1 Nebuchadnezzar Declares the Most High God 4:1Ch3:31in Aram Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, andmen of everytongue that inhabit all the earth: “May your 4:1Or welfare, prosperity peace abound!
2 It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me.
3 “How great are His signs,And how strong are His wonders!His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,And His 4:3Or powerful reign; or in Heb powerful rule dominion is from generation to generation.Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of a Great Tree
4 “ 4:4Ch4:1in Aram I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace.
5 I saw a dream, and it made me fearful; andthesefantasiesas I layon my bed and the visions in my head kept alarming me.
6 So I gave a decree to bring into my presence all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.
7 Then the 4:7Or soothsayer priests, so in ch magicians, the conjurers, the 4:7Or master astrologers Chaldeans, and the diviners came in, and I said the dream 4:7Lit before to them, but they could not make its interpretation known to me.
8 But at last Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is 4:8Or the Spirit of the holy God, so in ch a spirit of the holy gods; and I said the dream 4:8Lit before to him:
9 ‘O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is difficult for you, say tomethe visions of my dream which I have seen, along with its interpretation.
10 ‘Nowthese werethe visions in my headas I layon my bed: I was looking, and behold,there wasa tree in the midst of the 4:10Or land, so in ch earth, and its heightwasgreat.
11 ‘The tree grew large and became strong,And its height reached to the sky,And itwasvisible to the end of the whole earth.
12 ‘Its foliagewasbeautiful and its fruit abundant,And in itwasfood for all.The beasts of the field found shade under it,And the birds of the sky inhabited its branches,And all flesh fed itself from it.
13 ‘I was looking in the visions in my headas I layon my bed, and behold, a 4:13Angel, so in ch watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven.
14 ‘He called out loudly and said thus:“Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,Strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit;Let the beasts flee from under itAnd the birds from its branches.
15 “Yet leave the stump 4:15 Lit of with its roots in the earth,But with a band of iron and bronzearound itIn the new grass of the field;And let him be drenched with the dew of heaven,And let 4:15 Lit his portion be with him share with the beasts in the grass of the earth.
16 “Let his heart be changed fromthat ofa man,And let the heart of a beast be given to him,And let seven 4:16Years periods of time pass over him.
17 “This edict is by the resolution of the watchers,And the decision is a command of the holy ones,In order that the living may knowThat the Most High is the powerful ruler over the kingdom of mankindAnd gives it to whom He wishesAnd sets up over it the lowliest of men.”
18 This is the dreamwhichI, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, say tomeits interpretation, inasmuch as none of the wise men of my kingdom is able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.’Daniel Interprets the Dream
19 “Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while as his thoughts were alarming him. The king answered and said, ‘Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.’ Belteshazzar answered and said, ‘My lord,if onlythe dream applied to those who hate you and its interpretation to your adversaries!
20 The tree that you saw, which became large and grew strong, whose height reached to the sky and was visible to all the earth,
21 and whose foliagewasbeautiful and its fruit abundant, and in whichwasfood for all, under which the beasts of the field inhabited, and in whose branches the birds of the sky dwelt—
22 it is you, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your greatness has becomeevengreater and reached to the sky and your 4:22Or powerful reign; or in Heb powerful rule dominion to the end of the earth.
23 But in that the king saw a watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, “Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump 4:23Lit of with its roots in the earth, but with a band of iron and bronzearound itin the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let 4:23Lit his portion be with him share with the beasts of the field until seven 4:23Years periods of time pass over him,”
24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the resolution of the Most High, which has reached my lord the king:
25 that you be driven away from mankind and yourplace ofhabitation be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven 4:25Years periods of time will pass over you, until you know that the Most High is the powerful ruler over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whomever He wishes.
26 And in that they said to leave the stump 4:26Lit of with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will endure for you after you know thatit isHeaventhatrules with power.
27 Therefore, O king, may my advice seem good to you: 4:27Or redeem now your sins break away now from your sins bydoingrighteousness and from your iniquities by showing mercy tothepoor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.’The Dream Is Accomplished
28 “Allthisreached Nebuchadnezzar the king.
29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on theroof ofthe royal palace of Babylon.
30 The king answered and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal house by the strength of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’
31 While the wordwasin the king’s mouth, a voice 4:31Lit fell came from heaven,saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is said: the kingdom has been removed from you,
32 and you will be driven away from mankind, and yourplace ofhabitationwill bewith the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven 4:32 Years periods of time will pass over you until you know that the Most High is the powerful ruler over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whomever He wishes.’
33 Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was accomplished; and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles’feathersand his nails like birds’claws.
34 “But at the end ofthosedays, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes toward heaven, and my knowledge returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever;For His 4:34Or powerful reign; or in Heb powerful rule dominion is an everlasting 4:34Or powerful reign; or in Heb powerful rule dominion,And His kingdomenduresfrom generation to generation.
35 “And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,But He does according to His will in the host of heavenAndamongthe inhabitants of earth;And no one can strike against His handOr say to Him, ‘What have You done?’
36 At that time my knowledge returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my high officials and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my kingdom, and extraordinary greatness was added to me.
37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are 4:37Lit truth true and His ways 4:37Lit justice just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”