Nebuchadnezzar Tells Daniel Of His Dream: Daniel 4 v 8 - 9

Daniel 4:8  "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],"

Belteshazzar was the name Nebuchadnezzar had given Daniel to honor a false god. We see that Nebuchadnezzar still believes in many gods at this point. (According to the name of my god)

This reminds us, that it was Daniel who tells the king the meaning of his dream. It is God in Daniel who tells of the dream.

Daniel 4:9 "O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods [is] in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof."

Master of the magicians was the title the pagans gave him (meaning the name they gave Nebuchadnezzar). Spirit: The meaning here and in v.18 (as well as in 5:11 & 14) is rightfully translated by some versions as “the Spirit of the Holy God.” Wording for the true God in the Hebrew of Joshua 24:19 is equivalent to the Aramaic here.

Some translators believe he meant “a spirit of the holy gods.” This is unlikely, since no pagan worshipers claimed purity or holiness for their deities. In fact, just the opposite was believed. And since Nebuchadnezzar was rehearsing his conversion, he could genuinely identify the true Spirit of God.

This verse starts the beginning of a new dream. This has nothing to do with the last few verses, except they showed why Nebuchadnezzar had confidence in Daniel to interpret this dream.

Notice the title, master. He had given Daniel that title after he interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream. Nebuchadnezzar has recognized that God is with Daniel and will give him the interpretation.

It is interesting that he used the term {the spirit of the holy gods is in thee}. He feels that no dream is too hard for Daniel to interpret.

In verses 4:10-17 we see a tree. This pictures Nebuchadnezzar after 605 b.c.. The creatures in v.12 represent people under his rule, v.22. The fall of the tree represents the coming time of God’s judgment on him.