“And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;”
The judgment comes immediately: While the words were still in the king's mouth, a voice came from heaven: King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: The kingdom has departed from you! You shall be driven away from human society, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like oxen. Seven times shall pass over you, until you have learned that the Most High has dominion over the kingdom of people and gives it to whom he will. The divine voice (presumably the watcher) announces the fulfillment of the prophecy. The immediacy—while Nebuchadnezzar is still speaking his boastful words—demonstrates God's swift justice in response to unrepentant pride. The repetition of the judgment's terms (as announced earlier by Daniel) confirms that what was prophesied now comes to pass. The explicit statement the kingdom has departed from you indicates that Nebuchadnezzar will lose both sanity and political authority; others will rule Babylon during his humiliation.
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