Daniel 4:23
New International Version
“Your Majesty saw a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live with the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.’

New Living Translation
“‘Then you saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, “Cut down the tree and destroy it. But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and bronze and surrounded by tender grass. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven. Let him live with the animals of the field for seven periods of time.”

English Standard Version
And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’

Berean Standard Bible
And you, O king, saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying: ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground, and a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and graze with the beasts of the field till seven times pass him by.’

King James Bible
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;

New King James Version
“And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him’;

New American Standard Bible
And in that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, “Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field, let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the animals of the field until seven periods of time pass over him,”

NASB 1995
In that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, “Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts of the field until seven periods of time pass over him,”

NASB 1977
‘And in that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, “Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts of the field until seven periods of time pass over him”;

Legacy Standard Bible
But in that the king saw a watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, “Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump with its roots in the earth, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts of the field until seven periods of time pass over him,”

Amplified Bible
In that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, “Cut the tree down and destroy it; but leave the stump with its roots in the earth, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him feed with the beasts of the field until seven periods of time pass over him,”

Christian Standard Bible
“The king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground and with a band of iron and bronze around it in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with dew from the sky and share food with the wild animals for seven periods of time.’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The king saw an observer, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground and with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with dew from the sky, and share food with the wild animals for seven periods of time.’

American Standard Version
And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless 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;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And when the King saw the Watcher and Holy One who descended from Heaven, also he called in power and said, “Cut down the tree and destroy the stump of its roots, but leave in the earth a band of iron and brass in the grass of the wilderness, and he shall be wet from the dew of Heaven and his dwelling with the animals of the wilderness in the grass of the Earth, and his heart shall change from children of men and the heart of a beast will be given to him until seven seasons will be changed over him

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and he said, Strip the tree, and destroy it; only leave the stump of its roots in the ground, and bind it with a band of iron and brass; and it shall lie in the grass that is without, and in the dew of heaven, and its portion shall be with wild beasts, until seven times have passed over it;

Contemporary English Version
Then you saw a holy angel come down from heaven and say, "Chop down the tree and destroy it! But leave its stump and roots in the ground, fastened there by a chain of iron and bronze. Let it stay for seven years out in the field with the wild animals, unprotected from the dew."

Douay-Rheims Bible
And whereas the king saw a watcher, and a holy one come down from heaven, and say: Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, and let it be bound with iron and brass among the grass without, and let it be sprinkled with the dew of heaven, and let his feeding be with the wild beasts, till seven times pass over him.

English Revised Version
And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless 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;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You saw a guardian, a holy being, come down from heaven. He said, 'Cut down the oak tree! Destroy it! But leave the stump and its roots in the ground. Secure it with an iron and bronze chain in the grass in the field. Let it get wet with the dew from the sky. Let it get its share of the plants on the ground with the wild animals for seven time periods.'

Good News Translation
While Your Majesty was watching, an angel came down from heaven and said, 'Cut the tree down and destroy it, but leave the stump in the ground. Wrap a band of iron and bronze around it, and leave it there in the field with the grass. Let the dew fall on this man, and let him live there with the animals for seven years.'

International Standard Version
"Your majesty saw a holy observer descending from heaven and saying, 'Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump in the ground, along with its roots, bound with iron and bronze in the field grass. Let him be soaked with the dew of the sky and live with the wild animals of the field until seven seasons pass over him.'

JPS Tanakh 1917
And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and saying: Hew down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even in 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--

Literal Standard Version
and that which the king has seen—a sifter, even a holy one, coming down from the heavens, and he has said, Cut down the tree, and destroy it; but the stump of its roots leave in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and with the dew of the heavens it is wet, and with the beast of the field [is] his portion, until seven times pass over him.

Majority Standard Bible
And you, O king, saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying: ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground, and a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and graze with the beasts of the field till seven times pass him by.’

New American Bible
The command that the stump of the tree is to be left means that your kingdom shall be preserved for you, once you have learned that heaven is sovereign.

NET Bible
As for the king seeing a holy sentinel coming down from heaven and saying, 'Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the wild animals, until seven periods of time go by for him'--

New Revised Standard Version
And whereas the king saw a holy watcher coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze, in the grass of the field; and let him be bathed with the dew of heaven, and let his lot be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him’—

New Heart English Bible
Whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from the sky, and saying, 'Cut down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of the sky: and let his portion be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him.

Webster's Bible Translation
And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of its 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 its portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times shall pass over him;

World English Bible
“Whereas the king saw a holy watcher coming down from the sky and saying, ‘Cut down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of the sky. Let his portion be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him.’

Young's Literal Translation
and that which the king hath seen -- a sifter, even a holy one, coming down from the heavens, and he hath said, Cut down the tree, and destroy it; but the stump of its roots leave in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field, and with the dew of the heavens it is wet, and with the beast of the field is his portion, till that seven times pass over him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Daniel Interprets the Second Dream
22you, 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. 23And you, O king, saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying: ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground, and a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and graze with the beasts of the field till seven times pass him by.’ 24This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree that the Most High has issued against my lord the king:…

Cross References
Daniel 4:13
As I lay on my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven.

Daniel 4:14
He called out in a loud voice: 'Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.

Daniel 4:15
But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, and a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven and graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth.

Daniel 4:16
Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and let him be given the mind of a beast till seven times pass him by.

Daniel 4:26
As for the command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be restored to you as soon as you acknowledge that Heaven rules.

Daniel 8:13
Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, "How long until the fulfillment of the vision of the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, and the surrender of the sanctuary and of the host to be trampled?"


Treasury of Scripture

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;

saw.

Daniel 4:13-17
I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; …

and let his.

Daniel 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:

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.

Jump to Previous
Animals Band Beasts Brass Cut Destroy Dew Earth Field Grass Heaven Hew Holy Iron Leave Nevertheless Portion Roots Seven Sky Stump Tender Thereof Times Tree Watcher Wet Whereas
Jump to Next
Animals Band Beasts Brass Cut Destroy Dew Earth Field Grass Heaven Hew Holy Iron Leave Nevertheless Portion Roots Seven Sky Stump Tender Thereof Times Tree Watcher Wet Whereas
Daniel 4
1. Nebuchadnezzar confesses God's kingdom,
4. makes relation of his dreams, which the magicians could not interpret.
8. Daniel hears the dream.
19. He interprets it.
28. The dream fulfilled.














(23) Destroy it.--Observe how, in this verse, these words stand for the whole of the latter part of Daniel 4:14.

Verse 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. This in the beginning agrees with the text behind the Septuagint Version of ver. 14 (7 LXX., 11 Massoretic). In that verse, instead of the elaborate process of cutting off branches and shaking off leaves, the Septuagint had simply, καταφθείρατε αὐτό. This confirms us in our preference of the Septuagint there. In the present instance, the Septuagint is briefer than the Massoretic text; it varies in some points, which may indicate the hand of a redactor, "And the vision which thou sawest, that an angel was sent in strength, and commanded to root the tree up and to cut it down, the judgment of God shall come upon thee." Here, again, there is nothing of "the watcher and the holy one," nothing of the belt of "iron and brass," nor of the "tree having its portion with the beasts of the field," nor that it was to be "wet with the dew of heaven." Some of these features are mentioned in the account of the vision, but are not repeated now. Theodotion agrees with the Massoretic text. The Peshitta carries the repetition yet further, and inserts, "And his heart shall be changed from the heart of 't man, and the heart of a beast shall be given him." In this the process already begun in the text of the Massoretes is carried a little further. The Vulgate agrees with the received text. Daniel rapidly notifies the principal features in the king's dream, before he proceeds to explain it.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And
וְדִ֣י (wə·ḏî)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 1768: Who, which, that, because

you, O king,
מַלְכָּ֡א (mal·kā)
Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 4430: A king

saw
חֲזָ֣ה (ḥă·zāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2370: To gaze upon, mentally to dream, be usual

a watcher,
עִ֣יר (‘îr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5894: Waking or wakeful one

a holy one,
וְקַדִּ֣ישׁ (wə·qad·dîš)
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6922: Sacred, God, an angel, a saint, a sanctuary

coming down
נָחִ֣ת ׀ (nā·ḥiṯ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5182: To descend, to bring away, deposit, depose

from
מִן־ (min-)
Preposition
Strong's 4481: From, out of, by, by reason of, at, more than

heaven
שְׁמַיָּ֡א (šə·may·yā)
Noun - mdd
Strong's 8065: The sky

and saying:
וְאָמַר֩ (wə·’ā·mar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 560: To say, tell, command

‘Cut down
גֹּ֨דּוּ (gōd·dū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 1414: To cut down

the tree
אִֽילָנָ֜א (’î·lā·nā)
Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 363: A tree

and destroy it,
וְחַבְּל֗וּהִי (wə·ḥab·bə·lū·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2255: To destroy, hurt

but
בְּרַ֨ם (bə·ram)
Conjunction
Strong's 1297: Highly, surely, however

leave
שְׁבֻ֔קוּ (šə·ḇu·qū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 7662: To quit, allow to remain

the stump
עִקַּ֤ר (‘iq·qar)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6136: Root, stock

with its roots
שָׁרְשׁ֙וֹהִי֙ (šā·rə·šō·w·hî)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 8330: A root

in the ground,
בְּאַרְעָ֣א (bə·’ar·‘ā)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular determinate
Strong's 772: The earth, low

with a band
וּבֶאֱסוּר֙ (ū·ḇe·’ĕ·sūr)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 613: A band, bond

of iron
פַרְזֶ֣ל (p̄ar·zel)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6523: Iron

and bronze [around it],
וּנְחָ֔שׁ (ū·nə·ḥāš)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5174: Copper, bronze

in the tender grass
בְּדִתְאָ֖א (bə·ḏiṯ·’ā)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 1883: A sprout, grass

of
דִּֽי־ (dî-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 1768: Who, which, that, because

the field.
בָרָ֑א (ḇā·rā)
Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 1251: (an open) field

Let him be drenched
יִצְטַבַּ֗ע (yiṣ·ṭab·ba‘)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6647: To dip, wet

with the dew
וּבְטַ֧ל (ū·ḇə·ṭal)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2920: Dew

of heaven,
שְׁמַיָּ֣א (šə·may·yā)
Noun - mdd
Strong's 8065: The sky

and graze
חֲלָקֵ֔הּ (ḥă·lā·qêh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2508: Portion, possession

with
וְעִם־ (wə·‘im-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5974: With, equally with

the beasts
חֵיוַ֤ת (ḥê·waṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2423: An animal

of the field
בָּרָא֙ (bā·rā)
Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 1251: (an open) field

till
דִּֽי־ (dî-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 1768: Who, which, that, because

seven
שִׁבְעָ֥ה (šiḇ·‘āh)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 7655: Seven, seven times, a week, an indefinite number

times
עִדָּנִ֖ין (‘id·dā·nîn)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5732: A set time, technically, a year

pass
יַחְלְפ֥וּן (yaḥ·lə·p̄ūn)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 2499: To pass (over)

him by.�
עֲלֽוֹהִי׃ (‘ă·lō·w·hî)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5922: Above, over, upon, against


Links
Daniel 4:23 NIV
Daniel 4:23 NLT
Daniel 4:23 ESV
Daniel 4:23 NASB
Daniel 4:23 KJV

Daniel 4:23 BibleApps.com
Daniel 4:23 Biblia Paralela
Daniel 4:23 Chinese Bible
Daniel 4:23 French Bible
Daniel 4:23 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Daniel 4:23 Whereas the king saw a watcher (Dan. Da Dn)
Daniel 4:22
Top of Page
Top of Page