Daniel 4:20-23

Daniel 4:20-23

[20] The tree  that thou sawest,  which grew,  and was strong,  whose height  reached  unto the heaven,  and the sight  thereof to all  the earth;  [21] Whose leaves  were fair,  and the fruit  thereof much,  and in it was meat  for all;  under  which the beasts  of the field  dwelt,  and upon whose branches  the fowls  of the heaven  had their habitation:  [22] It is thou,  O king,  that art grown  and become strong:  for thy greatness  is grown,  and reacheth  unto heaven,  and thy dominion  to the end  of the earth.  [23] And whereas the king  saw  a watcher  and an holy one  coming down  from  heaven,  and saying,  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 

What does Daniel 4:20-23 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

By repeating the facts of the dream as Nebuchadnezzar had previously narrated them, Daniel assured the king that he understood the dream exactly and was therefore interpreting it accurately. Nebuchadnezzar would have to leave his present place in society and would live in the open air with "beasts" (animals) of the field. Moreover, he would behave as an animal himself, even eating grass. Zoanthropy is a form of mental illness that causes such behavior. With it a person imagines himself or herself to be an animal. Perhaps this is what God used to afflict Nebuchadnezzar. [1] Another possibility is that the king suffered from boanthropy. With this illness a person thinks himself or herself to be an ox (cf. Daniel 5:21). His or her outer behavior is irrational, but the inner consciousness remains virtually unchanged. [2] This may account for the statement that at the end of his affliction Nebuchadnezzar "raised his eyes toward heaven" (i.e, repented, Daniel 4:34). R. K. Harrison recorded his personal observation of a mental patient with boanthropy who demonstrated exactly the symptoms described of Nebuchadnezzar. [3] Joyce Baldwin quoted a consulting psychiatrist who witnessed a similar case. [4]