CHAPTER 2
In the second
year
of his
reign,
Nebuchadnezzar
had dreams
that troubled
his spirit,
and sleep
deserted
him.
So the king
gave orders
to summon
the magicians,
enchanters,
sorcerers,
and astrologers
to explain
his dreams.
When they came
and stood
before
the king,
Then the astrologers
answered
the king
in Aramaic,
“O king,
may you live
forever!
Tell
your servants
the dream,
and we will give
the interpretation.”
The king
replied
to the astrologers,
“My word
is final:
If
you do not
tell me
the dream
and its interpretation,
you will be cut
into pieces
and your houses
will be reduced
to rubble.
But if
you tell me
the dream
and its interpretation,
you will receive
from
me
gifts
and rewards
and great
honor.
So
tell me
the dream
and its interpretation.”
They answered
a second time,
“Let the king
tell
the dream
to his servants,
and we will give
the interpretation.”
The king
replied,
“I
know
for
sure
you
are stalling
for time,
because
you see
that
my
word
is final.
If
you do not
tell
me the dream,
there is
only one
decree for you.
You have conspired
to speak
before me
FALSE
and fraudulent
words,
hoping
the situation
will change.
Therefore
tell
me
the dream,
and I will know
that
you can give me
its interpretation."
The astrologers
answered
the king,
“No
one
on earth
can
do
what the king
requests!
No
king,
however great
and powerful,
has ever asked
anything
like this
of any
magician,
enchanter,
or astrologer.
What
the king
requests
is so difficult
that no
one
can tell it
to
him
except
the gods,
whose
dwelling
is
not
with
mortals.”
This response made
the king
so
angry
and furious
that he gave orders
to destroy
all
the wise men
of Babylon.
So the decree
went out
that the wise men
were to be executed,
and men went to look for
Daniel
and his friends
to execute them.
When
Arioch,
the commander
of the king’s
guard,
had gone out
to execute
the wise men
of Babylon,
Daniel
replied
with discretion
and tact.
“Why
is the decree
from
the king
so harsh?”
he asked.
At this time
Arioch
explained
the situation
to Daniel.
So Daniel
went in
and asked
the king
to give
him
some time,
so that he could give
him
the interpretation.
Then
Daniel
returned
to his house
and explained
the matter
to his friends
Hananiah,
Mishael,
and Azariah,
urging them to plead
for mercy
from
the God
of heaven
concerning
this
mystery,
so that
Daniel
and his friends
would not
be killed
with
the rest
of the wise men
of Babylon.
During
the night,
the mystery
was revealed
to Daniel
in a vision,
and he
blessed
the God
of heaven
He
changes
the times
and seasons;
He removes
kings
and establishes
them.
He gives
wisdom
to the wise
and knowledge
to the discerning.
He
reveals
the deep
and hidden things;
He knows
what
lies in darkness,
and light
dwells
with Him.
To You,
O God
of my fathers,
I
give thanks
and praise,
because
You have given me
wisdom
and power.
And now
You have made known to me
what
we have requested,
for
You have made known to us
the dream
of the king.
Therefore
Daniel
went
to
Arioch,
whom
the king
had appointed
to destroy
the wise men
of Babylon,
and said
to him,
“Do not
execute
the wise men
of Babylon!
Bring
me before
the king,
and I will give
him
the interpretation."
Arioch
hastily
brought
Daniel
before
the king
and said
to him,
“I have found
a man
among
the exiles
from Judah
who
will tell
the king
the interpretation.”
The king
responded
to Daniel,
whose
name
was Belteshazzar,
“Are you able
to tell me
what
I saw
in the dream,
as well as its interpretation?”
Daniel
answered
the king,
“No
wise man,
medium,
magician,
or diviner
can
explain
to the king
the mystery
of which
he
inquires.
But
there is
a God
in heaven
who reveals
mysteries,
and He has made known
to King
Nebuchadnezzar
what
will happen
in the latter
days.
Your dream
and the visions
that came into your mind
as you lay on
your bed
were these:
As you
lay on
your bed,
O king,
your thoughts
turned
to
the future,
and the Revealer
of Mysteries
has let you know
what
will happen.
And to me
this
mystery
has been revealed,
not
because
I have
more wisdom
than
any man
alive,
but
in order that
the interpretation
might be made known
to the king,
and that you may understand
the thoughts
of your mind.
As you,
O king,
were watching,
a
great
statue
appeared.
A great
and dazzling
statue
stood
before you,
and its form
was awesome.
The head
of the statue
was pure
gold,
its chest
and arms
were silver,
its belly
and thighs
were bronze,
While you were
watching,
a stone
was cut out,
but not
by human hands.
It struck
the statue
on
its feet
of
iron
and clay,
and crushed
them.
Then
the iron,
clay,
bronze,
silver,
and gold
were shattered
and became
like chaff
on
the threshing floor
in summer.
The wind
carried them
away,
and not
a trace
of them
could be found.
But the stone
that
had struck
the statue
became
a great
mountain
and filled
the whole
earth.
You,
O king,
are the king
of kings,
to whom
the God
of heaven
has given
sovereignty,
power,
strength,
and glory.
Wherever
the sons
of men
or beasts
of the field
or birds
of the air
dwell,
He has given them
into your hand
and has made you ruler
over them all.
You are
that
head
of
gold.
But after you,
there will arise
another
kingdom,
inferior
to yours.
Next, a
third
kingdom,
one of
bronze,
will rule
the whole
earth.
Finally, there will be
a fourth
kingdom
as strong
as iron;
for
iron
shatters
and crushes
all things,
and like iron
that
crushes
all things,
it will shatter
and crush
all
the others.
And just as
you saw that
the feet
and toes
were made partly of
fired clay
and partly of
iron,
so this will be
a divided
kingdom,
yet
some of
the strength
of
iron
will be in it—
just as you saw
the iron
mixed
with clay.
And as the toes
of the feet
were partly
iron
and partly
clay,
so this kingdom
will be
partly
strong
and partly
brittle.
As you saw
the iron
mixed
with clay,
so the peoples
will mix with one another,
but will not
hold together
any more than
iron
mixes
with
clay.
In the days
of those
kings,
the God
of heaven
will set up
a kingdom
that
will never
be destroyed,
and this kingdom
will not
be left
to another
people.
It will shatter
all
these
kingdoms
and bring them to an end,
but will itself stand
forever.
And just as
you saw
a stone
cut out
of the mountain
without
human hands,
and it shattered
the iron,
bronze,
clay,
silver,
and gold,
so the great
God
has told
the king
what
will happen
in the future.
The dream
is true,
and its interpretation
is trustworthy."
At this,
King
Nebuchadnezzar
fell
on
his face,
paid homage
to Daniel,
and ordered
that an offering
of incense
be presented
to him.
The king
said
to Daniel,
“Your God
is truly
the God
of gods
and Lord
of kings,
a revealer
of mysteries,
since
you were able
to reveal
this
mystery.”
Then
the king
promoted
Daniel
and gave
him many
generous
gifts.
He made him ruler
over
the entire
province
of Babylon
and administrator
over
all
the wise men
of Babylon.
And at Daniel’s
request,
the king
appointed
Shadrach,
Meshach,
and Abednego
to
manage
the province
of Babylon,
while Daniel
remained at the king’s
court.