Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 4:16
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.
16. his heart ] i.e. his intelligence: let him receive the understanding of a beast (imagine himself an animal). The heart, in Hebrew psychology, is the seat not (as commonly with us) of tender feeling (a ‘heartless’ man), but of the intellect: cf. Hos 7:11, ‘a silly dove, without heart,’ i.e. without understanding, Jer 5:21, ‘a foolish people, without understanding,’ lit. without heart.
seven times ] i.e. seven years: cf. Dan 7:25, Dan 12:7 (Heb. m‘d); Rev 12:14 ( ). With ‘pass over,’ comp. 1Ch 29:30.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Let his heart be changed from mans, and let a beasts heart be given unto him – Here the same thing occurs in a more marked form, showing that some man was represented by the vision, and indicating some change which was fitted to attract the deepest attention – as if the person referred to should cease to be a man, and become a beast. The word heart here seems to refer to nature – let his nature or propensity cease to be that of a man, and become like that of a beast; let him cease to act as a man, and act as the beasts do – evincing as little mind, and living in the same manner.
And let seven times pass over him – In this condition, or until he is restored. It is not indeed said that he would be restored, but this is implied
(a) in the very expression until seven times shall pass over him, as if he would then be restored in some way, or as if this condition would then terminate; and
(b) in the statement that the stump of the roots would be left in the earth as if it might still germinate again.
Everything, however, in the dream was fitted to produce perplexity as to what it could mean. The word rendered times ( ddanyn – singular, iddan) is an important word in the interpretation of Daniel. It is of the same class of words as the Hebrew yaad – to point out, to appoint, to fix; and would refer properly to time considered as appointed or designated; then it may mean any stated or designated period, as a year. The idea is that of time considered as designated or fixed by periods, and the word may refer to any such period, however long or short – a day, a month, a year, or any other measure of duration. What measurement or portion is intended in any particular case must be determined from the connection in which the word is found. The word used here does not occur in the Hebrew scripture, and is found only in the book of Daniel, where it is uniformly rendered time and times.
It is found only in the following places: Dan 2:8, that ye would gain the time; Dan 2:9, till the time be changed; Dan 2:21, and he changeth the times; Dan 3:5, Dan 3:15, at what time ye shall hear; Dan 4:16, Dan 4:23, and let seven times pass over him, Dan 4:25, Dan 4:32, seven times shall pass over him; Dan 7:12, for a season and time; Dan 7:25, until a time and times and the dividing of time. In the place before us, so far as the meaning of the word is concerned, it might mean a day, a week, a month, or a year. The more common interpretation is what supposes that it was a year, and this will agree better with all the circumstances of the case than any other period. The Greek of Theodotion here is: kai hepta kairoi allagesontai ep’ auton – And seven times shall change upon him; that is, until seven seasons revolve over him.
The most natural construction of this Greek phrase would be to refer it to years. The Latin Vulgate interprets it in a similar way – et septem tempora mutentur super eum – And let seven times be changed or revolve over him. In the Codex Chisianus it is: kai hepta ete boskethe sun autois – and let him feed with them seven years. Luther renders it times. Josephus understands by it seven years. – Ant. b. x. ch. 10: Section 6. While the Chaldee word is indeterminate in respect to the length of time, the most natural and obvious construction here and elsewhere, in the use of the word, is to refer it to years. Days or weeks would be obviously too short, and though in this place the word months would perhaps embrace all that would be necessary, yet in the other places where the word occurs in Daniel it undoubtedly refers to years, and there is, therefore, a propriety in understanding it in the same manner here.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 16. Let his heart be changed] Let him conceive himself to be a beast, and act as such, herding among the beasts of the field.
Let seven times pass over him.] Let him continue in this state for seven years. I knew a man who was thus changed in his heart – in his imagination. He believed himself to be a bear, and would imitate the ursal growl, c. and the case did not appear to be hypochondriacal. Whether he ever came to sound mind, I know not.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Let him live seven years as a beast in mans shape, among beasts of the field, let him become brutish, without human sense and understanding: and this appeared much also in his outward shape; nails like claws, and hair like feathers. Some think that he was truly changed into a beast, but this cannot be, for then the Chaldeans would never more have owned or restored him. Others judge that he was not changed at all but in appearance only to the beholders and in their fancies; but this is a false construction of Gods works, when the Scripture saith it was truly done. It is probable he was mute, and bellowed only, that he went naked, and bowed, and ate grass among the beasts, with whom his converse was: a dreadful example upon the greatest man on earth, for his brutish and raging tyranny, and inhuman carriage, abasing himself, and abusing his honours and great prerogatives to wickedness and savage cruelty, to be thus forsaken of God and men, and to be made a prodigy and spectacle to the world, and that upon record to all generations.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. heartunderstanding (Isa6:10).
timesthat is, “years”(Da 12:7). “Seven” isthe perfect number: a week of years: a complete revolution of timeaccompanying a complete revolution in his state of mind.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Let his heart be changed from man’s,…. Not as to the substance, but as to the quality:
and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; from a human heart, let it be changed into a brutal one; let him be deprived of the use of reason, and have no more exercise of it than a brute has; let him be wholly governed by the animal senses, and behave and act as a beast does; be as senseless, stupid, and savage, as that: and such a heart Nebuchadnezzar had; not that his rational soul departed from him, then he must have died; but the powers of it were sadly vitiated and depraved; his understanding, imagining himself to be a beast, not a man; his judgment, in not distinguishing the actions of a beast from those of a man; his memory of things past utterly failed; he forgot what he had been, and was; his will, inclination, and fancy, were towards brutal things, and ran upon deserts, fields, and grass; and he shunned the society of men:
and let seven times pass over him: while in this condition; let him remain so long in it; not seven months, as Abarbinel, and others; nor seven half years, or three years and a half, as some in Theodoret; dividing the year into two parts, summer and winter; and suppose, that seven of these seasons passed over him before he recovered; but seven years are meant, as Jarchi, Saadiah, and Jacchiades, as the phrase is used in Da 7:25, so many years the temple of Solomon was building, which Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed, and so long this madness must remain upon him: no notice is taken of this affair by Heathen writers, only Abydenus n says, that being under a divine afflatus, he foretold the destruction of the Babylonian empire by a Persian mule (meaning Cyrus), and by a Mede, and immediately, , he disappeared; which some have understood of this time of his madness, which quickly followed upon this dream.
n Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 41. p. 457.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(4:13)
Here the angel declares by what means Nebuchadnezzar shall be brought into this condition. His heart shall be changed from a man’s heart, according to the following passage, into the heart of a beast. , to change, to make different from, so that it is no longer what it was. The Kethiv is the Hebr. form for the Chald. of the Keri, here, as in v. 14, where along with it also stands the Hebr. plur. form . stands here for the abbreviated comparison frequent in Hebr., , and the 3rd pers. plur. impers. for the passive. is the heart, the centre of the intelligent soul-life. The heart of man is dehumanized when his soul becomes like that of a beast; for the difference between the heart of a man and that of a beast has its foundation in the difference between the soul of a man and the soul of a beast (Delitzsch, bibl. Psych. p. 252). And seven times shall pass over him, viz., during the continuance of the circumstances described; i.e., his condition of bondage shall last for seven times. Following the example of the lxx and of Josephus, many ancient and recent interpreters, down to Maur., Hitz., and Kran., understood by the word years, because the times in Dan 7:25; Dan 12:7, are also years, and because in Dan 4:29 mention is made of twelve months, and thereby the time is defined as one year. But from Dan 4:29 the duration of the cannot at all be concluded, and in Dan 7:25 and Dan 12:7 the times are not years. designates generally a definite period of time, whose length or duration may be very different. Seven is the “measure and signature of the history of the development of the kingdom of God, and of all the factors and phenomena significant for it” (Lmmert’s “Revision of the biblical Symbolical Numbers” in the Jahrbb.f. deutsche Theol. ix. p. 11); or as Leyrer, in Herzog’s Realencykl. xviii. p. 366, expresses himself, “the signature for all the actions of God, in judgment and in mercy, punishments, expiations, consecrations, blessings, connected with the economy of redemption, perfecting themselves in time.” Accordingly, “seven times” is the duration of the divine punishment which was decreed against Nebuchadnezzar for purposes connected with the history of redemption. Whether these times are to be understood as years, months, or weeks, is not said, and cannot at all be determined. The supposition that they were seven years “cannot well be adopted in opposition to the circumstance that Nebuchadnezzar was again restored to reason, a thing which very rarely occurs after so long a continuance of psychical disease” (J. B. Friedreich , Zur Bibel. Naturhist., anthrop. u. med. Fragmente , i. p. 316).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
The reason for this punishment follows, when it is added, seven times shall pass over him; and then, do not cut off its lowest root, but let the rain of heaven water it; and next; his portion shall be with the wild beasts. Although the chastisement is hard and horrible, when Nebuchadnezzar is expelled from the society of men, and rendered like wild beasts; but it is something in his favor when God does not tear him up by the roots, but allows the root to remain, for the tree to spring up again and flourish, and be planted again in its own place, and recover new vigor through its roots. Here Daniel reviews the punishment inflicted on King Nebuchadnezzar, in which God afforded a specimen of his clemency, in sparing him and not utterly cutting him down, but in allowing his root to remain. Some here discourse about the mitigation of penalties when God sees those repent whom he has chastised with rods; but I do not think it applicable here. There was no true conversion in King Nebuchadnezzar, as we said before, and shall see again more clearly. God did not wish to press him too hard, and this we must attribute to his clemency; because when he seems to set no bounds to his punishment of men’s sins, yet in all temporal punishments he allows men to taste his pity; so that even the reprobate remain without excuse. The assertion of some—that punishments are not remitted without the fault being excused, is false; as we see in the example of Ahab. For God remitted the fault to the impious king, but because he seemed to shew some signs of repentance, God abstained from greater punishment. (1Kg 21:29.) So also we may see the same in the case of Nebuchadnezzar. God was unwilling utterly to root him out—for the metaphor of the tree shews this—but he desired seven times to pass over him Some understand seven weeks, others seven years; but we shall treat this point more copiously by and bye. Lastly, we must notice this; in the midst of the time during which God’s wrath seemed to rage against this wretched king, his benefits were also mingled with it. We learn this from the words, his portion shall be with the beasts of the field; that is, he shall feed upon some food by which life shall be preserved; and then, it shall be watered or irrigated with the rain of heaven. For God signifies—though he wished to punish King Nebuchadnezzar, and to render him a remarkable example of his wrath—his knowledge of what he could bear; hence, he so tempers his punishment as to leave hope remaining for the future, Thus he took his food even with the beasts of the earth, but he is not deprived of the irrigation of the dew of heaven.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(16) Here the metaphor of Dan. 4:15 is entirely discontinued, and a man is mentioned.
Seven times.On the use of the number seven see Note on Dan. 3:19. The period intended by time is very uncertain: from the use of the word in Jdg. 17:10 it has been inferred that years are intended. This is purely conjectural. It is more probable that the word is used to signify some definite period of time, which, as appears from the words over him, was in some way marked out by the heavenly bodies. The word time is used by Daniel in the same sense (Dan. 7:25). (Comp. Dan. 12:7, where, however, a different word is employed.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Dan 4:16. Let his heart be changed from man’s It can only be hence collected, that the king’s mind was so changed, that he now appeared to himself no longer as a man, but as an animal; and therefore, of his own accord, lived among wild beasts, neglectful of human food and culture. Nothing is read concerning the change of his form; he therefore crept upon his hands and feet like other animals; in this alone unlike a man, that his hair and nails increased like those of an eagle: see Dan 4:33. By seven times are meant seven years. Times is used in the same sense in the Revelation. Scaliger thinks that this madness of Nebuchadnezzar is obscurely hinted at in a fragment of Abydenus, produced by Eusebius; wherein, having represented the king, from the Chaldean writers, to have fallen into an exstasy, and to have foretold the destruction of that empire by the Medes and Persians, the author adds, that immediately after uttering this prophesy he disappeared; which Scaliger expounds by the king’s being driven from his regal state, and the society of men. See Houbigant and Calmet.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Dan 4:16 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.
Ver. 16. Let his heart be changed, ] i.e., Obbrutescat, nihil humanum sapiat; a fearful judgment, and yet such as reprobates are usually delivered up to. Rom 1:24
And let a beast’s heart be given him.] Let his fantasy and appetite be so changed, that, upon a strong imagination that he is a beast, he may have affections carrying him in all things to do accordingly. Little is said of this in human history. The Chaldee chronicles are lost. Alpheus (as he is cited by Eusebius) a briefly saith that Nebuchadnezzar, rapt with madness, presently vanished out of the company of men, after that he had first foretold the overthrow of the Chaldean monarchy. The Chaldeans in Abidenus’ fragments record that he was blasted by some god, and spake of Babel’s fall by the Persians. b
And let seven times to pass over him,
a Lib. ix. de Praepar. Ev.
b Brought., Conc. of Script.
Let his heart, &c. The figure here changes from a tree to that of a beast, mentioned in Dan 4:15.
man’s. Chaldee. ‘anasha’. App-14.
seven times. The inscriptions state that there were several years in which Nebuchadnezzar did nothing,
seven
The number of completeness.
Let his: Here a transition is made from the tree to Nebuchadnezzar, whom it represented; the tree being lost sight of, a person came in its stead. This person having lost the heart, or disposition of a man, and conceiving himself a beast, should act as such, and herd among them.
be changed: Dan 4:32, Dan 4:33, Isa 6:10, Heb 1:11, Mar 5:4, Mar 5:5, Luk 8:27-29
seven times: That is, seven years, a time in the prophetic language denoting a year. Dan 4:23, Dan 4:25, Dan 4:31, Dan 7:25, Dan 11:13, Dan 12:7, Rev 12:14
Reciprocal: Job 12:24 – He taketh Dan 4:34 – at the end Dan 4:36 – mine
Dan 4:16. The heart or mind of this unfortunate person was to be changed or deranged so that he would have an intellect no better than a beast. And being thus he will eat grass as they do (verse 25). This condition was to continue until seven times pass over him. Times is from sdpan which Strong defines, “a set time; technically a year. Moffatt renders the place seven years,” so the meaning is clear that a period of 7 years (complete number; see definition at chapter 3: 19) was to pass with above conditions.
4:16 {h} 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.
(h) By this he means that Nebuchadnezzar would not only for a time lose his kingdom, but be like a beast.
The man portrayed as a tree cut down would be out of his mind (lebab, lit. heart, including feelings, emotions, and affections) for "seven periods of time" (cf. Dan 4:23; Dan 4:25; Dan 4:32; Dan 7:25). The word "periods of time" (’iddanin) is indefinite; it does not indicate how long these periods of time are. It means years in Dan 7:25, and that may be the meaning here too. [Note: Pentecost, p. 1342.] Seven days or seven weeks would have been too short a time for his hair to grow the length of feathers (Dan 4:33), though that might be possible in seven months.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)