ירמיהו, פרק כ״ז, פסוק ו׳

God's decision to grant absolute and unprecedented power to the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, extends far beyond typical human conquest. It is a total subjugation of both the political and natural worlds to a single ruler [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. God appoints Nebuchadnezzar as the supreme and solitary king over the specific territories of the rulers being addressed in the prophecy [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם].

Surprisingly, God elevates this foreign king to the status of His own servant. The primary approach among commentators is that Nebuchadnezzar acts merely as an instrument in the hands of God. He carries out a divine mission, doing God's will to punish the nations and those who oppose Him [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת דוד].

This absolute dominion is so complete that it even encompasses wild animals, placing them entirely under the king's control. Commentators offer different perspectives on how this mastery played out. On a practical level, Nebuchadnezzar actively harnessed wild creatures, such as elephants and lions, using them as auxiliary forces in his military campaigns [מלבי״ם]. Alternatively, the animals simply submitted to his authority naturally [רד״ק].

Beyond the practical, a more miraculous tradition views this dominance as a supernatural sign meant to prove that his power was granted directly by God. According to this view, Nebuchadnezzar openly displayed his mastery over nature by riding a lion and tying a snake around his head [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, חומת אנך]. Another explanation connects this to the period when Nebuchadnezzar was forced to live in the forest among wild beasts. Even though he was reduced to eating grass during that time, the animals still served him and brought him food [רד״ק].