Chapter 4

But at last, Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; (Daniel 4:8)

The name Belteshazzar means "may Bel protect his life," Bel being a reference to the Babylonian god Marduk. Before Daniel interpreted the dream recorded in this chapter for Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon considered the Babylonian deity Bel his god. 

This indicates that the prior encounter he had with Daniel and the three Hebrew young men was sufficient to influence him but not sufficient to convince him to become a follower of God. Being impressed with God isn’t the same as making a decision to follow Lord Jesus Christ.

“I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. (Daniel 4:13)

The watchers are a class of angels whose job is to monitor the activities of humans. Watcher angels are also responsible for carrying out the judgments of God.

That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws. (Daniel 4:33)

According to secular historical records, there is no mention of a seven-year period of insanity experienced by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. However, Abydenus, a Greek historian writing in 268 BC, stated that Nebuchadnezzar was "possessed by some god" and that he had "immediately disappeared" for a time. This account is consistent with the story of Nebuchadnezzar's temporary madness as described in the book of Daniel. It is possible that the customs of the time may have prevented the recording of such events in secular historical records.