CHAPTER 4
King
Nebuchadnezzar,
To the peoples,
nations,
and men of every
language
who
dwell
in all
the earth:
May your prosperity
be multiplied.
How
great
are His signs,
and how
mighty
His wonders!
His kingdom
is an eternal
kingdom,
and His dominion endures
from
generation
to generation.
I had
a dream,
and it frightened me;
while in
my bed,
the images
and visions
in my mind
alarmed me.
So
I issued
a decree
that all
the wise men
of Babylon
be brought
before me
to
interpret
the dream
for me.
When
the magicians,
enchanters,
astrologers,
and diviners
came in,
I
told
them the dream,
and they could not
interpret it
for me.
But at
last,
Daniel
came into
my presence
(his
name is
Belteshazzar,
after the name
of my god,
and the spirit
of the holy
gods
is in him.)
And I told
him the dream:
“O Belteshazzar,
chief
of the magicians,
because
I
know
that
you have a spirit
of the holy
gods
and that no
mystery
baffles
you,
explain to me
the visions
that
I saw
in my dream,
and the interpretation.
In these visions
of my mind
as I was lying
in bed,
I saw this
come to pass:
There was
a tree
in the middle
of the land,
and its height
was great.
The tree
grew large
and strong;
its top
reached
the sky,
and it was visible
to the ends
of the earth.
Its leaves
were beautiful,
its fruit
was abundant,
and upon it
was food
for all.
Under it
the beasts
of the field
found shelter,
in its branches
the birds
of the air
nested,
and from it
every
creature
was fed.
As I lay
on my bed,
I also saw
in the visions
of my mind
a watcher,
a holy one,
coming down
from
heaven.
He called out
in a loud voice:
‘Cut down
the tree
and chop off
its branches;
strip off
its leaves
and scatter
its fruit.
Let the beasts
flee
from
under it,
and the birds
from
its branches.
But
leave
the stump
with its roots
in the ground,
and a band
of
iron
and bronze around it,
in the tender grass
of
the field.
Let him be drenched
with the dew
of heaven
and graze
with
the beasts
on the grass
of the earth.
Let his mind
be changed
from
that of a man,
and let him be given
the mind
of a beast
till seven
times
pass
him by.
This decision
is the decree
of the watchers,
the verdict
declared
by the holy ones,
so that
the living
will know
that
the Most High
is ruler
over the kingdom
of mankind,
and gives it
to whom
He wishes,
setting
over it
the lowliest
of men.'
This
is the dream
that I,
King
Nebuchadnezzar,
had.
Now, Belteshazzar,
tell
me the interpretation,
because
none
of the wise men
of my kingdom
can
interpret it
for me.
But you
are able,
because
the spirit
of the holy
gods
is in you."
For
a
time,
Daniel,
who
was also known as
Belteshazzar,
was perplexed,
and his thoughts
alarmed him.
So the king
said,
“Belteshazzar,
do not
let the dream
or its interpretation
alarm you.”
“My lord,”
replied
Belteshazzar,
“may the dream
apply to those who hate you,
and its interpretation
to your enemies!
The tree
you saw,
which
grew large
and strong,
whose top
reached
the sky
and was visible
to all
the earth,
whose foliage
was beautiful
and its fruit
abundant,
providing food
for all,
under which
the beasts
of the field
lived,
and in whose branches
the birds
of the air
nested—
you,
O king,
are that tree!
For you have become great
and strong;
your greatness
has grown
to reach
the sky,
and your dominion
extends to the ends
of the earth.
And
you, O king,
saw
a watcher,
a holy one,
coming down
from
heaven
and saying:
‘Cut down
the tree
and destroy it,
but
leave
the stump
with its roots
in the ground,
with a band
of iron
and bronze around it,
in the tender grass
of
the field.
Let him be drenched
with the dew
of heaven,
and graze
with
the beasts
of the field
till
seven
times
pass
him by.'
This
is the interpretation,
O king,
and this is the decree
that the Most High
has issued
against
my lord
the king:
You will be driven away
from
mankind,
and your dwelling
will be
with
the beasts
of the field.
You will feed on
grass
like cattle
and be drenched
with the dew
of heaven,
and seven
times
shall pass
you by,
until
you acknowledge
that
the Most High
is ruler
over the kingdom
of mankind,
and He gives
it to anyone
He wishes.
As for the command
to leave
the stump
of the tree
with its roots,
your kingdom
will be restored
to you
as soon as
you acknowledge
that
Heaven
rules.
Therefore,
may my advice
be pleasing
to you,
O king.
Break away
from your sins
by doing what is right,
and from your iniquities
by showing mercy
to the oppressed.
Perhaps
there will be
an extension
of your prosperity.”
the king
exclaimed,
“Is this
not
Babylon
the Great,
which
I myself
have built
by the might
of my power
as a royal
residence
and for the glory
of my majesty?”
While the words
were still
in the king’s
mouth,
a voice
came
from
heaven:
“It is decreed to you,
King
Nebuchadnezzar,
that the kingdom
has departed
from you.
You will be driven away
from
mankind
to live
with
the beasts
of the field,
and you will feed on
grass
like cattle.
And seven
times
will pass
you by,
until
you acknowledge
that
the Most High
is ruler
over the kingdom
of men,
and He gives
it to anyone
He wishes.
At that moment
the sentence
against
Nebuchadnezzar
was fulfilled.
He was driven away
from
mankind.
He ate
grass
like cattle,
and his body
was drenched
with the dew
of heaven,
until
his hair
grew
like the feathers of an eagle
and his nails
like the claws of a bird.
But at the end
of those days,
I,
Nebuchadnezzar,
looked up
to heaven,
and my sanity
was restored
to me.
Then I praised
the Most High,
and I honored
and glorified
Him who lives
forever:
“For His dominion
is an everlasting
dominion,
and His kingdom
endures from
generation
to generation.
All
the peoples
of the earth
are counted
as nothing,
and He does
as He pleases
with the army
of heaven
and the peoples
of the earth.
There is
no
one who
can restrain
His hand
or say
to Him,
‘What
have You done?’”
At
the same time
my sanity
was restored
to me,
and my honor
and splendor
returned
to me
for the glory
of my kingdom.
My advisers
and nobles
sought me out,
and I was restored
to
my throne,
and surpassing
greatness
was added
to me.
Now
I,
Nebuchadnezzar,
praise
and exalt
and glorify
the King
of heaven,
for
all
His works
are true,
and all His ways
are just.
And those
who walk
in pride
He is able
to humble.