The Meaning of Daniel 4:18 Explained

Daniel 4:18

KJV: This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

YLT: This dream I have seen, I king Nebuchadnezzar; and thou, O Belteshazzar, the interpretation tell, because that all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to cause me to know the interpretation, and thou art able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

Darby: This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and thou, Belteshazzar, tell the interpretation, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation; but thou art able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

ASV: This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation; but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

This  dream  I  king  Nebuchadnezzar  have seen.  Now thou,  O Belteshazzar,  declare  the interpretation  thereof, forasmuch as  all  the wise  [men] of my kingdom  are not  able  to make known  unto me the interpretation:  but thou  [art] able;  for the spirit  of the holy  gods  [is] in thee. 

What does Daniel 4:18 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The king concluded his description of what his dream contained by appealing to Daniel to interpret it for him. It seems incredible that the Babylonian soothsayers could not offer an interpretation of this dream, since its meaning seems quite transparent. Perhaps God hid the meaning from them, or maybe they pretended ignorance of it since it predicted Nebuchadnezzar"s humiliation, and they would not have wanted to tell him of that.

Context Summary

Daniel 4:1-18 - "the Decree Of The Watchers"
Nebuchadnezzar was in the zenith of his fame and power. His wars were over; his prosperity was assured. But he attributed all to his own wisdom and prowess. There was no thought of God, who had raised him up and given him everything. He must be humbled, if his soul was to be saved; and the whole living world must know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomsoever He pleases, Daniel 4:17. How gladly worldly men turn in hours of crisis to religious men, who draw upon unseen resources, and bear themselves with calm and unruffled peace, Daniel 4:9. The greatness of the King is set forth under the figure of a mighty tree, filling the earth and sheltering the nations. There was only one Being who came down, combining in Himself watchfulness and holiness. In Daniel 4:17 we learn that no destiny is decided apart from the careful sifting of the celestial council-chamber. How august is this conception of the matured judgment of heaven. Where should we stand apart from the pleading of the great High Priest? [source]

Chapter Summary: Daniel 4

1  Nebuchadnezzar confesses God's kingdom,
4  makes relation of his dreams, which the magicians could not interpret
8  Daniel hears the dream
19  He interprets it
28  The dream fulfilled

What do the individual words in Daniel 4:18 mean?

This dream have seen I King Nebuchadnezzar you and you Belteshazzar its interpretation declare all forasmuch as since the wise [men] of my kingdom not are able interpretation the to make known to me but you [are] able for the Spirit of the God Holy [is] in you
דְּנָה֙ חֶלְמָ֣א חֲזֵ֔ית אֲנָ֖ה מַלְכָּ֣א נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֑ר [ואנתה] (וְאַ֨נְתְּ) בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֜ר פִּשְׁרֵ֣א ׀ אֱמַ֗ר כָּל־ קֳבֵל֙ דִּ֣י ׀ חַכִּימֵ֣י מַלְכוּתִ֗י לָֽא־ יָכְלִ֤ין פִּשְׁרָא֙ לְהוֹדָ֣עֻתַ֔נִי (וְאַ֣נְתְּ) כָּהֵ֔ל דִּ֛י רֽוּחַ־ אֱלָהִ֥ין קַדִּישִׁ֖ין בָּֽךְ

דְּנָה֙  This 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: דְּנָה  
Sense: this, on account of this adv.
חֶלְמָ֣א  dream 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: חֵלֶם  
Sense: dream.
חֲזֵ֔ית  have  seen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: חֲזָה  
Sense: to see, behold.
מַלְכָּ֣א  King 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: מֶלֶךְ  
Sense: king.
נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֑ר  Nebuchadnezzar 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר  
Sense: the great king of Babylon who captured Jerusalem and carried Judah captive.
(וְאַ֨נְתְּ)  and  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַנְתְּ 
Sense: you, thou (second pers.
בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֜ר  Belteshazzar 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר  
Sense: the 4th of the greater prophets, taken as hostage in the first deportation to Babylon; because of the gift of God of the interpretation of dreams, he became the 2nd in command of the Babylon empire and lasted through the end of the Babylonian empire and into the Persian empire. His prophecies are the key to the understanding of end time events. Noted for his purity and holiness by contemporary prophet, Ezekiel.
פִּשְׁרֵ֣א ׀  its  interpretation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: פְּשַׁר  
Sense: interpretation (of dream).
אֱמַ֗ר  declare 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: אֲמַר  
Sense: (P’al) to say, to speak, to command, to tell, to relate.
קֳבֵל֙  forasmuch  as 
Parse: Preposition
Root: קֳבֵל  
Sense: front prep.
דִּ֣י ׀  since 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: דִּי  
Sense: who, which, that mark of genitive.
חַכִּימֵ֣י  the  wise  [men] 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: חַכִּים  
Sense: wise man, wise.
מַלְכוּתִ֗י  of  my  kingdom 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: מַלְכוּ  
Sense: royalty, reign, kingdom.
יָכְלִ֤ין  are  able 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יְכִל  
Sense: to be able.
פִּשְׁרָא֙  interpretation  the 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: פְּשַׁר  
Sense: interpretation (of dream).
לְהוֹדָ֣עֻתַ֔נִי  to  make  known  to  me 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, first person common singular
Root: יְדַע  
Sense: to know.
(וְאַ֣נְתְּ)  but  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַנְתְּ 
Sense: you, thou (second pers.
כָּהֵ֔ל  [are]  able 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: כְּהַל  
Sense: to be able.
רֽוּחַ־  the  Spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: spirit, wind.
אֱלָהִ֥ין  of  the  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלָהּ  
Sense: god, God.
קַדִּישִׁ֖ין  Holy 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: קַדִּישׁ  
Sense: holy, separate.
בָּֽךְ  [is]  in  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular