/to to_him field remain/stay; and man becomes you/yourself grass eat let as/like the oxen; and will under to_him dew the heavens lie/lay and naß become, until above you/to_you(sg) seven times/periods around/by/for are, on/in/to that you(sg) recognise/see/realise, that the/of_the highest_(one) violence has above the/of_the people kingdoms and gives they/she/them, whom he will.)

ClVg Ejicient te ab hominibus, et cum bestiis ferisque erit habitatio tua, et fœnum ut bos comedes, et rore cæli infunderis: septem quoque tempora mutabuntur super te, donec scias quod dominetur Excelsus super regnum hominum, et cuicumque voluerit, det illud.
(Eyicient you(sg) away to_humans, and when/with beasts/animals wild_animalsque will_be housing your, and grass as cow/ox you_will_eat, and rore heavens infunderis: seven too times mutabuntur over you(sg), until know that dominate High/Lofty over kingdom of_men, and cuicumque wanted, give it/this/that. )

SOTN 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 4:19–23

In this paragraph Daniel began to interpret the king’s dream.

4:22a–d

Daniel 4:22a–d is in poetic form. The parts c-d are in parallelism to parts a-b. 4:22c–d repeats the meaning in 4:22a–b but is more specific.

^aIt is you, O king, who have grown ^band become strong.

^cYour greatness, has grown and reaches until heaven ^dand your dominion to the ends of the earth.

Aramaic poetry uses figurative language. The Notes will explain the meaning of the figures of speech in 4:22 and will give some suggestions about how best to translate this verse.

4:22a

you, O king, are that tree!

And, sir, as for that tree—it is you!
That tree in the dream—it represents you, Your Majesty!

you, O king, are that tree!: This verse part is the climax toward which 4:19–21 has been building. The BSB uses an exclamation mark to give it emphasis. Emphasize this statement and mark it as a climax in a way that is natural in your language.

you, O king: See the Notes at 2:4b, 2:29a. Daniel addressed the king with respect. Languages often have special ways to address a king or other important people in authority. Translate this in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

O king (NRSV)

The Aramaic expression that the BSB translates as you, O king, are that tree emphasizes the pronoun you. The tree in the dream represented the king. Indicate this comparison in a way that is natural in your language. Other ways to say this in English are:

it is you (NRSV)

That tree is you (CEV)

4:22b

For you have become great and strong;

As the tree grew great, so you have grown great. As the tree became strong, so you have become strong.
Your fame/glory has increased. You have grown in power/might.

For you have become great and strong: This is more literally “you have become/grown great and you have grown/become strong.” Daniel compared the king to the tree. This verse part indicates the point of comparison: Just like the tree became great/tall and strong, so did the king. However, Daniel used the verbs “grow/become great” and “grow/become strong” in two different ways. The king did not grow big and tall in size like the tree. Instead, it was the king’s fame and reputation that became great. People all over the known world respected and honored him.

If it is natural to use the same verb for the king and the tree, you may do that here.

If it is more natural to use two different verbs to describe what happened to the king and the tree, that is also acceptable. For example:

As the tree grew great and strong, so you have become great and strong.

have become great: In some languages you may have to indicate in what way the king had become great. For example:

Your reputation has increased.

You have become very important

and strong: Just as the tree became strong, so the king had become strong. Daniel again used the same verb in two different ways. Daniel did not mean that the king increased in physical strength. He meant that the king’s authority and power to rule increased.

If it is natural to use the same verb for the king and the tree, you may do that here.
If it is more natural to use different verbs to describe what happened to the king and the tree, you should do that here. For example:
and as the tree grew strong, you also became strong

In some languages you may have to indicate in what way the king had become strong. For example:

Your kingdom has become powerful

You have increased/grown in power and authority.

4:22c

your greatness has grown to reach the sky,

You have become as great as anyone ever could.
You have become more and more important so that now everyone in the world knows how important you are.

your greatness has grown to reach the sky: In this verse part, Daniel explained what he meant in 4:22b when he said that the king had grown or “become great.” He used figurative language to explain this. This expression probably means that the king’s reputation had become greater than that of any other king. Everyone on earth knew how important he was. There were no limits to his fame. There are two ways to translate this figurative language:

keeping the figure of speech. You may use either sky or “heaven,” whichever you used in 4:11a. See the note there. For example:
Your greatness has increased and reaches to heaven (NRSV)
your glorious reputation has reached heaven (CEV)
Your royal majesty reaches sky-highThe Message
translating the meaning of the figure of speech. For example:
you are greater than any mortal man
Your fame is worldwide

your greatness: The word greatness here refers to the king’s fame, reputation, or importance.

has grown: See the Notes on “have grown” at 4:22b.

4:22d

and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth.

Your kingdom has become so powerful that now you rule everywhere on earth.
You have become more and more powerful until now you rule over people who live in the farthest places.

and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth: Daniel explained what he meant in 4:22b when he said that the king had become “strong.” The king now ruled everywhere, to the farthest places on earth. Other ways to translate this include:

Your power reaches the most distant part of the world. (GW)

You have authority over the farthest places of the world

You rule over people who live everywhere on earth

dominion: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as dominion is a synonym to “kingdom.” Like the word “kingdom” it can have different meanings. In this context it can be translated as:

rule (NLT)

power to rule

empire (NJB)

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

You rule

the ends of the earth: See the Notes at 4:11b. The Aramaic expression that the BSB translates as the ends of the earth is an idiom which means “everywhere on earth.” If you have another expression or an idiom in your language that has this meaning you can use it here.

General Comment on 4:22c–d

In some languages it may be natural to translate 4:22c–d using just one verb. For example:

Your greatness reaches to heaven, and your authority to the ends of the earth.

General Comment on 4:22b–d

In some languages it may not be natural to repeat the information in 4:22b–d. If that is true in your language, you may be able to combine the four parts. For example:

Your reputation has become so great that everyone on earth knows about you. Your power has increased so much that you rule over people who live in the farthest places.

Your glorious reputation has reached heaven, and your kingdom covers the earth. (CEV)

Parallel DAN 4:22