While the proud boast was yet on the king's lips, a voice from heaven announced that God's appointed time of judgment 520 had come. Upon his ears fell the mandate of Jehovah: "O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will."

Mens kongen udtalte disse pralende ord, forkyndte en røst fra himmelen, at Guds doms time var kommet. Herrens ord lød i hans øren: "Det gives dig til kende, kong Nebukadnezar, at dit kongedømme er taget fra dig. Af menneskenes samfund skal du udstødes og bo blandt markens dyr; urter skal du have til føde som kvæget; og syv tider skal gå hen over dig, til du skønner, at den Højeste er Herre over menneskenes rige og kan give det, til hvem han vil!