Chapter
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Verse

Daniel 4:14

ESV He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
NIV He called in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
NASB He shouted out and spoke as follows: 'Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, Shake off its foliage and scatter its fruit; Let the animals flee from under it And the birds from its branches.
CSB He called out loudly: Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.
NLT The messenger shouted, 'Cut down the tree and lop off its branches! Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Chase the wild animals from its shade and the birds from its branches.
KJV He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:
NKJV He cried aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts get out from under it, And the birds from its branches.

What does Daniel 4:14 mean?

In King Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Daniel 4:4–5, 10–12), he sees a massive tree and then an angelic being (Daniel 4:13). The angel from heaven carried a stern message. The tree, while tall, beautiful, bountiful, and beneficial, would not be that way forever. Instead, it would be cut down. Its limbs would be removed and all its valuable fruit taken away. As a result, the animals would hurry away from its shade, and the birds would fly away from its branches. The symbolism is explained later in the chapter. The tree is Nebuchadnezzar and his vast empire. His power would be severed from him (Daniel 4:25).

History's final degenerate kingdom emerges in the tribulation period. This will be ruled by a wicked dictator called "the beast." Revelation 13 portrays the beast as emerging from the sea and commanding a vast kingdom. This figure will hold authority "over every tribe and people and language and nation" (Revelation 13:7). But the beast's kingdom, like Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom, will be cut down. God will destroy the Babylon of the tribulation (Revelation 17:15—18:2), but first He will warn His people to come out of that wicked culture (Revelation 18:4).
Expand
Expand
Expand
What is the Gospel?
Download the app: