SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:33
En la misma hora se cumplió la palabra sobre Nabucodonosor, y fue echado de entre los hombres; y comía hierba como los bueyes, y su cuerpo se bañaba con el rocío del cielo, hasta que su pelo creció como de águila, y sus uñas como de aves.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 33. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar , etc.] Whence it appears that this was a true history, and a matter of fact; and not a parable or allegory, as Origen thought, describing the fall of Lucifer or Satan; but relates what befell Nebuchadnezzar himself: nor was the change real as to soul and body; for then he would not have been the same person, not Nebuchadnezzar, and so not he himself punished, but the beast into which he was changed: and though there was a strange alteration, both in his body and mind; in some parts of his body, and perhaps in his voice, in his senses of feeling, tasting, and smelling, in his palate, and appetite, and stomach; in his rational powers, understanding, judgment, and memory; so that he acted like a beast, and choosing to live as one; yet so as to retain the essential parts of a man; his case was, that at once he fell raving mad and distracted, when they first bound him with chains, that he might not hurt himself and others, and afterwards turned him loose into the woods among the wild beasts; or perhaps into one of his parks, among the deer, hares, foxes, and such like creatures; whither he might incline to go, fancying himself to be a beast, and delight to be among them: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen ; which he did by choice: so Aben Ezra reports of one in the island of Sardinia, who fled from his parents, and lost his reason, and lived among deer for many years, and went upon his hands and feet like them; and the king of the island going a hunting one day, caught many deer, and among them this man, that was taken for one: his parents came and owned him, and spoke to him, but he answered not; they set before him bread and wine, to eat and drink, but he refused; they then gave him grass with the deer and he ate that; and in the middle of the night made his escape to the deer or the field again. And his body was wet with the dew of heaven : lying all night in the woods or fields without clothing: till his hair was grown like eagles’ feathers : thick, black, and strong; the hairs of his head having not been cut, not his beard shaved for seven years: the Septuagint and Arabic versions read, “as lions”: and his nails like birds’ claws : the nails of his fingers and toes were hard, long, and sharp, like theirs, having not been cut during this time; this shows that the seven times are not to be understood of weeks or months, but of years. Some have understood all this as a real metamorphosis, and that Nebuchadnezzar was changed into a beast; the upper part of him was the form of an ox, and the lower part that of a lion, as Epiphanius f176 ; so Cyril says of him, that he was changed into a beast, lived in a desert, had the nails and hair of a lion, ate grass like an ox; for he was a beast, not knowing who gave him the kingdom; and so others; closely adhering to the letter of the text, but wrongly, for reasons before given: nor is it to be ascribed merely to any natural disease of body, or melancholy in him, by which the fancy may be so disturbed, as for a person to imagine himself a beast; for though this was the case, yet not through any diseases, such as is called the lycanthropy; an much less to any witchcraft, or any diabolical art, exercised on him; but to the mighty hand of God, taking away the use of his reason, and throwing him into madness and distraction for the demonstration of his power, and humbling the pride of an insolent monarch; not but that God could, if it had been his pleasure, have changed him into a brute, as he turned Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt; and as a certain wicked nobleman in Muscovy was turned into a black dog, barking and howling, upon uttering horrible blasphemies against God for some judgment upon him, as Clurerius relates, who had it, he says, from both ear and eye witnesses of it; but such a judgment was not inflicted on Nebuchadnezzar, not are such things usual. Herodotus reports, though he himself did not credit it, of some people among the Scythians, that were every year, for a few days, changed into wolves, and then returned to their former shape again; and Pomponius Mela relates the same of the same people; and the poets frequently speak of such transmutations; but these are all fictions and delusions.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges the power of Jehovah. (Dan. 4:1-18) Danie interprets his dream. (Dan. 4:19-27) The fulfilment of it. (Dan 4:28-37) Dan. 4:1-18 The beginning and end of this chapter lead us to hope, tha Nebuchadnezzar was a monument of the power of Divine grace, and of the riches of Divine mercy. After he was recovered from his madness, he told to distant places, and wrote down for future ages, how God ha justly humbled and graciously restored him. When a sinner comes to himself, he will promote the welfare of others, by making known the wondrous mercy of God. Nebuchadnezzar, before he related the Divin judgments upon him for his pride, told the warnings he had in a drea or vision. The meaning was explained to him. The person signified, wa to be put down from honour, and to be deprived of the use of his reaso seven years. This is surely the sorest of all temporal judgments Whatever outward affliction God is pleased to lay upon us, we have cause to bear it patiently, and to be thankful that he continues the use of our reason, and the peace of our consciences. Yet if the Lor should see fit by such means to keep a sinner from multiplying crimes or a believer from dishonouring his name, even the dreadful preventio would be far preferable to the evil conduct. God has determined it, a a righteous Judge, and the angels in heaven applaud. Not that the grea God needs the counsel or concurrence of the angels, but it denotes the solemnity of this sentence. The demand is by the word of the holy ones God's suffering people: when the oppressed cry to God, he will hear Let us diligently seek blessings which can never be taken from us, an especially beware of pride and forgetfulness of God.
Dan. 4:19-27 Daniel was struck with amazement and terror at so heavy judgment coming upon so great a prince, and gives advice with tenderness and respect. It is necessary, in repentance, that we no only cease to do evil, but learn to do good. Though it might not wholl prevent the judgment, yet the trouble may be longer before it comes, or shorter when it does come. And everlasting misery will be escaped by all who repent and turn to God.
Dan. 4:28-37 Pride and self-conceit are sins that beset great men. The are apt to take that glory to themselves which is due to God only While the proud word was in the king's mouth, the powerful word cam from God. His understanding and his memory were gone, and all the powers of the rational soul were broken. How careful we ought to be not to do any thing which may provoke God to put us out of our senses God resists the proud. Nebuchadnezzar would be more than a man, but God justly makes him less than a man. We may learn to believe concernin God, that the most high God lives for ever, and that his kingdom i like himself, everlasting, and universal. His power cannot be resisted When men are brought to honour God, by confession of sin an acknowledging his sovereignty, then, and not till then, they may expec that God will honour them; not only restore them to the dignity the lost by the sin of the first Adam, but add excellent majesty to them from the righteousness and grace of the Second Adam. Afflictions shal last no longer than till they have done the work for which they wer sent. There can be no reasonable doubt that Nebuchadnezzar was a tru penitent, and an accepted believer. It is thought that he did not liv more than a year after his restoration. Thus the Lord knows how to abase those that walk in pride, but gives grace and consolation to the humble, broken-hearted sinner who calls upon Him __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
בה שׁעתא 8160 מלתא 4406 ספת 5487 על 5922 נבוכדנצר 5020 ומן 4481 אנשׁא 606 טריד 2957 ועשׂבא 6211 כתורין 8450 יאכל 399 ומטל 2920 שׁמיא 8065 גשׁמה 1655 יצטבע 6647 עד 5705 די 1768 שׂערה 8177 כנשׁרין 5403 רבה 7236 וטפרוהי 2953 כצפרין׃ 6853
