King James Version

What Does Daniel 4:25 Mean?

Daniel 4:25 in the King James Version says “That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to...” — study this verse from Daniel chapter 4 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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.”

Daniel 4:25 · KJV

Context

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. a lengthening: or, an healing of thine error

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Daniel details the judgment: expulsion from human society, dwelling with beasts, eating grass like oxen, wetness from heaven's dew, and passage of seven times—all 'till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.' This final clause reveals judgment's purpose: not vindictive punishment but pedagogical discipline. God aims to teach Nebuchadnezzar theological truth: the Most High sovereignly governs human kingdoms, distributing authority according to His will, not human merit. The king must learn that his empire came through divine grant, not personal achievement. Reformed theology emphasizes God's absolute sovereignty over nations—He 'removeth kings, and setteth up kings' (Daniel 2:21). This judgment dismantles the king's illusion of autonomous power, forcing recognition of creaturelydependence. The phrase 'till thou know' indicates the judgment's conditional nature: once the lesson is learned, restoration follows.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Ancient Near Eastern royal ideology claimed kings ruled by divine mandate, but typically understood this as partnership—the god(s) chose the king, who then maintained divine favor through proper ritual, military success, and building projects. Nebuchadnezzar's inscriptions repeatedly claim Marduk selected him and enabled his victories. Daniel's interpretation radically reframes this: the Most High alone grants and removes authority; human contribution is negligible. This challenged not just Nebuchadnezzar but the entire ideological foundation of ancient imperialism. The historical pattern has repeated: every empire claiming autonomous greatness eventually learns (often through collapse) its dependence on factors beyond its control. God permits human pride to reach breaking points, then demonstrates sovereign control.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does the phrase 'till thou know' teach about discipline having educational rather than merely punitive purposes?
  2. How does acknowledging God's sovereignty over nations challenge modern nationalism and political ideologies?
  3. In what ways do we, like Nebuchadnezzar, need to 'learn' God's sovereignty through difficult experiences?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 33 words
וְלָ֣ךְ1 of 33
H0
טָֽרְדִ֣ין2 of 33

“That they shall drive”

H2957

to expel

מִן3 of 33

“thee from”

H4481

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of

אֲנָשָׁ֔א4 of 33

“men”

H606

a man

וְעִם5 of 33

“with”

H5974

adverb or preposition, with (i.e., in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then

חֵיוַ֣ת6 of 33

“the beasts”

H2423

an animal

בָּרָא֩7 of 33

“of the field”

H1251

a field

לֶהֱוֵ֨ה8 of 33

“shall be”

H1934

to exist; used in a great variety of applications (especially in connection with other words)

מְדֹרָ֜ךְ9 of 33

“and thy dwelling”

H4070

a dwelling

וְעִשְׂבָּ֥א10 of 33

“grass”

H6211

a moth

כְתוֹרִ֣ין׀11 of 33

“as oxen”

H8450

a bull

לָ֣ךְ12 of 33
H0
יְטַֽעֲמ֗וּן13 of 33

“and they shall make thee to eat”

H2939

to taste; causatively to feed

וּמִטַּ֤ל14 of 33

“thee with the dew”

H2920

dew (as covering vegetation)

שְׁמַיָּא֙15 of 33

“of heaven”

H8065

the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies r

לָ֣ךְ16 of 33
H0
מְצַבְּעִ֔ין17 of 33

“and they shall wet”

H6647

to dip

וְשִׁבְעָ֥ה18 of 33

“and seven”

H7655

seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number

עִדָּנִ֖ין19 of 33

“times”

H5732

a set time; technically, a year

יַחְלְפ֣וּן20 of 33

“shall pass”

H2499

to pass on (of time)

עֲלָ֑יךְ21 of 33

“over”

H5922

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

עַ֣ד22 of 33

“thee till”

H5705

until

דִּֽי23 of 33
H1768

that, used as relative conjunction, and especially (with a preposition) in adverbial phrases; also as preposition of

תִנְדַּ֗ע24 of 33

“thou know”

H3046

to inform

דִּֽי25 of 33
H1768

that, used as relative conjunction, and especially (with a preposition) in adverbial phrases; also as preposition of

שַׁלִּ֤יט26 of 33

“ruleth”

H7990

mighty; abstractly, permission; concretely, a premier

עִלָּיָא֙27 of 33

“that the most High”

H5943

supreme (i.e., god)

בְּמַלְכ֣וּת28 of 33

“in the kingdom”

H4437

dominion (abstractly or concretely)

אֲנָשָׁ֔א29 of 33

“men”

H606

a man

וּלְמַן30 of 33

“it to whomsoever”

H4479

who or what (properly, interrogatively, hence, also indefinitely and relatively)

דִּ֥י31 of 33
H1768

that, used as relative conjunction, and especially (with a preposition) in adverbial phrases; also as preposition of

יִצְבֵּ֖א32 of 33

“he will”

H6634

to please

יִתְּנִנַּֽהּ׃33 of 33

“and giveth”

H5415

give

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Daniel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Daniel 4:25 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Daniel 4:25 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Daniel 4:17Jeremiah 27:5Psalms 83:18Daniel 2:21Psalms 106:20Job 30:3-8

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