The Meaning of Daniel 4:34 Explained

Daniel 4:34

KJV: And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:

YLT: And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, mine eyes to the heavens have lifted up, and mine understanding unto me returneth, and the Most High I have blessed, and the Age-during Living One I have praised and honoured, whose dominion is a dominion age-during, and His kingdom with generation and generation;

Darby: And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto the heavens, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation.

ASV: And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And at the end  of the days  I  Nebuchadnezzar  lifted up  mine eyes  unto heaven,  and mine understanding  returned  unto me,  and I blessed  the most High,  and I praised  and honoured  him that liveth  for ever,  whose dominion  [is] an everlasting  dominion,  and his kingdom  [is] from  generation  to generation: 

What does Daniel 4:34 Mean?

Study Notes

I blessed the most High
A progress may be traced in Nebuchadnezzar's apprehension of the true God.
(1) "God is a God of gods one amongst the national or tribal gods, but greater than they], and a Lord Adonai=Master of kings, and a revealer of secrets" Daniel 2:47 .
(2) He is still a Hebrew deity, but Master of angels, and a God who responds to faith Daniel 3:28 .
(3) Here Daniel 4:34 ; Daniel 4:35 the king rises into a true apprehension of God. Cf. Darius, Daniel 6:25-27 .

Context Summary

Daniel 4:19-37 - Nebuchadnezzar's Humiliation
Beyond doubt Nebuchadnezzar was one of the most illustrious princes the world has ever seen. The discoveries which Layard commenced among the mounds of the Euphrates valley have afforded striking evidences of his magnificence. Nebuchadnezzar was very conscious of his greatness, and as he looked from the eminence of his throne upon the world at his feet, his heart was lifted up with pride. It would be easy to cite proofs from the stones and bricks of Babylon to corroborate the general tenor of this story; for all the bricks of the ruins in that great province, so far as they have been examined, bear the name of Nebuchadnezzar; and several inscriptions have been found which, in their boastfulness, tally exactly with Daniel 4:30. But how marvelous the contrast between those proud and vaunting words, and the ascriptions of humble homage and praise in Daniel 4:34-37! If God could produce such a result on the haughty king of Babylon, is there any sinner He cannot subdue? May not the stern discipline to which some lives are subjected be intended to subdue their proud wills and bring them to similar confessions? [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 4:34 mean?

And at the end of time the I Nebuchadnezzar my eyes to heaven lifted and my understanding to me returned - and Most High the I blessed and the one living forever praised and honored for His dominion [is] dominion an everlasting and His kingdom [is] from generation and to generation
וְלִקְצָ֣ת יֽוֹמַיָּה֩ אֲנָ֨ה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֜ר עַיְנַ֣י ׀ לִשְׁמַיָּ֣א נִטְלֵ֗ת וּמַנְדְּעִי֙ עֲלַ֣י יְת֔וּב [ולעליא] (וּלְעִלָּאָה֙) בָּרְכֵ֔ת וּלְחַ֥י עָלְמָ֖א שַׁבְּחֵ֣ת וְהַדְּרֵ֑ת דִּ֤י שָׁלְטָנֵהּ֙ שָׁלְטָ֣ן עָלַ֔ם וּמַלְכוּתֵ֖הּ עִם־ דָּ֥ר וְדָֽר

וְלִקְצָ֣ת  And  at  the  end 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: קְצָת  
Sense: end, part.
יֽוֹמַיָּה֩  of  time  the 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural determinate
Root: יׄום  
Sense: day.
נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֜ר  Nebuchadnezzar 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר  
Sense: the great king of Babylon who captured Jerusalem and carried Judah captive.
עַיְנַ֣י ׀  my  eyes 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַיִן  
Sense: eye.
לִשְׁמַיָּ֣א  to  heaven 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, mdd
Root: שְׁמַיִן  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
נִטְלֵ֗ת  lifted 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: נְטַל  
Sense: to lift.
וּמַנְדְּעִי֙  and  my  understanding 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: מַנְדַּע  
Sense: knowledge, power of knowing.
עֲלַ֣י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל  
Sense: upon, over, on account of, above, to, against.
יְת֔וּב  returned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: תּוּב  
Sense: to return, come back.
[ולעליא]  - 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Adjective, masculine singular determinate
(וּלְעִלָּאָה֙)  and  Most  High  the 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Adjective, masculine singular determinate
Root: עִלָּי  
Sense: highest, the Most High.
בָּרְכֵ֔ת  I  blessed 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: בְּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
וּלְחַ֥י  and  the  one  living 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: חַי  
Sense: alive, living, life.
עָלְמָ֖א  forever 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: עָלַם  
Sense: perpetuity, antiquity, for ever.
שַׁבְּחֵ֣ת  praised 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: שְׁבַח  
Sense: (Pael) to laud, praise, adulate, adore.
וְהַדְּרֵ֑ת  and  honored 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: הֲדַר  
Sense: (Pael) to glorify (God).
שָׁלְטָנֵהּ֙  His  dominion  [is] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלְטָן  
Sense: dominion, sovereignty.
שָׁלְטָ֣ן  dominion 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שָׁלְטָן  
Sense: dominion, sovereignty.
עָלַ֔ם  an  everlasting 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָלַם  
Sense: perpetuity, antiquity, for ever.
וּמַלְכוּתֵ֖הּ  and  His  kingdom  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַלְכוּ  
Sense: royalty, reign, kingdom.
דָּ֥ר  generation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּר  
Sense: generation.
וְדָֽר  and  to  generation 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּר  
Sense: generation.