דניאל, פרק ה׳, פסוק כ״א

Nebuchadnezzar experiences a dramatic and terrifying fall from grace, completely losing his place in the human world to live an animalistic existence as a direct consequence of his overwhelming pride. God actually delayed His anger for many of the king's other severe crimes. Despite his history of shedding blood and desecrating holy objects, God did not punish him during his days for those acts. However, when it came to his sheer arrogance and the swelling of his heart, the punishment was swift, sudden, and without delay [אלשיך].

The king's humiliation was absolute. He was completely driven away and banished from human society [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. Stripped of his human understanding, his mind was transformed to match that of a wild beast, and he found himself living among untamed animals and wild donkeys [מצודת ציון, שטיינזלץ]. His physical reality became entirely animalistic. He ate grass from the fields exactly like an ox, and because he lived outdoors with absolutely no shelter, his body was constantly soaked by the dew of heaven, leaving him completely exposed to the elements [מצודת דוד, שטיינזלץ].

This deeply degrading state was designed to last until the king could fully recognize and internalize a fundamental truth. He was forced to remain in the wild until he learned that God Most High is the sole ruler over the kingdoms of men, holding the absolute power to elevate and crown whomever He chooses upon the earth [מצודת דוד, שטיינזלץ].