Daniel 4:1-3
King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This grand proclamation, meant for every corner of the known world, highlights Nebuchadnezzar's immense power, yet it begins with a humble wish for "peace to be multiplied." This isn't just a polite greeting; it hints at a deeper longing for well-being that transcends his empire, foreshadowing his later recognition of God's ultimate authority over all nations.
King Nebuchadnezzar, having experienced God's humbling power, issues a royal proclamation to all nations under his dominion and beyond. This decree serves as a public testimony to the miraculous signs God has performed, recounting a profound personal judgment and subsequent restoration. It sets the stage for Nebuchadnezzar's confession of God's sovereignty, a declaration meant to awe and inform all peoples.
Imagine a decree sent not just to your city, but to every nation on earth! Nebuchadnezzar's opening words are startling in their scope.
Nebuchadnezzar begins this chapter with a royal proclamation, not in his own voice as a narrator, but as if issuing an official decree. He addresses "all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth." This isn't just hyperbole; by this point in his reign, Babylon's influence was vast, and Nebuchadnezzar saw himself as a world ruler.
His salutation, "Peace be multiplied unto you!" was a common, warm greeting in the ancient Near East. It conveyed a deep wish for wholeness, prosperity, and safety – essentially, for every good thing to overflow in their lives. This opening sets the stage for a profound personal testimony, highlighting the king's awareness of his immense power and his desire to share a weighty message.
Why would a powerful king broadcast a personal story of divine intervention to the entire world? It wasn't just about his reign.
Nebuchadnezzar explains his reason for sending this proclamation: "I thought it good to show the signs and the wonders that the Most High God has wrought toward me" (Daniel 4:2-3, adapted). This is the heart of the matter. His experience wasn't just a personal crisis; it was a divine encounter that he felt compelled to share.
He confesses, "How great are his signs, and how mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation" (Daniel 4:3, adapted). This isn't the boast of a proud monarch, but the stunned awe of someone who has directly encountered the power and sovereignty of the one true God. The profound humility and recognition of God's eternal rule, coming from Nebuchadnezzar, is what makes this testimony so remarkable.
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.
atah / temahh · Aramaic Noun
Divinely ordained or miraculous occurrences that serve to authenticate a message or reveal the power and character of God to humanity.
illaya elaha · Aramaic Noun phrase
A title designating the supreme sovereignty of the God of Israel over all other powers, emphasizing His transcendence and authority above all earthly or heavenly beings.
malku · Aramaic Noun
The realm or sphere of God's sovereign rule; it refers to the exercise of divine authority, power, and reign, which is eternal and unchanging.
This proclamation comes after Nebuchadnezzar has established himself as a powerful, near-universal monarch, having conquered many nations and exiled the people of Judah. His message reflects a profound personal encounter with God's power, meant to be shared throughout his vast, diverse empire.
c. 605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar becomes King
Nebuchadnezzar II ascends to the throne of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, marking the beginning of a period of vast expansion and consolidation of power.
c. 605 BC - 586 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Military Campaigns
Nebuchadnezzar wages successful wars against Egypt, Assyria, and Judah, expanding his empire and solidifying his dominion over a vast territory.
605 BC
First Deportation of Jews to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem and deports a portion of the Jewish elite, including Daniel, to Babylon, initiating the Babylonian exile.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation of Jews to Babylon
Following a rebellion in Judah, Nebuchadnezzar deports more inhabitants and treasures from Jerusalem.
This passage shows a similar royal decree being sent to a wide audience, demonstrating a pattern of rulers communicating across diverse peoples and languages.
Luke 10:5The greeting 'Peace be multiplied to you' echoes the instruction Jesus gave to his disciples to first say 'Peace be to this house,' highlighting the enduring significance of peace as a blessing.
Ephesians 6:23The Apostle Paul uses a similar benediction, 'Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,' connecting the earthly wish for peace with a spiritual one from God.
Psalm 122:6-7This psalm directly prays, 'Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May those who love you be at rest! Peace be within your walls and rest within your towers!', reflecting the desire for abundant peace within a community or nation.
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 grand proclamation, meant for every corner of the known world, highlights Nebuchadnezzar's immense power, yet it begins with a humble wish for "peace to be multiplied." This isn't just a polite greeting; it hints at a deeper longing for well-being that transcends his empire, foreshadowing his later recognition of God's ultimate authority over all nations.
King Nebuchadnezzar, having experienced God's humbling power, issues a royal proclamation to all nations under his dominion and beyond. This decree serves as a public testimony to the miraculous signs God has performed, recounting a profound personal judgment and subsequent restoration. It sets the stage for Nebuchadnezzar's confession of God's sovereignty, a declaration meant to awe and inform all peoples.
King Nebuchadnezzar, having experienced God's humbling power, issues a royal proclamation to all nations under his dominion and beyond. This decree serves as a public testimony to the miraculous signs God has performed, recounting a profound personal judgment and subsequent restoration. It sets the stage for Nebuchadnezzar's confession of God's sovereignty, a declaration meant to awe and inform all peoples.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Daniel 4:1-3 is available in the Sola app.
sholtan · Aramaic Noun
The exercise of supreme authority, power, and jurisdiction, denoting God's absolute control over all creation throughout time.
587/586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's forces finally destroy Jerusalem and its First Temple, leading to a final, massive deportation of Judeans to Babylon.
Unknown, likely after 586 BC— this verse
Nebuchadnezzar's Royal Proclamation
Nebuchadnezzar issues a sweeping decree to all peoples within his vast empire, detailing a personal experience of divine judgment and restoration.
c. 562 BC
Death of Nebuchadnezzar
Nebuchadnezzar dies after a long and significant reign, leaving behind a powerful empire but also the historical record of his encounter with the divine.
"King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. How great are his signs,…" — This grand proclamation, meant for every corner of the known world, highlights Nebuchadnezzar's immense power, yet it begins with a humble wish for "peace to be multiplied." This isn't just a polite…
