Daniel 4 · Verse 16

Daniel 4:16

Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.
Daniel 4:16, King James Version

Daniel 4:16 in other translations

BSBLet his mind be changed from that of a man, and let him be given the mind of a beast till seven times pass him by.
WEBLet his heart be changed from man’s, and let an animal’s heart be given to him. Then let seven times pass over him.
ASVlet his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.
YLThis heart from man's is changed, and the heart of a beast is given to him, and seven times pass over him;
DARBYLet his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.
BBELet his heart be changed from that of a man, and the heart of a beast be given to him; and let seven times go by him.
WebsterLet his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given to him; and let seven times pass over him.

What does Daniel 4:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. heart--understanding (Is 6:10). times--that is, "years" (Da 12:7). "Seven" is the perfect number: a week of years: a complete revolution of time accompanying a complete revolution in his state of mind.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 Let his heart be changed - Let him conceive himself to be a beast, and act as such, herding among the beasts of the field. Let seven times pass over him - Let him continue in this state for seven years. I knew a man who was thus changed in his heart - in his imagination. He believed himself to be a bear, and would imitate the ursal growl, etc.; and the case did not appear to be hypochondriacal. Whether he ever came to sound mind, I know not.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · 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 4:16 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.

לִבְבֵהּ֙li.Vehheart itsH3825
מִן\־min-away fromH4481
אֲנָשָׁ֣א'e.no.sha'human theH606
יְשַׁנּ֔וֹןye.sha.Nonlet it be changedH8133
וּלְבַ֥בu.le.Vavand [the] heart ofH3825
חֵיוָ֖הchei.Vahan animalH2423
יִתְיְהִ֣בyit.ye.Hivlet it be givenH3052
לֵ֑הּLehto it
וְשִׁבְעָ֥הve.shiv.'Ahand sevenH7655
עִדָּנִ֖ין'i.da.NintimesH5732
יַחְלְפ֥וּןyach.le.Funlet them passH2499
עֲלֽוֹהִי\׃a.Lo.hiover itH5922

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

Cross references for Daniel 4:16

  • Daniel 4:23

    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;

  • Revelation 12:14

    And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

  • Isaiah 6:10

    Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

  • Daniel 4:25

    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.

  • Hebrews 1:11

    They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

  • Daniel 7:25

    And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

  • Daniel 4:31-33

    While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.

  • Daniel 12:7

    And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

  • Mark 5:4-5

    Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

  • Daniel 11:13

    For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.

  • Luke 8:27-29

    And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Let his.Here a transition is made from the tree to Nebuchadnezzar, whom it represented; the tree being lost sight of, a person came in its stead. This person having lost the heart, or disposition of a man, and conceiving himself a beast, should act as such, and herd among them.
be changed.
32,33; Isa 6:10; Heb 1:11; Mr 5:4,5; Lu 8:27-29
seven times.That is, seven years, a time in the prophetic language denoting a year.
23,25,31; 7:25; 11:13; 12:7; Re 12:14

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

Context

  • Daniel 4:15

    Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots 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 in the grass of the earth:

  • Daniel 4:16

    Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

  • Daniel 4:17

    This 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.

Read all of Daniel 4

Daniel 4:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Su corazón sea mudado de corazón de hombre, y séale dado corazón de bestia, y pasen sobre él siete tiempos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Alors Daniel, dont le nom est Belteshatsar, fut stupéfié pour une heure environ, et ses pensées le troublèrent. Le roi prit la parole et dit: Belteshatsar, que le songe et son interprétation ne te troublent pas. Belteshatsar répondit et dit: Mon seigneur! que le songe soit pour ceux qui te haïssent, et son interprétation pour tes ennemis.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Sein menschliches Herz werde verwandelt und das Herz eines Tieres ihm gegeben; und sieben Zeiten sollen über ihm vergehen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Tunc Daniel, cujus nomen Baltassar, cœpit intra semetipsum tacitus cogitare quasi una hora: et cogitationes ejus conturbabant eum. Respondens autem rex, ait: Baltassar, somnium et interpretatio ejus non conturbent te. Respondit Baltassar, et dixit: Domine mi, somnium his, qui te oderunt, et interpretatio ejus hostibus tuis sit.