The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Portions 04
1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, nations, and
languages, who dwell in all the earth:
Peace be multiplied to you.
2 It has seemed good to me to show the
signs and wonders that the Most High
God has worked toward me.
3 How great are his signs!
How mighty are his wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
His dominion is from generation
to generation.
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my
house, and flourishing in my palace.
5 I saw a dream which made me afraid;
andthe thoughts onmybedandthe visions
of my head troubled me.
6 Therefore I made a decree to bring
in all the wise men of Babylon before me,
that they might make known to me the
interpretation of the dream.
7 Then the magicians, the enchanters,
the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came
in; and I told the dream before them; but
they didn’t make known to me its interpretation.
8 But at the last Daniel came in before me,
whose name was Belteshazzar,
according to the name of my god, and in
whom is the spirit of the holy gods. I told
the dream before him, saying,
9 “Belteshazzar, master of the magicians,
because I know that the spirit of
the holy gods is in you, and no secret
troubles you, tell me the visions of my
dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.
10 These were the visions of my head
on my bed: I saw, and behold, a tree in
the middle of the earth; and its height was
great.
11 The tree grew, and was strong, and
its height reached to the sky, and its sight
to the end of all the earth.
12 Its leaves were beautiful, and it had
much fruit, and in it was food for all. The
animals ofthefieldhadshadeunder it, and
the birds of the sky lived in its branches,
and all flesh was fed from it.
13 “I saw in the visions of my head on
my bed, and behold, a watcher and a
holy one came down from the sky.
14 He cried aloud, and said this, ‘Cut
down the tree and cut off its branches!
Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Let
the animals get away from under it, and
the fowls from its branches.
15 Nevertheless leave the stump of its
roots in the earth, even with a band of iron
and bronze, in the tender grass ofthe field;
and letit be wet withthe dew ofthe sky. Let
his portion be with the animals in the grass
of the earth.
16 Let his heart be changed from
man’s, and let an animal’s heart be given
to him. Then let seven times pass over him.
17 “ ‘The sentence is by the decree of
the watchers, and the demand by the
word of the holy ones, to the intent that
the living may know that the Most High
rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it
to whomever he will, and sets up over it
the lowest of men.’
18 “This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar,
have seen; and you, Belteshazzar,
declare the interpretation, because all
the wisemenofmy kingdomarenot able
to make known to me the interpretation;
but you are able, for the spirit ofthe holy
gods is in you.”
19 Then Daniel, whosename wasBelteshazzar,
was stricken mute for a while,
and his thoughts troubled him. The
king answered, “Belteshazzar, don’t let
the dream, or the interpretation, trouble
you.”Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, may
the dream be for those who hate you,
and its interpretation to your adversaries.
20 The tree that you saw, which grew
and was strong, whose height reached to
the sky, and its sight to all the earth;
21 whose leaves were beautiful, and its
fruit plentiful, and in it was food for all;
under which the animals of the field lived,
and on whose branches the birds ofthe sky
had their habitation—
22 it is you, O king, who have grown
and become strong; for your greatness has
grown, and reaches to the sky, and your
dominion to the end of the earth.
23 “Whereas the king saw a watcher
and a holy one coming down from the
sky, and saying, ‘Cut down the tree, and
destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump
ofits roots in the earth, even with a band
of iron and bronze, in the tender grass
of the field, and let it be wet with the
dew of the sky. Let his portion be with
the animals ofthefield, until seventimes
pass over him.’
24 “This is the interpretation, O king,
and it is the decree of the Most High,
which has come on my lord the king:
25 that you shall be driven from men,
and your dwelling shall be with the animals
of the field. You shall be made to eat
grass as oxen, and shall be wet with the
dew of the sky, and seven times shall pass
over you; until you know that the Most
High rules in the kingdom of men, and
gives it to whomever he will.
26 Their command to leave the stump
of the roots of the tree means your
kingdom will be sure to you, after you will have
known that the heavens do rule.
27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be
acceptable to you, and break off your sins
by righteousness, and your iniquities by
showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there
may be a lengthening of your tranquility.”
28 All this came on the King Nebuchadnezzar.
29 At the end of twelve months he was
walking in the royal palace of Babylon.
30 The king spoke and said, “Is not this
great Babylon, which I have built for the
royal dwelling place, by the might of my
power and for the glory of my majesty?”
31 While the word was in the king’s
mouth, a voice came from the sky, saying,
“O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it
is spoken: ‘The kingdom has departed
from you.
32 You shall be driven from men, and
your dwelling shall be with the animals of
the field. You shall be made to eat grass
as oxen. Seven times shall pass over you,
until you know that the Most High rules
in the kingdom of men, and gives it to
whomever he will.’ ”
33 This was fulfilled the same hour on
Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from
men, and ate grass as oxen, and his body
was wet with the dew ofthe sky, until his
hair had grown like eagles’feathers, and
his nails like birds’ claws.
34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar,
lifted up my eyes to heaven, and
my understanding returned to me, and I
blessed the Most High, and I praised and
honored him who lives forever.
For his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom from generation
to generation.
35 All the inhabitants of the earth are
reputed as nothing; and he does according to his will
in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the
earth; and no one can stop his hand,
or ask him, “What are you doing?”
36 At the same time my understanding
returned to me; and for the glory of
my kingdom, my majesty and brightness
returned to me. My counselors and my
lords sought me; and I was established
in my kingdom, and excellent greatness
was added to me.
37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and
extol and honor the King of heaven; for
all his works are right and his ways just;
and those who walk in pride he is able to
humble.