John Calvin Commentary Daniel 4:13-16

"I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven. He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches. 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 heaven: and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: 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 4:13-16 (ASV)

Here Nebuchadnezzar relates his dream, the interpretation of which will follow in its place. Yet because this narrative is cold and useless unless we say something about the subject itself, it is necessary to make some remarks—the rest will be deferred.

First of all, Nebuchadnezzar himself is intended under the figure of a tree, not because it fully represents the king’s office, but because God appointed the existence of governments in the world for this purpose: to be like trees on whose fruits all people feed, and under whose shadow they rest.

Therefore, this ordinance of God flourishes because tyrants, however far they are removed from the exercise of just and moderate dominion, whether they wish it or not, are compelled to be like trees, since it is better to live under the most cruel tyrant than without any government at all. Let us suppose all to be on one equal level; what would such anarchy produce?

No one would wish to yield to others; everyone would test the extent of their powers, and thus all would end in prey and plunder, in the mere license of fraud and murder, and all the passions of mankind would have full and unbridled sway. Therefore, I have said, tyranny is better and more easily tolerated than anarchy, because where there is no supreme governor, there is no one to preside and keep the rest in check.

Therefore, those who think this is a description of a king endowed with superior virtues philosophize too minutely, for there was no such superiority in justice and equity in King Nebuchadnezzar.

God principally wished to show, by this figure, with what intention and with what political order He desires the world to be governed, and why He sets over it kings, monarchies, and other magistrates.

Then He desired to show, secondly, that although tyrants and other princes forget their duty, it is still divinely enjoined upon them, and yet God’s grace always shines forth in all governments.

Tyrants endeavor to extinguish the whole light of equity and justice and to throw all things into confusion; but the Lord meanwhile restrains them in a secret and wonderful manner, and thus they are compelled to act usefully to the human race, whether they will or not.

This, then, is the meaning of the figure or image of the tree.

It is now added, the birds of heaven dwelt amidst the branches, and the beasts lived by its sustenance—which should be referred to mankind. For although even the beasts of the field profit by political order, yet we know society to have been ordained by God for the benefit of men.

There is no doubt at all that the whole discourse is metaphorical; indeed, properly speaking, it is an allegory, since an allegory is only a continued metaphor. If Daniel had only represented the king under the figure of a tree, it would have been a metaphor; but when he pursues his own train of thought in a continuous tenor, his discourse becomes allegorical.

He says, therefore, the beasts of the field dwelt under the tree, because we are sheltered by the protection of magistrates; and no heat of the sun so parches and burns up miserable people as living deprived of that shade under which God wished them to repose.

The birds of heaven also nestled in its boughs and leaves. Some distinguish, with too much subtlety, between birds and beasts.

It is sufficient for us to observe the Prophet noticing how people of every rank find no small utility in the protection of princes; for if they were deprived of it, it would be better for them to live like wild beasts than mutually to confide in each other.

Such protection is needful if we reflect upon the great pride natural to all, the blindness of our self-love, and the furiousness of our lusts.

As this is the case, God shows, in this dream, how all orders among us need the protection of magistrates, while pasture, food, and shelter signify the various forms of usefulness which political order provides for us.

For some might object that they have no need of government for one reason or another, arguing that if we properly discharge all the duties of life, we will always find God’s blessing sufficient for us.

It is now added, its height was great; then, it grew until it reached even to heaven, and its aspect extended itself to the furthest bounds of the land. This is restricted to the Babylonian monarchy, for there were then other empires in the world, but they were either powerless or only slightly important.

The Chaldeans, also, were then so powerful that no prince could approach such majesty and power. Since, therefore, King Nebuchadnezzar was so pre-eminent, the loftiness of the tree here described is not surprising, though it reached to heaven, while its altitude rendered it visible throughout the whole land. Some of the rabbis place Babylon in the middle of the earth because it was under the same line or parallel with Jerusalem—which is very foolish.

Those also who place Jerusalem in the center of the earth are equally childish, although Jerome, Origen, and other ancient authors treat Jerusalem as in the center of the world. In this conjecture of theirs, they deserve the laughter of the Cynic who, when asked to point out the middle of the earth, touched the ground with his staff immediately under his feet!

Then when the questioner objected to this determination of the center of the earth, he said, “Then you measure the earth!”

As far as Jerusalem is concerned, their conjectures are not worth mentioning.

That proud Barbinel [Abarbanel] wished to seem a philosopher, but nothing is more insipid than the Jews when they depart from their own rules of grammar.

And the Lord so blinded them and delivered them up to a reprobate sense, when He wished them to be spectacles of horrible blindness and prodigious stupidity—and in a small and minute matter, that silly fellow shows his absurdity.

He now says, Its boughs were beautiful, and its fruit copious. This must be referred to the common opinion of the people; for we know people’s eyes are dazzled by the splendor of princes. For if anyone excels others in power, all people adore him and are seized with admiration, and are incapable of judging correctly.

When the majesty of a general or a king comes before them, they are all astonished and perceive nothing, and they do not think it lawful for them to inquire strictly into the conduct of princes.

Since, then, the power and wealth of King Nebuchadnezzar were so great, no wonder the Prophet says, His branches were beautiful, and their fruit copious.

But meanwhile, we must remember what I said recently: namely, God’s blessing shines forth in princes, even if they substantially neglect their duty, because God does not allow all His grace in them to be extinguished; and hence they are compelled to bring forth some fruit.

It is much better, therefore, to preserve the existence of some kind of dominion than to have everyone’s condition equal, when each attracts the eyes of his neighbors. And this is the meaning of what I have said—there was food and provision for all, as I have recently explained it.

The second part of the dream follows here. Until now, Nebuchadnezzar has described the beauty and excellence of his state under the figure of a lofty tree which afforded shade to the beasts and on whose fruit they fed, and next as giving nests to the birds of heaven under its boughs.

The cutting down of the tree now follows. I saw, says he, in the visions of my head upon my couch, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven. No doubt we should understand an angel by a watcher. He is called “a holy one,” which is only another form of expression for an angel; and they are worthy of this name because they are perpetually watchful in the performance of God’s commands.

They are not subject to slumber; they are not nourished by food or drink but live a spiritual life. Hence, they have no use for sleep, which is the result of food and drink.

Lastly, as angels have no bodies, their very spiritual nature makes them watchful. But this phrase not only expresses their nature but also their duty.

Because God has them at hand to fulfill His bidding and destines them to the performance of His commands, they are called “watchers” (Psalms 103:20).

In this Psalm, angels are said to do His bidding because, with an agility incomprehensible to us, they run about here and there and fly directly from heaven to earth, from one end of the world to another—from the rising to the setting sun.

Since, therefore, angels can so easily and promptly fulfill God’s orders, they are deservedly called “watchers.” They are called “holy ones,” because they are not infected by human infirmities. But we are truly filled with sins, not merely because we are earthly, but since we have contracted pollution from our first parents, which vitiates both the whole body and mind.

By this expression, then, Nebuchadnezzar desired to distinguish between angels and mortals. For although God here sanctifies His elect, yet as long as they dwell in the prison of the body they never arrive at the holiness of angels. Here then we note the difference between angels and men. Nebuchadnezzar could not understand this by himself, but he was taught by God to perceive that the destruction of the tree arose not from man but from the Almighty.

He afterward adds—the angel cried with a loud voice, cut down the tree, strip off the leaves, cut off its boughs, scatter its fruits, (or throw them away,) and let the beasts flee from its shadow, and the birds of heaven dwell no longer under its branches. By this figure God meant to express that King Nebuchadnezzar would be for a time like a beast.

This should not seem absurd, although it is rather rough to speak of a tree being deprived of a human heart, since people know trees to have no other life than that usually called vegetable. The dignity or excellence of the tree cannot be lessened by its being without a human heart, for it never had one originally.

But though this is rather a rough mode of expression, yet it contains nothing absurd, although Daniel bends a little aside from the strictness of the allegory; indeed, Nebuchadnezzar himself had an allegorical dream, and yet God mingled something with it by which he could comprehend the meaning veiled under the image of a tree.

The angel, then, orders the tree to be deprived of its human heart, and its boughs and fruit to be torn down and cast away, after it had been cut down.

Next, he orders the heart of a beast to be given to it, and thus its portion would be with the wild animals of the woods. But as this must be repeated elsewhere, I now pass over it rather hastily.

The general meaning is this: King Nebuchadnezzar was to be deprived for a time not only of his empire but even of his human sense, and to be in no way different from the beasts, since he was unworthy of holding even the lowest place among mankind.

Although he seemed to surpass the human race in his elevation, yet he was to be cast down and thrown below even the lowest mortals!

The reason for this punishment follows, when it is added, seven times shall pass over him; and then, do not cut off its lowest root, but let the rain of heaven water it; and next, his portion shall be with the wild beasts.

Although the chastisement is hard and horrible when Nebuchadnezzar is expelled from human society and rendered like wild beasts, it is something in his favor that God does not tear him up by the roots.

Instead, God allows the root to remain, so that the tree may spring up again and flourish, be planted again in its own place, and recover new vigor through its roots.

Here Daniel reviews the punishment inflicted on King Nebuchadnezzar, in which God showed an example of His clemency, in sparing him and not utterly cutting him down, but in allowing his root to remain. Some here discuss the mitigation of penalties when God sees those repent whom He has chastised with rods; but I do not think it applicable here.

There was no true conversion in King Nebuchadnezzar, as we said before, and will see again more clearly. God did not wish to press him too hard, and this we must attribute to His clemency; because when He seems to set no bounds to His punishment of people’s sins, yet in all temporal punishments He allows people to taste His pity, so that even the reprobate remain without excuse.

The assertion of some—that punishments are not remitted without the fault being excused—is false, as we see in the example of Ahab. For God remitted the fault to the impious king, but because he seemed to show some signs of repentance, God abstained from greater punishment (1 Kings 21:29). So also we may see the same in the case of Nebuchadnezzar.

God was unwilling to utterly root him out—for the metaphor of the tree shows this—but He desired seven times to pass over him.

Some understand this as seven weeks, others as seven years; but we will treat this point more fully later.

Lastly, we must notice this: in the midst of the time during which God’s wrath seemed to rage against this wretched king, His benefits were also mingled with it.

We learn this from the words, his portion shall be with the beasts of the field; that is, he would feed upon some food by which life would be preserved.

And then, it shall be watered or irrigated with the rain of heaven.

For God signifies—though He wished to punish King Nebuchadnezzar and to make him a remarkable example of His wrath—His knowledge of what he could bear.

Hence, He so tempers His punishment as to leave hope remaining for the future. Thus, he took his food even with the beasts of the earth, but he is not deprived of the irrigation of the dew of heaven.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, since we see it is so difficult for us to bear prosperity without injury to the mind, that we may remember ourselves to be mortal—may our frailty be ever present to our eyes, make us humble, and lead us to ascribe the glory to You. Being advised by You, may we learn to walk with anxiety and fear, to submit ourselves to You, and to conduct ourselves modestly towards our brothers and sisters. May none of us despise or insult a brother or sister, but may we all strive to discharge our duties with moderation, until at length You gather us into that glory which has been obtained for us by the blood of Your only-begotten Son—Amen.