Daniel 4:23 web — Whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from the sky, and saying, Cut down the tree, and destroy it;…

World English Bible

"Whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from the sky, and saying, Cut down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of its 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 the sky: and let his portion be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him;"

— Daniel 4:23, World English Bible

Read in Another Translation

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Daniel 4:23 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “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;”

  • ASV

    “And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless 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; ”

  • NET

    “As for the king seeing a holy sentinel coming down from heaven and saying,‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the wild animals, until seven periods of time go by for him’–”

  • DRB

    “But whereas he commanded, that the stump of the roots thereof, that is, of the tree, should be left: thy kingdom shall remain to thee, after thou shalt have known that power is from heaven.”

  • BBE

    “And as for the vision which the king saw of a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven, saying, Let the tree be cut down and given to destruction;”

  • KJVA

    “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;”

Daniel 4 — Context

20

The tree that you saw, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached to the sky, and its sight to all the earth;

21

whose leaves were beautiful, and its fruit much, and in it was food for all; under which the animals of the field lived, and on whose branches the birds of the sky had their habitation:

22

it is you, O king, that are grown and become strong; for your greatness is grown, and reaches to the sky, and your dominion to the end of the earth.

23

Whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from the sky, and saying, Cut down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of its 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 the sky: and let his portion be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him;

24

this is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which is come on my lord the king:

25

that you shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field, and you shall be made to eat grass as oxen, and shall be wet with the dew of the sky, and seven times shall pass over you; until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.

26

Whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree; your kingdom shall be sure to you, after that you shall have known that the heavens do rule.

Daniel 4:23 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Daniel 4:23 say?
Daniel 4:23 in the World English Bible reads: “Whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from the sky, and saying, Cut down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of its 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 the sky: and let his portion be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him;”
Where is Daniel 4:23 in the Bible?
Daniel 4:23 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Daniel, chapter 4, verse 23.
Who wrote Daniel?
Daniel is traditionally attributed to Daniel (traditional). Conservative scholarship dates Daniel to the 6th century BC; critical scholarship often proposes a 2nd-century-BC date for the apocalyptic portions. It was written c. 605–530 BC.
What is the book of Daniel about?
Daniel is a young exile in Babylon who, with his three friends, refuses to bow to the world's gods. The book combines courageous narratives — the fiery furnace, the lions' den — with sweeping prophetic visions of the kingdoms of earth giving way to the everlasting kingdom of the Son of Man.
What are the major themes of Daniel?
Daniel explores themes including Sovereignty, Faithfulness, Prophecy, Kingdoms, Son of Man. These themes shape the meaning and context of Daniel 4:23.
What translation should I read Daniel 4:23 in?
Daniel 4:23 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Daniel 4:23?
Daniel 4:23 reads (WEB): “Whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from the sky, and saying, Cut down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of its 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 the sky: and let his portion be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him;” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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