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.
Parallel translations
- WEB let his heart be changed from man’s, and let an animal’s heart be given to him; and let seven times pass over him.
- BSB 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.
- NKJV Let his heart be changed from that of a man, Let him be given the heart of a beast, And let seven times pass over him.
- NASB “Let his mind change from that of a human And let an animal’s mind be given to him, And let seven periods of time pass over him.
- NLT For seven periods of time, let him have the mind of a wild animal instead of the mind of a human.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The figure's mind is to become like an animal's for "seven times." The king will be humbled to a beast-like state for a set period.
Overview
The loss of a human mind depicts the depth of Nebuchadnezzar's coming humiliation, stripped of the reason that made him proud. The "seven times" marks a divinely measured, limited duration. The judgment fits the offense: the man who exalted himself above God is reduced below the dignity of a man until he learns the truth.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Dan 4:23And 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;
- Rev 12:14And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
- Isa 6:10Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
- Dan 4:25That 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.
- Heb 1:11They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
- Dan 11:13For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.
- Luke 8:27–29And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.
- Dan 4:31–33While 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.
- Dan 7:25And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
- Mark 5:4–5Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
- Dan 12:7And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
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Christ at the center
Daniel sees the stone cut without hands that shatters the kingdoms, and 'one like a son of man' given everlasting dominion — titles and visions Jesus claims as his own.
How Daniel 4:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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