Daniel 4:18This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and you, Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.
The setting
Babylon, ~570 BC. The throne room of the most powerful man on earth, who just admitted his helplessness to a Hebrew exile. Modern-day Iraq, near Baghdad.
The emotion here: desperate authority clinging to control while admitting helplessness
The original word
peshar (פְּשַׁר) — interpretation, the revealing of hidden meaning
Why it matters
Nebuchadnezzar ruled the largest empire in history at that time, yet was desperate for a slave's wisdom
Read with care
What most readers miss in Daniel 4:18
The king uses Daniel's BABYLONIAN name Belteshazzar — he's still trying to maintain some authority
Common misconceptionPeople think this shows Nebuchadnezzar respecting God, but he's actually still trying to stay in control by commanding Daniel to interpret rather than asking God directly.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Daniel 4:18
Bible Genome reading
Daniel 4:18 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Daniel 4:18 comes from the book of Daniel, written during the Exile period. These words are attributed to Nebuchadnezzar. The dominant emotion in this verse is seeking, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include seeking wisdom, divine revelation. Notable phrases: declare the interpretation. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same seeking
“Pray without ceasing.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“But let justice roll on like rivers, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
— Amos 5:24
“Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that …”
— Genesis 18:25
“Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great things, and difficult, which you don't know.”
— Jeremiah 33:3
“Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evi…”
— Luke 11:4
Your reflection
What does Daniel 4:18 mean to you, today?
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