Nebuchadnezzar
Who was Nebuchadnezzar in the Bible?
The powerful king of Babylon who destroyed Jerusalem, deported the Judeans, and eventually acknowledged the sovereignty of the God of Israel.
Nebuchadnezzar II was the most prominent ruler of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, reigning during a pivotal transition in the history of the Divided Monarchy and the subsequent Exilic Period. In the biblical record, he is presented as a formidable instrument of divine judgment against Judah, responsible for the repeated sieges of Jerusalem, the destruction of Solomon’s Temple, and the mass deportation of the Jewish people to Babylon. His presence dominates the books of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, where he is portrayed both as a ruthless conqueror and a king who experiences direct, humbling encounters with the LORD.
Beyond his military exploits, Nebuchadnezzar is noted for his massive building projects in Babylon and his complex relationship with the prophet Daniel and his companions. The scriptures document his internal journey from an arrogant 'king of kings' to a man who, after a period of divine discipline, publicly praised and honored the 'King of Heaven.' His reign defines the end of the Davidic monarchy's rule in Jerusalem and sets the stage for the seventy-year Babylonian captivity.
Background and Family
Nebuchadnezzar was a monarch of the Chaldean dynasty in Mesopotamia. According to the book of Daniel, he was the father (or predecessor/ancestor) of Belshazzar, who later reigned in Babylon (Daniel 5:2, 11). His rise to power coincided with the decline of the Assyrian Empire and the resurgence of Babylonian dominance. The biblical narrative focuses on his activities from the third year of King Jehoiakim of Judah (Daniel 1:1) through the fall of Jerusalem in the nineteenth year of his own reign (Jeremiah 52:12).
Major Life Events
The Subjugation of Judah
Nebuchadnezzar’s involvement with Judah began with a series of military campaigns intended to consolidate his control over the Levant and counter Egyptian influence. In the fourth year of Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar defeated Pharaoh Neco at the Battle of Carchemish (Jeremiah 46:2), effectively ending Egyptian hopes of regional hegemony. Shortly thereafter, he besieged Jerusalem, taking Jehoiakim as a vassal and removing articles from the Temple to place in his own god's temple in Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:6-7).
The Destruction of Jerusalem
Following successive rebellions by Judah's kings—Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and finally Zedekiah—Nebuchadnezzar’s patience ended. In the ninth year of Zedekiah, he began a final, brutal siege of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:1). The city fell in 586 BC. Nebuchadnezzar’s forces burned the Temple, leveled the city walls, and executed the sons of Zedekiah before the king's eyes before blinding him (Jeremiah 39:5-7). The majority of the remaining population was carried into exile, leaving only the poorest to tend the land (2 Kings 25:11-12).
Encounters with Daniel and the Hebrew Youths
In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar was troubled by dreams that his own magicians could not interpret. Daniel, a young Judean exile, revealed the dream—a great statue of varied metals—and its meaning regarding successive earthly kingdoms (Daniel 2). This led to Nebuchadnezzar promoting Daniel and acknowledging that Daniel's God was a "God of gods."
Later, Nebuchadnezzar constructed a massive golden statue on the plain of Dura, demanding universal worship. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused, he ordered them cast into a furnace heated seven times hotter than usual. Their miraculous survival led to a second royal decree by Nebuchadnezzar, protecting the worship of their God (Daniel 3).
Humiliation and Restoration
Perhaps the most striking event in his life was his descent into madness. Warned by a dream interpreted by Daniel, the king failed to repent of his pride. While boasting of his own hand in building Babylon, a voice from heaven announced his temporary loss of sovereignty. For seven periods of time, he lived like an animal, eating grass like an ox (Daniel 4:33). Upon the restoration of his sanity, Nebuchadnezzar issued a formal proclamation extolling the justice and eternal dominion of the Most High God (Daniel 4:34-37).
Relationship to Other Biblical Figures
Nebuchadnezzar’s primary interactions were with the last kings of Judah: Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. He treated them as vassals, removing and replacing them at will (2 Chronicles 36). He also had a significant relationship with the prophet Daniel, whom he respected as a wise advisor and interpreter of mysteries. Despite his role as an oppressor, Jeremiah records that Nebuchadnezzar gave specific orders to protect Jeremiah after the fall of Jerusalem, ensuring the prophet was well-treated by the Babylonian captain of the guard (Jeremiah 39:11-12).
Spiritual Significance
In the prophetic literature, Nebuchadnezzar is uniquely described by God as "My servant" (Jeremiah 25:9; 27:6). This does not imply that he was a willing follower of the LORD for most of his life, but rather that he was an instrument used by God to discipline Israel and the surrounding nations. His life serves as a biblical archetype for the sovereignty of God over human empires. His eventual conversion or acknowledgment of God in Daniel 4 highlights the theme that no earthly ruler, no matter how powerful, is beyond the reach of divine authority or grace.
Nebuchadnezzar serves as the primary antagonist of the late Divided Monarchy and the architect of the Babylonian Exile, a period that fundamentally reshaped Jewish theology and identity. His role as the 'servant' of the LORD demonstrates the biblical principle that God uses secular and even pagan rulers to fulfill His sovereign purposes. His interactions with Daniel emphasize the superiority of divine wisdom over earthly occultism and the resilience of faith under imperial pressure.
Theologically, Nebuchadnezzar's transformation in Daniel 4 is a seminal text regarding the nature of pride and the necessity of acknowledging God's kingdom as the only eternal authority. He is the first Gentile monarch in scripture to issue a decree praising the God of Israel, serving as a prophetic shadow of the eventual recognition of the LORD by the nations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Nebuchadnezzar destroy the Temple in Jerusalem?
He destroyed the Temple in 586 BC as a final punishment for the repeated rebellions of the Judean kings, specifically Zedekiah, who had broken his oath of fealty to Babylon.
Was Nebuchadnezzar actually a 'servant' of God?
The Bible uses this term (Jeremiah 27:6) to indicate that he was God's chosen tool for judgment, not necessarily that he was a righteous man for his entire reign.
What happened to Nebuchadnezzar during his period of madness?
According to Daniel 4, he suffered from a condition where he lost his sanity, was driven from human society, and lived in the fields eating grass like an ox until he acknowledged God's sovereignty.
Did Nebuchadnezzar ever become a believer in the God of Israel?
The book of Daniel ends its account of him with a public declaration of praise for the 'King of Heaven,' suggesting a profound spiritual shift and personal acknowledgment of Yahweh's supremacy.
Who succeeded Nebuchadnezzar?
Biblically, the narrative moves toward his descendant Belshazzar, though historical records and the book of Daniel suggest a lineage of successors before the fall of Babylon to the Persians.
Family & Relationships
NebuchadnezzarThis pageChildren
BelshazzarSonDaniel 5:2Inferred
Daniel 5:2 names Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar in the same verse but does not state a son tie between them; the link rests on the surrounding narrative.Evidence: Daniel 5:2
Connected Figures
Family
Son · Daniel 5:2
The final ruler of the Babylonian Empire mentioned in the book of Daniel, known for the 'writing on the wall' incident during a sacrilegious feast.
Exile and ReturnFirst: Daniel 5:19 versesKing of the Chaldeans
Categories
Mentions by Book
- 2 Kings6
- 1 Chronicles1
- 2 Chronicles4
- Ezra5
- Nehemiah1
- Esther1
- Jeremiah37
- Ezekiel4
- Daniel30
Scripture References
All 89 indexed verses, in canonical order, from the Berean Standard Bible.
- 2 Kings 24:1
During Jehoiakim’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded. So Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years, until he turned and rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar.
- 2 Kings 24:10
At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched up to Jerusalem, and the city came under siege.
- 2 Kings 24:11
And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it.
- 2 Kings 25:1
So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army. They encamped outside the city and built a siege wall all around it.
- 2 Kings 25:8
On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign over Babylon, Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem.
- 2 Kings 25:22
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, over the people he had left behind in the land of Judah.
- 1 Chronicles 6:15
Jehozadak went into captivity when the LORD sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.
- 2 Chronicles 36:6
Then Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jehoiakim and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.
- 2 Chronicles 36:7
Nebuchadnezzar also took to Babylon some of the articles from the house of the LORD, and he put them in his temple in Babylon.
- 2 Chronicles 36:10
In the spring, King Nebuchadnezzar summoned Jehoiachin and brought him to Babylon, along with the articles of value from the house of the LORD. And he made Jehoiachin’s relative Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.
- 2 Chronicles 36:13
He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. But Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel.
- Ezra 1:7
King Cyrus also brought out the articles belonging to the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the temple of his gods.
- Ezra 2:1
Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles carried away to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar its king. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town,
- Ezra 5:12
But since our fathers angered the God of heaven, He delivered them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean who destroyed this temple and carried away the people to Babylon.
- Ezra 5:14
He also removed from the temple of Babylon the gold and silver articles belonging to the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken and carried there from the temple in Jerusalem. King Cyrus gave these articles to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he appointed governor
- Ezra 6:5
Furthermore, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and carried to Babylon, must also be returned to the temple in Jerusalem and deposited in the house of God.
- Nehemiah 7:6
These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles carried away to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar its king. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town,
- Esther 2:6
He had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon among those taken captive with Jeconiah king of Judah.
- Jeremiah 21:2
“Please inquire of the LORD on our behalf, since Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is waging war against us. Perhaps the LORD will perform for us something like all His past wonders, so that Nebuchadnezzar will withdraw from us.”
- Jeremiah 21:7
‘After that,’ declares the LORD, ‘I will hand over Zedekiah king of Judah, his officers, and the people in this city who survive the plague and sword and famine, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to their enemies who seek their lives. He will put them to the sword; he will not spare them or show pity or compassion.’
- Jeremiah 22:25
In fact, I will hand you over to those you dread, who want to take your life—to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to the Chaldeans.
- Jeremiah 24:1
After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, as well as the officials of Judah and the craftsmen and metalsmiths from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon, the LORD showed me two baskets of figs placed in front of the temple of the LORD.
- Jeremiah 25:1
This is the word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
- Jeremiah 25:9
behold, I will summon all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, whom I will bring against this land, against its residents, and against all the surrounding nations. So I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and contempt, an everlasting desolation.
- Jeremiah 27:6
So now I have placed all these lands under the authority of My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. I have even made the beasts of the field subject to him.
- Jeremiah 27:8
As for the nation or kingdom that does not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and does not place its neck under his yoke, I will punish that nation by sword and famine and plague, declares the LORD, until I have destroyed it by his hand.
- Jeremiah 27:20
which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he carried Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem.
- Jeremiah 28:3
Within two years I will restore to this place all the articles of the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and carried to Babylon.
- Jeremiah 28:11
And in the presence of all the people Hananiah proclaimed, “This is what the LORD says: ‘In this way, within two years I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon off the neck of all the nations.’” At this, Jeremiah the prophet went on his way.
- Jeremiah 28:14
For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations to make them serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I have even given him control of the beasts of the field.’”
- Jeremiah 29:1
This is the text of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets, and all the others Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.
- Jeremiah 29:3
The letter was entrusted to Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It stated:
- Jeremiah 29:21
This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying to you lies in My name: “I will deliver them to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will kill them before your very eyes.
- Jeremiah 32:1
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar.
- Jeremiah 32:28
Therefore this is what the LORD says: Behold, I am about to deliver this city into the hands of the Chaldeans and of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will capture it.
- Jeremiah 34:1
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, all his army, all the earthly kingdoms under his control, and all the other nations were fighting against Jerusalem and all its surrounding cities.
- Jeremiah 35:11
So when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched into the land, we said: ‘Come, let us go into Jerusalem to escape the armies of the Chaldeans and the Arameans.’ So we have remained in Jerusalem.”
- Jeremiah 37:1
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made Zedekiah son of Josiah the king of Judah, and he reigned in place of Coniah son of Jehoiakim.
- Jeremiah 39:1
In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army and laid siege to the city.
- Jeremiah 39:5
But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They seized him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him.
- Jeremiah 39:11
Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, saying,
- Jeremiah 43:10
Then tell them that this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I will set his throne over these stones that I have embedded, and he will spread his royal pavilion over them.
- Jeremiah 44:30
This is what the LORD says: Behold, I will deliver Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hands of his enemies who seek his life, just as I delivered Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the enemy who was seeking his life.”
- Jeremiah 46:2
concerning Egypt and the army of Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah:
- Jeremiah 46:13
This is the word that the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to strike the land of Egypt:
- Jeremiah 46:26
I will deliver them into the hands of those who seek their lives—of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. But after this, Egypt will be inhabited as in days of old, declares the LORD.
- Jeremiah 49:28
Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated, this is what the LORD says: “Rise up, advance against Kedar, and destroy the people of the east!
- Jeremiah 49:30
Run! Escape quickly! Lie low, O residents of Hazor,” declares the LORD, “for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has drawn up a plan against you; he has devised a strategy against you.
- Jeremiah 50:17
Israel is a scattered flock, chased away by lions. The first to devour him was the king of Assyria; the last to crush his bones was Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.”
- Jeremiah 51:34
“Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has devoured me; he has crushed me. He has set me aside like an empty vessel; he has swallowed me like a monster; he filled his belly with my delicacies and vomited me out.
- Jeremiah 52:4
So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army. They encamped outside the city and built a siege wall all around it.
- Jeremiah 52:12
On the tenth day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign over Babylon, Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem.
- Jeremiah 52:28
These are the people Nebuchadnezzar carried away: in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews;
- Jeremiah 52:29
in Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth year, 832 people from Jerusalem;
- Jeremiah 52:30
in Nebuchadnezzar’s twenty-third year, Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried away 745 Jews. So in all, 4,600 people were taken away.
- Ezekiel 26:7
For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, with cavalry and a great company of troops.
- Ezekiel 29:18
“Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to labor strenuously against Tyre. Every head was made bald and every shoulder made raw. But he and his army received no wages from Tyre for the labor they expended on it.
- Ezekiel 29:19
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will carry off its wealth, seize its spoil, and remove its plunder. This will be the wages for his army.
- Ezekiel 30:10
This is what the Lord GOD says: I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
- Daniel 1:1
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
- Daniel 1:18
Now at the end of the time specified by the king, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.
- Daniel 2:1Partial
In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled his spirit, and sleep escaped him.
- Daniel 2:28
But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days. Your dream and the visions that came into your mind as you lay on your bed were these:
- Daniel 2:46
At this, King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, paid homage to Daniel, and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him.
- Daniel 2:47Partial
The king said to Daniel, “Your God is truly the God of gods and Lord of kings, the Revealer of Mysteries, since you were able to reveal this mystery.”
Cited as a key verse; added so References, Key Verses and Mentions by Book share one index.
- Daniel 3:1
King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
- Daniel 3:2Partial
Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other officials of the provinces to attend the dedication of the statue he had set up.
- Daniel 3:3Partial
So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
- Daniel 3:5
As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
- Daniel 3:7
Therefore, as soon as all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and all kinds of music, the people of every nation and language would fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
- Daniel 3:9
saying to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, may you live forever!
- Daniel 3:13
Then Nebuchadnezzar, furious with rage, summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king,
- Daniel 3:14
and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden statue I have set up?
- Daniel 3:16
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
- Daniel 3:19
At this, Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders to heat the furnace seven times hotter than usual,
- Daniel 3:24
Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and asked his advisers, “Did we not throw three men, firmly bound, into the fire?” “Certainly, O king,” they replied.
- Daniel 3:26
Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the blazing fiery furnace and called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire,
- Daniel 3:28
Nebuchadnezzar declared, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him. They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.
- Daniel 4:1
King Nebuchadnezzar, To the people of every nation and language who dwell in all the earth: May your prosperity be multiplied.
- Daniel 4:4
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace.
- Daniel 4:18
This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you are able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
- Daniel 4:28
All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.
- Daniel 4:31
While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “It is decreed to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that the kingdom has departed from you.
- Daniel 4:33
At that moment the sentence against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from mankind. He ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
- Daniel 4:34
But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives forever: “For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
- Daniel 4:37
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride.
- Daniel 5:2
Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.
- Daniel 5:11
There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your own father, the king,
- Daniel 5:18
As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.