John Calvin Commentary Daniel 4:36

"At the same time mine understanding returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added unto me." — Daniel 4:36 (ASV)

Here Nebuchadnezzar explains at length what he had previously touched upon only briefly; for he had recovered his soundness of mind and thus commends God’s mercy for being content with a moderate and temporary chastisement; and then God stretched out His hand and, out of a beast, formed a man again!

He was not changed into a beast, as we have said, but he was treated with such disgrace, made like wild beasts, and pastured with them. This deformity, then, was so dreadful that his restoration might be called a kind of new creation. Therefore, with very good reason, Nebuchadnezzar celebrates this grace of God.

At that time, therefore, my intellect returned to me; he had said this once before, but since understanding and reason are inestimable blessings of God, Nebuchadnezzar stresses this truth and confesses that he experienced God’s singular grace because he had returned to a sound mind. At the same time, he adds that he had returned to the honor and glory of his kingdom; because he had been consulted again by his counselors and elders.

How this was accomplished is unknown, since the memory of those times is buried, unless the princes of his kingdom were inclined to clemency—which is very probable—and desired the king who had been cast out to be back among them. We do not say this was done by them on purpose, because God made use of them, and they were ignorantly carrying out his purposes.

They had heard the voice from heaven, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is said, thy kingdom is departed from thee! This indeed would have been universally known and understood by everyone; but we know how easily oblivion can creep over people when God speaks. These princes, then, were unaware that they were doing God’s work when they demanded their king. In this way, he returned to the dignity of his kingdom, and even additional dignity was then conferred upon him. Finally, it follows: