The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Daniel 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 them the dream, but they
didn’t make known to me its interpretation.
8 But at 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 theholy
gods is inyouandno secrettroubles 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. 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 holy watcher
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
birds 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, that 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 holy
watcher coming down from the sky and
saying, ‘Cut down the tree, and destroy
it; nevertheless leave the stump of its
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 of the field, until seven times
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 You will be driven from men and
your dwelling shall be with the animals of
the field. You will be made to eat grass
as oxen, and will 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 Whereas it was commandedto leave
the stump of the roots of the tree, your
kingdom shall be sure to you after you
know that Heaven rules.
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
like 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 like 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 truth, and his ways justice;
and those who walk in pride he is able to
abase.