<P> The Prayer of Nabonidus is a fragmentary story from the Dead Sea Scrolls (scroll 4QPrNab) with close parallels to Daniel 4 . Told in the first person by King Nabonidus of Babylon (reigned 556--539 BCE), it tells how he was smitten by an inflammation for seven years while in the oasis - city of Tayma, in north - western Arabia, and how a Jewish seer explains to him that this is because he is an idol - worshiper . Another passage, extremely fragmented, apparently introduces a dream narrative . The parallels with the history of Nabonidus are extremely close, and while Daniel 4 is not based on the Prayer it is likely that it is a variant of an original Jewish story in which Nabonidus, and not Nebuchadnezzar, was the king . </P> <P> Daniel 4 is a legend set in the royal court, like the other tales of chapters 1--6 . The theme is the relationship between heavenly and earthly power: the king's power on earth is not denied, but it is subordinate to the power of God . Chapters 4 and 5 contrast Nebuchadnezzar, who learns his lesson when humbled by God, and Belshazzar, who learns nothing from Nebuchadnezzar's example and blasphemes against God, who then gives his kingdom to the Medes and Persians . </P> <P> In Nebuchadnezzar's dream a "holy watcher" descends from heaven to pronounce sentence on tree and king . This is the sole instance of this phrase in the Old Testament, although it echoes the frequent descriptions of God's watchfulness . The watcher's commands to cut down the tree (i.e., Nebuchadnezzar) and strip it are issued, presumably, to the divine beings who carry out God's will . </P> <P> Daniel 4's tree parallels the similar image in Ezekiel 31, where the pharaoh of Egypt is compared to a mighty tree towering above all others with its top in the clouds, a symbol of human arrogance about to be cut down . The metaphor then switches to depict Nebuchadnezzar as a beast dependent on grace for its survival until he learns humility before God . Possibly significantly, the king is restored when he "lifts up" his eyes to heaven . </P>

Who wrote the book of daniel chapter 4