This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
Parallel translations
- WEB this is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which has come on my lord the king:
- BSB This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree that the Most High has issued against my lord the king:
- NKJV this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king:
- NASB this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king:
- NLT “‘This is what the dream means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has declared will happen to my lord the king.
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
Daniel announces this is the decree of the Most High coming upon the king. The judgment is from God, not chance.
Overview
Daniel makes clear that the dream is a divine sentence already determined in heaven. The king's fate rests in the hands of the Most High he has ignored. Naming God as the source removes any doubt that this is a sovereign act meant to teach and humble.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Ps 107:40He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.
- Job 40:11–12Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.
- Isa 46:10–11Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
- Isa 23:9The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.
- Job 20:29This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.
- Isa 14:24–27The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:
- Dan 4:17This 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.
- Ps 148:6He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.
- Ps 2:7I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
- Job 1:12–19And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 4:24 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.