The Meaning of Daniel 4:14 Explained

Daniel 4:14

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:

YLT: He is calling mightily, and thus hath said, Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its budding, move away let the beast from under it, and the birds from off its branches;

Darby: 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 birds from its branches.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Daniel 4:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Daniel 4:1-18 - "the Decree Of The Watchers"
Nebuchadnezzar was in the zenith of his fame and power. His wars were over; his prosperity was assured. But he attributed all to his own wisdom and prowess. There was no thought of God, who had raised him up and given him everything. He must be humbled, if his soul was to be saved; and the whole living world must know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomsoever He pleases, Daniel 4:17. How gladly worldly men turn in hours of crisis to religious men, who draw upon unseen resources, and bear themselves with calm and unruffled peace, Daniel 4:9. The greatness of the King is set forth under the figure of a mighty tree, filling the earth and sheltering the nations. There was only one Being who came down, combining in Himself watchfulness and holiness. In Daniel 4:17 we learn that no destiny is decided apart from the careful sifting of the celestial council-chamber. How august is this conception of the matured judgment of heaven. Where should we stand apart from the pleading of the great High Priest? [source]

Chapter Summary: Daniel 4

1  Nebuchadnezzar confesses God's kingdom,
4  makes relation of his dreams, which the magicians could not interpret
8  Daniel hears the dream
19  He interprets it
28  The dream fulfilled

What do the individual words in Daniel 4:14 mean?

He cried aloud and thus said Chop down tree the and cut off its branches Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit let get out beasts the from under it and birds the its branches
קָרֵ֨א בְחַ֜יִל וְכֵ֣ן אָמַ֗ר גֹּ֤דּוּ אִֽילָנָא֙ וְקַצִּ֣צוּ עַנְפ֔וֹהִי אַתַּ֥רוּ עָפְיֵ֖הּ וּבַדַּ֣רוּ אִנְבֵּ֑הּ תְּנֻ֤ד חֵֽיוְתָא֙ מִן־ תַּחְתּ֔וֹהִי וְצִפְּרַיָּ֖א עַנְפֽוֹהִי

קָרֵ֨א  He  cried 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: קְרָא  
Sense: to call, read aloud, read out, shout.
בְחַ֜יִל  aloud 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַיִל  
Sense: strength, army, power.
וְכֵ֣ן  and  thus 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: כֵּן  
Sense: thus, so, as follows.
אָמַ֗ר  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אֲמַר  
Sense: (P’al) to say, to speak, to command, to tell, to relate.
גֹּ֤דּוּ  Chop  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: גְּדַד  
Sense: to cut down, hew down.
אִֽילָנָא֙  tree  the 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: אִילָן  
Sense: tree.
וְקַצִּ֣צוּ  and  cut  off 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: קְצַץ  
Sense: (Pael) to cut off.
עַנְפ֔וֹהִי  its  branches 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֲנַף  
Sense: bough, branch.
אַתַּ֥רוּ  Strip  off 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: נְתַר  
Sense: to strip off.
עָפְיֵ֖הּ  its  leaves 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֳפִי  
Sense: leafage, foliage.
וּבַדַּ֣רוּ  and  scatter 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: בְּדַר  
Sense: (Pael) to scatter.
אִנְבֵּ֑הּ  its  fruit 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֵב  
Sense: fruit, fresh, young, greening.
תְּנֻ֤ד  let  get  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: נוּד  
Sense: (P’al) to flee.
חֵֽיוְתָא֙  beasts  the 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular determinate
Root: חֵיוָה  
Sense: beast, animal.
תַּחְתּ֔וֹהִי  under  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: תְּחֹות  
Sense: under.
וְצִפְּרַיָּ֖א  and  birds  the 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural determinate
Root: צִפַּר  
Sense: bird.
עַנְפֽוֹהִי  its  branches 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֲנַף  
Sense: bough, branch.