Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 4:26
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.
26. they commanded ] viz. the watchers (cf. Dan 4:17). Or, in accordance with the principle just explained, it was commanded.
sure ] i.e. confirmed, secure: cf. Dan 6:26 (‘stedfast’). The object of the humiliation was ( Dan 4:25 b) to teach the king that his power was not his own, but delegated to him by God, the supreme ruler of the world; provision was therefore made that when he had learnt this lesson his kingdom should be restored to him (cf. Dan 4:32 b).
that the heavens do rule ] The use of ‘heaven,’ either as a metonym, or as an expression of reverence, for God, does not occur elsewhere in the O.T.; but it is found in the Apocrypha, as 1Ma 3:18, R.V. [contrast 1Sa 14:6 ], 19 (cf. 1Ma 4:60 ), 1Ma 4:10 ; 1Ma 4:24 ; 1Ma 4:55 , 2Ma 9:20 ; and it is especially frequent in the Mishna, as Abhoth, i. 3, ‘and let the fear of Heaven be upon you’; ii. 16, ‘let all thy deeds be in the name of Heaven’; iv. 7, ‘whoso profaneth the name of Heaven in secret, they punish him (i.e. he is punished) openly.’ Cf. Luk 15:18; Luk 15:21 [243] .
[243] See further examples in Dalman, l.c., pp. 178 180; and cf. Schrer 2 , ii. 454.
In connexion with the phrase here employed, it may be remarked that the original Jewish sense of the expression, ‘kingdom of heaven,’ is the rule, or government, of heaven [244] .
[244] Dalman, pp. 75 77.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And whereas they commanded – The watchers, Dan 4:15. Compare Dan 4:17.
To leave the stump of the tree roots – Or, to leave roots to the stump of the tree; that is, it was not to be dug up, or wholly destroyed, but vitality was to be left in the ground. The Chaldee here is the same as in Dan 4:15, leave the stump of his roots.
Thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee – That is, thou shalt not die under this calamity, but after it has passed away shalt be restored to authority. It might have been supposed that this meant that the authority would survive in his family, and that those who were to succeed him would reign – as shoots spring up after the parent tree has fallen; but Daniel was directed to an interpretation which is not less in accordance with the fair meaning of the dream than this would have been.
After that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule – That God rules, This was the great lesson which the event was designed to teach, and when that should have been learned, there would be a propriety that he should be restored to his throne, and should proclaim this to the world.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Dan 4:26
The heavens do rule.
The All-embracing Providence of God
The heavens, emblem of that Divine government that encircles the universe, the all-embracing superintendence of Almighty love.
I. It rules MIND as well as MATTER. The whole material universe, organic and inorganic, from the smallest atom and the tiniest insect, are under its absolute direction. There is no chance in the formation, posture, or motion of any particle of the creation. But the heavens do rule mind as well as matter. All the impulses, thoughts, and volitions of every intelligent mind are under Divine control, The heavens do rule matter by force, and mind by motive.
II. It rules the MINUTE as well as the VAST. Great and small are relative terms. In the eye of God they have no existence; and what we call little not only influences the great, but reveals as much too of the interest of the Almighty love.
III. It rules the EVIL as well as the GOOD. The heavens do rule sinners as well as saints, devils as well as angels. The wrath of man shall praise Him, and the remainder of wrath He will restrain.
1. A word to the materialist. Why be so foolish as to regard matter as at once the subject and the sovereign, the ruled and the ruler?
2. A word to the rebellious. Why oppose the Divine? You cannot master the heavens. Their bursting storms will shatter your bark, and kindle lightnings that will scathe you.
3. A word to the Christly. Let faith in the all-embracing Providence inspire you with a heroism which shall brave all enemies, a magnanimity that shall raise you above the crushing power of the greatest trials.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 26. Thy kingdom shall he sure unto thee] No new king was set up; Evil-merodach his son was regent during his father’s insanity.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
There shall be no other king chosen in thy room all the time thou livest as a stump of a tree. Thou shalt recover all again, young branches shall sprout out of thee, Job 14:7-9.
After that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule: see Dan 4:34,35, &c. If princes will not learn and know this, God will beat it into them. This is the end of all Gods rods upon them, if they would hear the voice of them, and him that hath appointed them, 2Ch 33:12,13; Psa 119:67,71; Mic 6:9. Though Nebuchadnezzar never proved a convert, yet God made him acknowledge this truth upon his restoration.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
26. thou shalt have known, c.apromise of spiritual grace to him, causing the judgment to humble,not harden, his heart.
heavens do ruleTheplural is used, as addressed to Nebuchadnezzar, the head of anorganized earthly kingdom, with various principalities under thesupreme ruler. So “the kingdom of heaven” (Mt4:17 Greek, “kingdom of the heavens“) isa manifold organization, composed of various orders of angels,under the Most High (Eph 1:20;Eph 1:21; Eph 3:10;Col 1:16).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots,…. That is the watchers and the Holy Ones; or it was commanded: this was the order given by the most High:
thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee; signifying that another king should not be set up in his place; and though the kingdom and administration of it would depart from, him for a while, yet it would be restored again, and be firm and stable:
after that thou shall have known that the heavens do rule; that is, that God, who is the Maker of the heavens, and dwells there, is known and acknowledged by thee to rule on the earth; from the government of which he was desirous of excluding him, and taking it to himself; see
Lu 15:18.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Here Daniel closes the interpretation of the dream, and shews how God did not treat King Nebuchadnezzar so severely by not giving way to clemency. He mitigates, indeed, the extreme rigor of the punishment, to induce Nebuchadnezzar to call upon God and repent, through indulging the hope of pardon, as a clearer exhortation will afterwards follow. But Daniel now prepares him for penitence, by swing His kingdom should stand For God might cast him out from intercourse with mankind, and thus he would always remain among wild beasts. He might instantly remove him from the world; but this is a mark of his clemency, since he wished to restore him, not to a merely moderate station, but to his former dignity, as if it had never been trenched upon. We see, therefore, how useful the dream was to King Nebuchadnezzar, so long as he did not despise the Prophet’s holy admonition, through ingratitude towards God; because Daniel not only predicted the slaughter which was at hand, but brought at the same time a message of reconciliation. God, therefore, had instructed the king to some purpose, unless he had been unteachable and perverse, like the majority of mankind. Besides, we may gather from this the general doctrine of our being invited to repentance when God puts an end to his chastisements; since he sets before us a taste of his clemency to induce in us the hope of his being entreated, if we only fly to him heartily and sincerely, We must notice also what Daniel adds in the second part of the verse, from which thou mayest know that there is power in heaven: for under these words the promise of spiritual grace is included. Since God will not only punish the king of Babylon, to humble him, but will work in him and change his mind, as he afterwards fulfilled, though at a long interval.
From which thou shalt know, then, says he, that power is in heaven I have stated the grace of the Spirit to be here promised, as we know how badly men profit, even if God repeats his stripes an hundredfold. Such is the hardness and obstinacy of our hearts — for we rather grow more and more obdurate, while God calls us to repentance. And, doubtless, Nebuchadnezzar had been like Pharaoh, unless God had humbled him, not only with outward penalties, but had added also the inward instinct of his Spirit, to allow himself to be instructed, and to submit himself to the judgment and power of heaven. Daniel means this when he says, Wherefore thou shalt know; for Nebuchadnezzar would never have acquired this knowledge of his own accord, unless he had been touched by the secret movement of the Spirit. He adds, That there is power in heaven; meaning, God governs the world and exercises supreme power; for he here contrasts heaven with earth, meaning all mankind. For if kings see all filings tranquil around them, and if no one causes them terror, they think themselves beyond all chance of danger, as they say; and through being desirous of certainty in their station, they look round on all sides, but never raise their eyes upwards to heaven, as if God did not concern himself to behold the kingdoms of the earth, and to set up whom he would, and to prostrate all the proud. The princes of this world never consider their power to be from heaven, as if this were entirely out of God’s hands; but, as I have said, they look right and left, before and behind. This is the reason why Daniel said, Power is from heaven. There is a contrast then between God and all mankind, as if he had said, Thou shalt know God reigns — as we have formerly seen. It follows:
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(26) They commandedi.e., the watchers. We observe, however, in Dan. 4:13 that the command is only ascribed to one of the watchers. This makes it appear that they form a council in which one acts in behalf of all.
Thy kingdom.To make the sense plain we must supply before this word, The interpretation of it is, or some sentence to that effect.
Shall be sure.Literally, shall arise. No successor shall be appointed during his life.
Do rulei.e., the heavens, or One in heaven ruleth the kingdoms of men.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26. Rather, so soon as thou shalt recognize that the heavens do rule. This is the first time in Jewish literature that “the heavens” is used for the “God of heaven.” (Compare Dan 3:1.) In the Mishna this is a common form, as also in the Apocrypha (for example, 1 Macc. iv). It might be added, however, that Bel is addressed in the inscriptions as the “great heavens.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Dan 4:26 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.
Ver. 26. And whereas they commanded. ] See Dan 4:15 ; and further observe how God tempereth his judgments with mercy, and that out of his mere philanthropy.
That the heavens,
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the heavens. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), App-6, for God Who dwells there. Compare Luk 15:18.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Dan 4:26
Dan 4:26 And whereasH1768 they commandedH560 to leaveH7662 the stumpH6136 ofH1768 the treeH363 roots;H8330 thy kingdomH4437 shall be sureH7011 unto thee, after thatH4481 H1768 thou shalt have knownH3046 thatH1768 the heavensH8065 do rule.H7990
Dan 4:26
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.
At this point Nebuchadnezzar probably didn’t believe the decree given by the most High. If he did believe it, he sure didn’t do anything to hold it off because it was several months after his dream that the execution of it actually occurred. However, it was made plain to him that he would not lose his kingdom.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
to leave: Dan 4:15
the heavens: Mat 5:34, Mat 21:20, Luk 15:18, Luk 15:21
Reciprocal: Dan 4:32 – they shall drive Dan 4:34 – at the end Mic 7:13 – General Luk 20:4 – from
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Dan 4:26. They commanded has the meaning of it was commanded.” Thy kingdom shall he sure unto thee is ex-plained by the comments at verse 22.