translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: DAN

label: NET translator note

text: Aram “May your peace increase!”


text: Aram “his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.”


text: Aram “my house.”


text: Aram “happy.”


text: Aram “and it.”


text: Aram “from me there was placed a decree.”


text: The Aramaic infinitive here is active.


label: NET textual note

text: The present translation assumes the reading חֲזִי ( khazi , “consider”) rather than the MT חֶזְוֵי ( khezvey , “visions”). The MT implies that the king required Daniel to disclose both the dream and its interpretation, as in chapter . But in the following verses Nebuchadnezzar recounts his dream, while Daniel presents only its interpretation.


text: The LXX lacks the first two words ( Aram “the visions of my head”) of the Aramaic text.


text: Instead of “in the middle of the land,” some English versions render this phrase “a tree at the center of the earth” (NRSV); NAB, CEV “of the world”; NLT “in the middle of the earth.” The Hebrew phrase can have either meaning.


text: Aram “its height was great.”


text: Aram “its sight.” So also v. 17 .


text: Or “to the end of all the earth” (so KJV, ASV); NCV, CEV “from anywhere on earth.”


text: Aram “the beasts of the field.”


text: Aram “all flesh.”


text: Aram “the visions of my head.”


text: Aram “a watcher and a holy one.” The expression is a hendiadys; so also in v. 23 . This “watcher” is apparently an angel. The Greek OT (LXX) in fact has ἄγγελος ( angelo" , “angel”) here. Theodotion simply transliterates the Aramaic word (’ ir ). The term is sometimes rendered “sentinel” (NAB) or “messenger” (NIV, NLT).


text: Aram “in strength.”


text: Aram “and thus he was saying.”


text: Aram “the stock of its root.” So also v. 23 . The implication here is that although the tree is chopped down, it is not killed. Its life-giving root is spared. The application to Nebuchadnezzar is obvious.


text: Aram “its lot be.”


text: Aram “its heart.” The metaphor of the tree begins to fade here and the reality behind the symbol (the king) begins to emerge.


text: Aram “over” (also in vv. 23, 25, 32 ).


text: The present translation follows an underlying reading of עַל־דִּבְרַת (’ al-divrat , “so that”) rather than MT עַד־דִּבְרַת (’ ad-divrat , “until”).


text: Aram “the kingdom of man”; NASB “the realm of mankind”; NCV “every kingdom on earth.”


text: The present translation reads פִּשְׁרֵהּ ( pishreh , “its interpretation”) with the Qere and many medieval Hebrew MSS ; the Kethib is פִּשְׁרָא ( pishra ’, “the interpretation”); so also v. 16 .


text: Aram “of.”


text: Aram “about one hour.” The expression refers idiomatically to a brief period of time of undetermined length.


text: Aram “my lord.”


text: Aram “its sight.”


text: Aram “the beasts of the field” (also in vv. 23, 25, 32 ).


text: The Aramaic indefinite active plural is used here like the English passive. So also in v. 28, 29,32 .


text: Aram “from mankind.” So also in v. 32 .


text: Aram “your dwelling will be.” So also in v. 32 .


text: Or perhaps “be made to eat.”


text: Aram “until.”


text: Aram “if there may be a lengthening to your prosperity.”


text: Aram “reached.”


text: The word “battlements” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied from context. Many English versions supply “roof” here (e.g., NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); cf. NLT “on the flat roof.”


text: Aram “house.”


text: Aram “by the might of my strength.”


text: Aram “in the mouth of the king.”


text: Aram “to you they say.”


text: Aram “hour.”


text: Or “on.”


text: Aram “was fulfilled.”


text: The words “feathers” and “claws” are not present in the Aramaic text, but have been added in the translation for clarity.


text: Aram “days.”


text: Aram “lifted up my eyes.”


text: The present translation reads כְּלָא ( kÿla ’), with many medieval Hebrew MSS , rather than כְּלָה ( kÿlah ) of BHS.


text: Aram “strikes against.”


text: The translation reads הַדְרֵת ( hadret , “I returned”) rather than the MT הַדְרִי ( hadri , “my honor”); cf. Theodotion.


text: The translation reads הָתְקְנֵת ( hotqÿnet , “I was established”) rather than the MT הָתְקְנַת ( hotqÿnat , “it was established”). As it stands, the MT makes no sense here.


text: Aram “walk.”