Daniel 4: Dream interpretation and false teachers

A later dream of Nebuchadnezzar shows the difference between false prophets and true prophets in a fuller sense. The false prophets ignore the truth when if it might cause them to suffer loss. The true prophets tell the truth.

In this case, the false prophets decline to interpret a dream with an obvious interpretation and say that only Daniel can interpret this dream. That is, deliver the bad news that might infuriate the king and have them killed.

Daniel 4:13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; [kjv]

εθεωρουν εν οραματι της νυκτος επι της κοιτης μου και ιδου ιρ και αγιος απ ουρανου κατεβη [lxx]

Daniel 4:13

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KJV: I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;

Hebrew: חזה הוית בחזוי ראשי על משכבי ואלו עיר וקדיש מן שמיא נחת׃

Greek: εθεωρουν εν οραματι της νυκτος επι της κοιτης μου και ιδου ιρ και αγιος απ ουρανου κατεβη

Daniel is requested to interpret the dream of Nebuchadnezzar because the false prophets decline to do so.

Daniel 4:14 He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches: [kjv]

και εφωνησεν εν ισχυι και ουτως ειπεν εκκοψατε το δενδρον και εκτιλατε τους κλαδους αυτου και εκτιναξατε τα φυλλα αυτου και διασκορπισατε τον καρπον αυτου σαλευθητωσαν τα θηρια υποκατωθεν αυτου και τα ορνεα απο των κλαδων αυτου [lxx]

4:15 Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots 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 in the grass of the earth: [kjv]

πλην την φυην των ριζων αυτου εν τη γη εασατε και εν δεσμω σιδηρω και χαλκω και εν τη χλοη τη εξω και εν τη δροσω του ουρανου κοιτασθησεται και μετα των θηριων η μερις αυτου εν τω χορτω της γης [lxx]

Daniel 4:14

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KJV: He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:

Hebrew: קרא בחיל וכן אמר גדו אילנא וקצצו ענפוהי אתרו עפיה ובדרו אנבה תנד חיותא מן תחתוהי וצפריא מן ענפוהי׃

Greek: και εφωνησεν εν ισχυι και ουτως ειπεν εκκοψατε το δενδρον και εκτιλατε τους κλαδους αυτου και εκτιναξατε τα φυλλα αυτου και διασκορπισατε τον καρπον αυτου σαλευθητωσαν τα θηρια υποκατωθεν αυτου και τα ορνεα απο των κλαδων αυτου

Daniel 4:15

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KJV: Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots 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 in the grass of the earth:

Hebrew: ברם עקר שרשוהי בארעא שבקו ובאסור די פרזל ונחש בדתאא די ברא ובטל שמיא יצטבע ועם חיותא חלקה בעשב ארעא׃

Greek: πλην την φυην των ριζων αυτου εν τη γη εασατε και εν δεσμω σιδηρω και χαλκω και εν τη χλοη τη εξω και εν τη δροσω του ουρανου κοιτασθησεται και μετα των θηριων η μερις αυτου εν τω χορτω της γης

Daniel 4:7 Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof. [kjv]

Daniel 4:7

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KJV: Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.

Hebrew: באדין עללין חרטמיא אשפיא כשדיא וגזריא וחלמא אמר אנה קדמיהון ופשרה לא מהודעין לי׃

Greek: και εισεπορευοντο οι επαοιδοι μαγοι γαζαρηνοι χαλδαιοι και το ενυπνιον ειπα εγω ενωπιον αυτων και την συγκρισιν αυτου ουκ εγνωρισαν μοι

Daniel 4:8

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KJV: But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,

Hebrew: ועד אחרין על קדמי דניאל די שמה בלטשאצר כשם אלהי ודי רוח אלהין קדישין בה וחלמא קדמוהי אמרת׃

Greek: εως ου ηλθεν δανιηλ ου το ονομα βαλτασαρ κατα το ονομα του θεου μου ος πνευμα θεου αγιον εν εαυτω εχει και το ενυπνιον ενωπιον αυτου ειπα

Requirements for a true prophet/teacher

tell the truth - scientific and information truth
forth-telling, not necessarily foretelling
not contradict the scriptures

Daniel interprets the dream of Nebuchadnezzar.

Daniel 4:20 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; [kjv]

...

4:26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. [kjv]

και οτι ειπαν εασατε την φυην των ριζων του δενδρου η βασιλεια σου σοι μενει αφ ης αν γνως την εξουσιαν την ουρανιον [lxx]

The "tree" is the empire, in this case the Babylonian empire.
The "branches" are the human (grains of sand) infrastructure of the empire.
The "root" is the leader, in this case, Nebuchadnezzar.

The ancient Greek word "ῥίζα" ≈ "root" of a plant and, later, as a math root such as the square root of two. It is related to the Latin word "radix" ≈ "root" and the English word "root" from the Old English word "wyrt" ≈ "root".

Daniel 4:20

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KJV: The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;

Hebrew: אילנא די חזית די רבה ותקף ורומה ימטא לשמיא וחזותה לכל ארעא׃

Greek: το δενδρον ο ειδες το μεγαλυνθεν και το ισχυκος ου το υψος εφθασεν εις τον ουρανον και το κυτος αυτου εις πασαν την γην

Daniel 4:21

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KJV: Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:

Hebrew: ועפיה שפיר ואנבה שגיא ומזון לכלא בה תחתוהי תדור חיות ברא ובענפוהי ישכנן צפרי שמיא׃

Greek: και τα φυλλα αυτου ευθαλη και ο καρπος αυτου πολυς και τροφη πασιν εν αυτω υποκατω αυτου κατωκουν τα θηρια τα αγρια και εν τοις κλαδοις αυτου κατεσκηνουν τα ορνεα του ουρανου

Daniel 4:26

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KJV: And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.

Hebrew: ודי אמרו למשבק עקר שרשוהי די אילנא מלכותך לך קימה מן די תנדע די שלטן שמיא׃

Greek: και οτι ειπαν εασατε την φυην των ριζων του δενδρου η βασιλεια σου σοι μενει αφ ης αν γνως την εξουσιαν την ουρανιον