The Watchers

In Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a great tree, he saw 'a watcher and an holy one' come down from heaven and command that the tree be cut down, leaving only its stump in the ground. The sentence was 'by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones,' so 'that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men.' The title, found only in Daniel 4, pictures angels as wakeful observers who announce heaven's verdicts on earthly rulers. Later Jewish writings outside the Bible, such as 1 Enoch, used 'Watchers' for fallen angels, but in Daniel they are holy messengers of God's justice.

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Strongest connections in Scripture

Daniel 4

Key Passages

A Watcher and an Holy One

Daniel 4:13-17

Heaven's decree humbles the proudest king on earth so that all may know the Most High rules.

I¹³ saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;

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: 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: ¹⁶ Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him. ¹⁷ This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.