Daniel 4:37 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

NIV: Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

NASB: Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just; and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.'

CSB: Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and glorify the King of the heavens, because all his works are true and his ways are just. He is able to humble those who walk in pride.

NLT: 'Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.'

KJV: 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.

NKJV: Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.

Nebuchadnezzar's decree (Daniel 4:1) ends with the warm attitude with which he began (Daniel 4:1–3). He honors the Lord God, submitting to His rule by calling Him "the King of heaven." Rather than insisting on his own supremacy, Nebuchadnezzar admits that God—not himself, the king of Babylon—is always right and always good. This lesson in humility apparently convinced Nebuchadnezzar that God was justified to sentence him to temporary isolation and animal-like insanity.

The king concludes with the reminder that God can humble the arrogant. The closing verses of Nebuchadnezzar's decree suggest that he had become a believer in the One True God. Some Bible teachers believe Daniel 7:4 refers to Nebuchadnezzar as a lion with the wings of an eagle that "was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it." They see this verse as evidence that he was truly converted. However, this probability is open to much debate. What is sure is that the formerly aggressive, temperamental King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:5; 3:15) had been deeply affected by his experience. Sadly Nebuchadnezzar's successor, Belshazzar, shows no signs of following in whatever faith his predecessor might have had (Daniel 5:21–23).

Daniel 4:28–37 records the fulfillment of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, which Daniel had faithfully interpreted (Daniel 4:4–27). As God said would happen, the king's arrogance is judged with humiliation and insanity. Only when Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges the supremacy of the Lord is he restored to his right mind. The passage returns to where the chapter began: with the king's praise for God's power and majesty (Daniel 4:1–3).

Daniel 4 opens with a proclamation in which Babylon's king, Nebuchadnezzar, declares what God has done for him. He recalls yet another frightening dream (Daniel 2:1). He sees a tree cut down to the stump, and a man made like an animal. Once again, only Daniel could interpret the dream's meaning. The news is terrible: the king will be driven insane for "seven periods of time" until he learns humility. A year later, this happens. Also as promised, Nebuchadnezzar humbles himself and regains his senses and his throne. He praises God for this miraculous work.

Daniel chapter 1 depicted Babylon's King Nebuchadnezzar as powerful. Chapter 2 showed his vindictive nature. His extreme vanity was on display in chapter 3. Daniel chapter 4 records his submission, repentance, and return to prominence as the King of Babylon, all under God's humiliating judgment. Chapters 5, 6, and 7 continue to speak about Gentile rulers and related prophecies.

The book of Daniel contains famous Old Testament stories and prophecies. Daniel was taken from the Israelite people and made an advisor for a conquering empire. He demonstrates faithfulness and wisdom during many years serving in this role. Though Daniel does not deliver a public message, Jesus refers to him as a "prophet" (Matthew 24:15). The first portion of the book mostly describes Daniel's interpretations of dreams and other events. The second portion looks ahead to the end times. Daniel is classified in English Bibles as a "major" prophet, meaning the book is relatively long and the content has broad implications. The book of Revelation echoes and expands on many of the same themes.