Nebuchadnezzar Praises God
King Nebuchadnezzar to all apeoples, nations, and languages, bthat dwell in all the earth: cPeace be multiplied to you! 2 It has seemed good to me to show the asigns and wonders that the bMost High God has done for me.
3 How great are ahis signs,
how mighty his awonders!
bHis kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
band his dominion endures from generation to generation.
Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and athe visions of my head alarmed me. 6 So aI made a decree that ball the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then athe magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but bthey could not make known to me its interpretation. 8 At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named aBelteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is bthe spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream, saying, 9 “O Belteshazzar, achief of the magicians, because I know that bthe spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no cmystery is too difficult for you, tell me dthe visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. 10 aThe visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and bbehold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. 11 aThe tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 aIts leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. bThe beasts of the field found shade under it, and bthe birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.
13 “I saw in athe visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, ba watcher, ca holy one, came down from heaven. 14 He aproclaimed aloud and said thus: b‘Chop down the tree and clop off its branches, cstrip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. cLet the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him; aand let seven periods of time bpass over him. 17 The sentence is by the decree of athe watchers, the decision by the word of bthe holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High crules the kingdom of men dand gives it to whom he will and esets over it the lowliest of men.’ 18 This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O aBelteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because ball the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for cthe spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
Daniel Interprets the Second Dream
19 Then Daniel, whose name was aBelteshazzar, was bdismayed for a while, and chis thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, dmay the dream be for those who hate you dand its interpretation for your enemies! 20 aThe tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, 21 awhose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived— 22 ait is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. bYour greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, band your dominion to the ends of the earth. 23 And because the king saw aa watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, b‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till cseven periods of time pass over him,’ 24 this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, 25 athat you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made bto eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and cseven periods of time shall pass over you, till dyou know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. 26 And as it was commanded ato leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by apracticing righteousness, band your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, cthat there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”
Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation
28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, a“Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by bmy mighty power as a royal residence and for bthe glory of my majesty?” 31 aWhile the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 aand you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, auntil you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” 33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. aHe was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws.
Nebuchadnezzar Restored
34 aAt the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and bmy reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored chim who lives forever,
dfor his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and dhis kingdom endures from generation to generation;
35 aall the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
and bhe does according to his will among the host of heaven
and among the inhabitants of the earth;
cand none can stay his hand
or dsay to him, “What have you done?”
36 At the same time amy reason returned to me, and for bthe glory of my kingdom, bmy majesty and splendor returned to me. cMy counselors and dmy lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was eadded to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, apraise and extol and honor the bKing of heaven, cfor all his works are right and his ways are just; and dthose who walk in pride he is able to humble.