NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAM OF THE TREE CUT DOWN

In the excellent translation (King James Version) of Daniel Chapter 4 which follows, special notice must be taken of the change in person. The whole chapter is a statement published personally by Nebuchadnezzar. It is, therefore, recounted in the first person singular: “I, Nebuchadnezzar …” etc. Nothing changes throughout the chapter in this regard: at the very end of it (verses 34-37), Nebuchadnezzar is still speaking in the first person. In the process of recounting his story, Nebuchadnezzar introduces a speech by Daniel-Belteshazzar, which explains Daniel’s interpretation of the dream (verses 20-27). Since this is a direct quotation of Daniel’s own words, it naturally speaks of Nebuchadnezzar in the third person, “the king saw …” (verse 23) etc., or, alternatively, on those occasions when Daniel addresses Nebuchadnezzar himself, in the second person, “thou, O king …” etc. Without any indication that a change of circumstances has occurred, the text continues on, verses 28-33, relating details of Nebuchadnezzar’s lapse, as the events unfolded, in the third person. When this section is complete (verse 34ff.) the narrative returns to Nebuchadnezzar’s own account in the first person singular, “I, Nebuchadnezzar …” etc. This shows verses 28-33 are a continuation of Daniel’s speech, recounting details of what the prophet saw happening to Nebuchadnezzar on the day he was to be smitten with insanity. It is related in the Hebrew perfect tense, as often elsewhere in Scriptural prophecy, and this is translated as a past tense in the King James version.

Another observation, based on the change in person as the narrative proceeds, is that in a single instance within the narrative of Nebuchadnezzar himself, verses 1-19, in the final verse, verse 19, Nebuchadnezzar makes reference to “the king” in the third person, though he himself is the speaker, or, rather, the relater of the narrative, at this juncture. This king could not be Nebuchadnezzar, as he would have said “I, king Nebuchadnezzar …”, or similar, given the person of the verbs in the preceding narrative. There must have been another person present, whom (at least from the perspective of Nebuchadnezzar at that later period, when he was restored to full mental health and composed this narrative) he could retrospectively and legitimately term “king” on the day he had the interview with Daniel. The only person we know from standard historical sources to have reigned as king at one and the same time with, in fact only on the very last day of the reign of, Nebuchadnezzar, was his son Evil-Merodach. At least two tablets are extant dated the same day (October 7 562 BC), the last of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, one of which states Nebuchadnezzar is then ruling, and the other Evil-Merodach, his son. (Parker and Dubberstein, op. cit., p. 10.) It has been presumed the news of the termination of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign took some time to spread, and therefore one set of records were still dated to his reign, whilst others were dated to the reign of the new king; but other scenarios are possible, given that Nebuchadnezzar is said to have “disappeared from public view” at the end of his reign, rather than dying of natural causes. That is, it is possible Nebuchadnezzar committed the kingdom to Evil-Merodach himself, specifically after having received the interpretation of his dream and having accepted it, in order to put into effect Daniel’s advice to live his life in a righteous and God-fearing manner henceforth, and thus to mitigate the severity of the divine judgment. If adopted, such a lifestyle would have come into conflict with the official duties of the pagan king of Babylon. Hence, it may be presumed, Nebuchadnezzar’s immediate hand-over of power to his son Evil-Merodach. The neglect of official duties is precisely what Nebuchadnezzar was, even so, accused of in the fragmentary

TABLE 1

Regnal Years from Year 43 of Nebuchadnezzar II Through Year 4 of Nabunaid
With Dates BC (Julian Calendar) and Showing Date of Commencement of Each Month (m/d)
From Parker and Dubberstein, Babylonian Chronology 626 BC – AD 45,
AS 24, 2nd ed., Chicago University Press, 1946, p. 26f.

YR

BC

NIS

AIA

SIM

DUZ

ABU

ULU

U II

TAS

ARA

KIS

BC

TEB

BC

SHA

ADD

A II

NEBUCHADNEZZAR II

43

562

4/17

5/17

6/15

7/15

8/13

9/12

10/12

11/10

12/10

561

1/8

2/7

3/7

AMEL-MARDUK

1

561

4/6

5/5

6/3

7/3

8/2

8/31

9/30

10/29

11/28

12/27

560

1/26

2/24

2

560

3/26

4/24

5/24

6/22

7/22

8/21

9/19

10/19

11/17

12/17

559

1/15

2/14

3/15

NERGAL-SHAR-USUR

1

559

4/14

5/13

6/12

7/11

8/10

9/9

10/8

11/7

12/7

558

1/5

2/3

3/5

2

558

4/4

5/3

6/1

7/1

7/30

8/29

9/28

10/27

11/26

12/25

557

1/24

2/23

3

557

3/23

4/22

5/21

6/20

7/19

8/17

9/16

10/15

11/14

12/13

556

1/12

2/11

3/12

4

556

4/11

5/11

6/9

7/9

8/7

9/5

10/5

11/3

12/3

555

1/1

1/31

3/1

LABASHI-MARDUK = Year 4 of Nergal-shar-usur

NABUNAID

1

555

3/31

4/30

5/30

6/28

7/27

8/26

9/24

10/24

11/22

12/22

554

1/20

2/19

3/20

2

554

4/19

5/19

6/17

7/17

8/15

9/14

10/14

11/12

12/11

553

1/10

2/8

3/8

3

553

4/7

5/7

6/5

7/5

8/3

9/2

10/2

10/31

11/29

12/29

552

1/27

2/26

3/27

4

552

4/26

5/25

6/24

7/24

8/22

9/21

10/21

11/19

12/18

551

1/17

2/15

3/17

Babylonian Month-names and Abbreviations: Nisanu (NIS), Aiaru (AIA), Simanu (SIM), Duzu (DUZ), Abu (ABU), Ululu (ULU), Intercalary Second Ululu (U II), Tashritu (TAS), Arahsamnu (ARA), Kislimu (KIS), Tebetu (TEB), Shabatu (SHA), Addaru (ADD), Intercalary Second Addaru (A II).

Babylonian text examined earlier. If Nebuchadnezzar appointed Evil-Merodach, the same day he received the interpretation of his dream, to be his successor and the new king of Babylon, then he could legitimately refer to him in this subsequent account of that day as “the king”, in accord with the text in verse 19. This same statement is an important chronological marker of the prophecy of the “seven times” which were to pass over Nebuchadnezzar. (See Table 1 for a chart of the months and years of the relevant reigns.) This was preceded, according to the following account, by a period of twelve months. The twelve months, followed by the seven “times” (i.e. years) begin, therefore, on the day of the hand-over of power to Evil-Merodach. That was, according to Parker and Dubberstein, on October 7, 562 BC, or, employing the native Babylonian reckoning of the beginning and end of individual days, from sun-down October 6, to sun-down October 7, 562 BC, which was the beginning of the last week of the Babylonian month Ululu (Hebrew Elul), 562 BC. A period of twelve months plus seven years from that point, results in a date at the beginning of the last week of Ululu (Elul) 554 BC for the end of Nebuchadnezzar’s illness, and to the beginning of the last week of Ululu (Elul) 553 BC, for the year of full recovery. 13 October 552 BC = Julian Day Number 1520090.5, the beginning of the last week of Ululu (Elul) 552 BC, is then the chronological marker for the beginning of the greater cycle of seven historical “times” of the Babylonian Beast system, of which Nebuchadnezzar’s beast-like experience was the type. That these historical “times” covered future events long after the time of Nebuchadnezzar himself is proven by the reference in the dream to the enclosure of the cut-down tree within a band of “iron and brass”: this clearly relates to the metals in the dream of the Image, the brass and iron, which symbolized the third and fourth kingdoms of the Babylonian system, the Greek and Graeco-Roman kingdoms. As Nebuchadnezzar was “cut down” in an individual sense, so also was his kingdom “cut down” by the Medo-Persians, but as he himself was preserved throughout that period, so the essence of his Babylonian kingdom, “Mystery Babylon”, the Chaldaean sacred kingship, was preserved by the protection of the Greek (brass) and Roman (iron) kingdoms, as described in Daniel’s last vision of the Fourth Kingdom.

Daniel Chapter 4

Nebuchadnezzar’s Introductory Statement

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

2 I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.

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 Account of His Search for an Interpretation of a Troubling Dream

4 ¶ I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:

5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

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.

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.

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,

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.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Account of the Dream

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.

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:

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.

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

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:

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:

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.

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.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Account of Daniel’s Receiving the Interpretation of the Dream

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.

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.

Daniel’s Speech — First Part: The Interpretation of the Dream

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;

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:

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.

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;

24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:

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.

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.

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.

Daniel’s Speech — Second Part: Details of the day Nebuchadnezzar was to be smitten with insanity

28 ¶ All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.

29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.

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?

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.

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.

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’s Concluding Statement

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:

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?

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.

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.

To understand the following sections, and how the chronological calculations are made, refer to the “Example of a Prophetic Period (p) Measured by Julian Days (n)” at the section “The Prophecy of 1290 and 1335 Days” infra, on the Jewish Era of Destruction, the Dome of the Rock and Daniel 12, for further examples of the application of the principles.

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