Daniel 4:8

Daniel may not have been with the king’s other advisers because he occupied a position in the government that required his presence elsewhere. The king described Daniel by using both his Hebrew and Babylonian names. This would have had the double effect of causing those who read this decree to recognize Daniel by his common Babylonian name, and to honor Daniel’s God (cf. Daniel 4:37). Nebuchadnezzar probably meant that "a spirit of the holy gods" (cf. Daniel 4:17)-in a pagan sense-indwelt Daniel, since he used a plural adjective (translated "holy") to describe the noun ("gods"). [Note: See Leupold, p. 176, and Driver, p. 48.] However, we should probably not be dogmatic on this point since "holy" can mean divine rather than morally pure. [Note: Young, p. 99.] In this case the king may have meant "the Spirit of the holy God." The true interpretation lies buried in the theological understanding of Nebuchadnezzar, which the text leaves unclear. I suspect that Nebuchadnezzar was speaking as a polytheist rather than as a monotheistic believer in Yahweh.

"Seeing that Nebuchadnezzar recognized another as ’my god,’ it is doubtful if he regarded Jehovah as the only holy God." [Note: Culver, "Daniel," p. 783.]

"Several questions are called forth by this vs. Why did Dan. appear only after the wise men had failed to interpret the dream? Why, if Dan. was so well known for his ability to interpret dreams, and if he occupied a position of prominence over the wise men, was he not summoned first of all? . . .

"The king . . . had not forgotten Dan. Rather, his dream apparently caused him to realize that he would suffer humiliation, and probably this humiliation would be at the hands of Dan.’s God. . . . With this God, Neb., as yet, wanted no dealings. If others can interpret the dream, he will go to them rather than to Dan." [Note: Young, p. 100.]