Daniel 4 · Verse 12

Daniel 4:12

The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
Daniel 4:12, King James Version

Daniel 4:12 in other translations

BSBIts leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and upon it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, in its branches the birds of the air nested, and from it every creature was fed.
WEBIts leaves were beautiful, and it had much fruit, and in it was food for all. The animals of the field had shade under it, and the birds of the sky lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.
ASVThe leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of the heavens dwelt in the branches thereof, and all flesh was fed from it.
YLTits leaves are fair, and its budding great, and food for all is in it: under it take shade doth the beast of the field, and in its boughs dwell do the birds of the heavens, and of it fed are all flesh.
DARBYIts leaves were beautiful, and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all: the beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.
BBEIts leaves were fair and it had much fruit, and in it was food enough for all: the beasts of the field had shade under it, and the birds of heaven were resting in its branches, and it gave food to all living things.
WebsterIts leaves were fair, and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all: the beasts of the field had shade under it, and the fowls of heaven dwelt among its boughs, and all flesh was fed from it.

What does Daniel 4:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. beasts ... shadow under it--implying that God's purpose in establishing empires in the world is that they may be as trees affording men "fruits" for "meat," and a "shadow" for "rest" (compare La 4:20). But the world powers abuse their trust for self; therefore Messiah comes to plant the tree of His gospel kingdom, which alone shall realize God's purpose (Eze 17:23; Mt 13:32). Herodotus [7.19] mentions a dream (probably suggested by the tradition of this dream of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel) which Xerxes had; namely, that he was crowned with olive, and that the branches of the olive filled the whole earth, but that afterwards the crown vanished from his head: signifying his universal dominion soon to come to an end.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Daniel 4:1-18

Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges the power of Jehovah. (Dn 4:1-18) Daniel interprets his dream. (Dn 4:19-27) The fulfilment of it. (Dn 4:28-37) Verses 1-18 The beginning and end of this chapter lead us to hope, that Nebuchadnezzar was a monument of the power of Divine grace, and of the riches of Divine mercy. After he was recovered from his madness, he told to distant places, and wrote down for future ages, how God had…

Read the full comment on Daniel 4:1-18 →

Daniel 4:12 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

עָפְיֵ֤הּ'a.fe.Yehfoliage itsH6074
שַׁפִּיר֙sha.Pir[was] beautifulH8209
וְאִנְבֵּ֣הּve.'in.Behand fruit itsH4
שַׂגִּ֔יאsa.Gi'[was] plentifulH7690
וּמָז֨וֹןu.ma.Zonand foodH4203
לְכֹ֖לָּא\־le.Kho.la-'for <the> allH3606
בֵ֑הּVeh[was] on it
תְּחֹת֜וֹהִיte.cho.To.hiunder itH8460
תַּטְלֵ֣ל\׀tat.Lelit had shadeH2927
חֵיוַ֣תchei.Vat[the] animal[s] ofH2423
בָּרָ֗אba.Ra'field theH1251
וּבְעַנְפ֙וֹהִי֙u.ve.'an.Fo.hiand in branches itsH6056
יְדוּרָן֙ye.du.runthey nestedH1753
צִפֲּרֵ֣יtzi.pa.Rei[the] birds ofH6853
שְׁמַיָּ֔אshe.mai.Ya'heavens theH8065
וּמִנֵּ֖הּu.mi.Nehand from itH4481
יִתְּזִ֥יןyi.te.Zinit fedH2110
כָּל\־kol-allH3606
בִּשְׂרָֽא\׃bis.Ra'<the> fleshH1321

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Daniel 4:12

  • Luke 13:19

    It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.

  • Lamentations 4:20

    The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.

  • Ezekiel 17:23

    In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.

  • Ezekiel 31:6-7

    All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations. Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters.

  • Mark 13:32

    But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

  • Jeremiah 27:6-7

    And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him. And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son’s son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.

  • Matthew 13:32

    Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the beasts.
Jer 27:6,7; Eze 17:23; 31:6
shadow.
La 4:20
the fowls.
Mr 13:32; Lu 13:19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Daniel 4:11

    The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:

  • Daniel 4:12

    The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.

  • Daniel 4:13

    I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;

Read all of Daniel 4

Daniel 4:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Su copa era hermosa, y su fruto en abundancia, y para todos había en él mantenimiento. Debajo de él se ponían á la sombra las bestias del campo, y en sus ramas hacían morada las aves del cielo, y manteníase de él toda carne.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Toutefois, laissez dans la terre le tronc de ses racines, avec un lien de fer et d’airain autour de lui, dans l’herbe des champs; et qu’il soit baigné de la rosée des cieux, et qu’il ait, avec les bêtes, sa part à l’herbe de la terre;
German
Elberfelder 1871
sein Laub war schön und seine Frucht zahlreich, und es war Nahrung an ihm für alle; die Tiere des Feldes fanden Schatten unter ihm, und die Vögel des Himmels wohnten in seinen Zweigen, und alles Fleisch nährte sich von ihm.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Verumtamen germen radicum ejus in terra sinite, et alligetur vinculo ferreo et æreo in herbis quæ foris sunt, et rore cæli tingatur, et cum feris pars ejus in herba terræ.