The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.
Immediate fulfillment follows: 'The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.' The phrase 'the same hour' emphasizes instantaneous judgment. The physical details—eating grass, wet with dew, overgrown hair and nails—depict complete descent into animal-like existence. This graphic description demonstrates the completeness of the king's humiliation. The mighty emperor becomes unrecognizable, living outdoors in bestial condition. Pride's consequences couldn't be more dramatically illustrated.
Historical Context
Ancient royal palaces featured elaborate gardens and courts. Nebuchadnezzar, who built magnificent structures, now lives exposed to elements. The detail about hair and nails suggests extended period without grooming—markers of civilized human life abandoned. Ancient Near Eastern culture highly valued royal appearance, dignity, and grooming. Kings appeared in elaborate ceremonial dress with careful attention to appearance. Nebuchadnezzar's disheveled, bestial state represented ultimate shame and loss of human dignity in ancient cultural context.
Questions for Reflection
How do the physical details of degradation emphasize the totality of God's judgment on human pride?
What does the complete loss of human dignity teach about pride's ultimate consequence—dehumanization and reduction to animal existence?
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Analysis & Commentary
Immediate fulfillment follows: 'The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.' The phrase 'the same hour' emphasizes instantaneous judgment. The physical details—eating grass, wet with dew, overgrown hair and nails—depict complete descent into animal-like existence. This graphic description demonstrates the completeness of the king's humiliation. The mighty emperor becomes unrecognizable, living outdoors in bestial condition. Pride's consequences couldn't be more dramatically illustrated.