King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you!
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just a king's decree; it's the humbled confession of a world-ruler who has experienced God's power firsthand. Nebuchadnezzar, once convinced of his own authority, now writes to all peoples not as a conqueror, but as a witness to the "signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed" for him.
King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you!
English Standard Version (ESV)
King Nebuchadnezzar, humbled by a divine encounter, issues a global proclamation. This official decree, addressed to all peoples and languages under his dominion and beyond, reflects his profound awe at God's immense power and the significant events that have recently transpired. The address serves as a preface to his personal testimony of God's judgment and mercy, which he wants the entire world to know.
Imagine a king addressing the entire known world! What does Nebuchadnezzar's sweeping decree reveal about his empire and his own mindset?
Nebuchadnezzar opens this chapter with a royal decree, not just to his subjects, but to 'all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth.' This wasn't just a casual greeting; it was a formal proclamation.
The Scope of an Empire
A Humble Wish?
This opening sets the stage for a profound personal testimony, beginning with a declaration that spans the entire earth.
Ask a follow-up
Why would a powerful king like Nebuchadnezzar feel the need to broadcast a personal story of divine intervention to the whole world?
Nebuchadnezzar doesn't just issue commands; he shares his own experience, driven by a deep awe for the 'high God.'
A Confession Extorted by Experience
Acknowledging the 'Most High God'
This royal edict is more than just a decree; it's a public testament to the awesome power of God, humbling even the mightiest earthly king.
Understand the original words
melek · Aramaic Noun
A sovereign ruler of a people or nation, often serving as the supreme authority under God, or in a secular sense, a monarch holding political power over a territory.
This proclamation comes from a king who has ruled a vast, multilingual empire for decades, experiencing both immense power and dramatic divine judgment. His address to 'all peoples, nations, and languages' reflects his imperial status and the extraordinary nature of his confession.
c. 605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar Becomes King
Nebuchadnezzar II officially ascended the throne of the Neo-Babylonian Empire after defeating the Egyptians and Assyrians at the Battle of Carchemish.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar initiated his first major deportation of Judeans to Babylon, including the prophet Daniel and his companions.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation from Judah
Following a revolt, Nebuchadnezzar deported more of Judah's elite and resources, including King Jehoiachin, to Babylon.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, exiling the remaining population to Babylon. This marked the end of the Judean kingdom.
Mid-6th Century BC— this verse
Nebuchadnezzar's Reign and Empire
By this time, Nebuchadnezzar had consolidated a vast empire stretching from the Persian Gulf to the borders of Egypt, ruling over diverse peoples and languages.
c. 562 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Death
Nebuchadnezzar died after a lengthy reign. His proclamation in Daniel 4 likely occurred sometime before his death, possibly during the later years of his rule.
This passage also features a royal decree addressed to a wide range of peoples and languages, echoing Nebuchadnezzar's own proclamation and highlighting the administrative reach of ancient empires.
Psalm 122:6-9This psalm prays for the peace of Jerusalem, using a similar wish for multiplied blessings ('Peace be multiplied unto you' echoes 'May they prosper who love you'). It connects the idea of peace with divine favor and well-being for a community.
Luke 10:5-6Jesus instructs his disciples to pronounce peace upon those they enter, showing that this ancient greeting of 'peace be multiplied' carried a deep sense of blessing and divine favor for the recipient.
1 Peter 1:2Peter extends greetings to believers, wishing them 'grace and peace be multiplied,' demonstrating how this Old Testament salutation was adopted and spiritualized by New Testament writers.
bensonDaniel 4:1: "Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you."
Daniel 4:1-3 . Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, &c. — He addresses the proclamation, not only to his own subjects, but to all to whom the writing should come. Peace be multiplied unto you — May all things prosperous happen unto you. The Chaldee is, Your peace be multiplied: a usual form of addressing the subjects of this vast empire. I thought it go…
clarkeDaniel 4:1: "Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you."
Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people - This is a regular decree, and is one of the most ancient on record; and no doubt was copied from the state papers of Babylon. Daniel has preserved it in the original language.
This isn't just a king's decree; it's the humbled confession of a world-ruler who has experienced God's power firsthand. Nebuchadnezzar, once convinced of his own authority, now writes to all peoples not as a conqueror, but as a witness to the "signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed" for him.
King Nebuchadnezzar, humbled by a divine encounter, issues a global proclamation. This official decree, addressed to all peoples and languages under his dominion and beyond, reflects his profound awe at God's immense power and the significant events that have recently transpired. The address serves as a preface to his personal testimony of God's judgment and mercy, which he wants the entire world to know.
King Nebuchadnezzar, humbled by a divine encounter, issues a global proclamation. This official decree, addressed to all peoples and languages under his dominion and beyond, reflects his profound awe at God's immense power and the significant events that have recently transpired. The address serves as a preface to his personal testimony of God's judgment and mercy, which he wants the entire world to know.
"King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you!" — This isn't just a king's decree; it's the humbled confession of a world-ruler who has experienced God's power firsthand. Nebuchadnezzar, once convinced of his own authority, now writes to all peopl…
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Last reviewed October 2026