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Daniel 4
New English Translation

4 (3:31)[a] King Nebuchadnezzar, to all peoples, nations, and language groups that live in all the land: “Peace and prosperity![b] 2 I am delighted to tell you about the signs and wonders that the most high God has done for me.

3 “How great are his signs!

How mighty are his wonders!
His kingdom will last forever,[c]
and his authority continues from one generation to the next.”

Nebuchadnezzar Dreams of a Tree Chopped Down

4 (4:1)[d] I, Nebuchadnezzar, was relaxing in my home,[e] living luxuriously[f] in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that[g] frightened me badly. The things I imagined while lying on my bed—these visions of my mind—were terrifying me. 6 So I issued an order[h] for all the wise men of Babylon to be brought[i] before me so that they could make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 When the magicians, astrologers, wise men, and diviners entered, I recounted the dream for them. But they were unable to make known its interpretation to me. 8 Later Daniel entered (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god,[j] and in whom there is a spirit of the holy gods). I recounted the dream for him as well, 9 saying, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, in whom I know there to be a spirit of the holy gods and whom no mystery baffles, consider[k] my dream that I saw and set forth its interpretation! 10 Here are the visions of my mind[l] while I was on my bed.

“While I was watching,
there was a tree in the middle of the land.[m]
It was enormously tall.[n]
11 The tree grew large and strong.
Its top reached far into the sky;
it could be seen[o] from the borders of all the land.[p]
12 Its foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful;
on it there was food enough for all.
Under it the wild animals[q] used to seek shade,
and in its branches the birds of the sky used to nest.
All creatures[r] used to feed themselves from it.
13 While I was watching in my mind’s visions[s] on my bed,

a holy sentinel[t] came down from heaven.
14 He called out loudly[u] as follows:[v]
‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches!
Strip off its foliage
and scatter its fruit!
Let the animals flee from under it
and the birds from its branches.
15 But leave its taproot[w] in the ground,
with a band of iron and bronze around it[x]
surrounded by the grass of the field.
Let it become damp with the dew of the sky,
and let it live with[y] the animals in the grass of the land.
16 Let his mind[z] be altered from that of a human being,
and let an animal’s mind be given to him,
and let seven periods of time[aa] go by for[ab] him.
17 This announcement is by the decree of the sentinels;
this decision is by the pronouncement of the holy ones,
so that[ac] those who are alive may understand
that the Most High has authority over human kingdoms,[ad]
and he bestows them on whomever he wishes.
He establishes over them even the lowliest of human beings.’

18 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its[ae] interpretation, for none of the wise men in[af] my kingdom are able to make known to me the interpretation. But you can do so, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

19 Then Daniel (whose name is also Belteshazzar) was upset for a brief time;[ag] his thoughts were alarming him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream and its interpretation alarm you.” But Belteshazzar replied, “Sir,[ah] if only the dream were for your enemies and its interpretation applied to your adversaries! 20 The tree that you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached to the sky, and that could be seen[ai] in all the land, 21 whose foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful, and from which there was food available for all, under whose branches wild animals[aj] used to live, and in whose branches birds of the sky used to nest— 22 it is you,[ak] O king! For you have become great and strong. Your greatness is such that it reaches to heaven, and your authority to the ends of the earth. 23 As for the king seeing a holy sentinel coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the wild animals, until seven periods of time go by for him’— 24 this is the interpretation, O king. It is the decision of the Most High that this has happened to my lord the king. 25 You will be driven[al] from human society,[am] and you will live[an] with the wild animals. You will be fed[ao] grass like oxen,[ap] and you will become damp with the dew of the sky. Seven periods of time will pass by for you, before[aq] you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes. 26 They said to leave the taproot of the tree, for your kingdom will be restored to you when you come to understand that heaven[ar] rules. 27 Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps your prosperity will be prolonged.”[as]

28 Now all this happened[at] to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 After twelve months, he happened to be walking around on the battlements[au] of the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king uttered these words: “Is this not the great Babylon that I have built for a royal residence[av] by my own mighty strength[aw] and for my majestic honor?” 31 While these words were still on the king’s lips,[ax] a voice came down from heaven: “It is hereby announced to you,[ay] King Nebuchadnezzar, that your kingdom has been removed from you! 32 You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and seven periods of time will pass by for you before[az] you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.”

33 Now in that very moment[ba] this pronouncement about[bb] Nebuchadnezzar came true.[bc] He was driven from human society, he ate grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until his hair became long like an eagle’s feathers, and his nails like a bird’s claws.[bd]

34 But at the end of the appointed time[be] I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up[bf] toward heaven, and my sanity returned to me.

I extolled the Most High,

and I praised and glorified the one who lives forever.
For his authority is an everlasting authority,
and his kingdom extends from one generation to the next.
35 All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing.[bg]
He does as he wishes with the army of heaven
and with those who inhabit the earth.
No one slaps[bh] his hand
and says to him, ‘What have you done?’

36 At that time my sanity returned to me. I was restored[bi] to the honor of my kingdom, and my splendor returned to me. My ministers and my nobles were seeking me out, and I was reinstated[bj] over my kingdom. I became even greater than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all his deeds are right and his ways are just. He is able to bring down those who live[bk] in pride.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 4:1 sn Beginning with 4:1, the verse numbers through 4:37 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Aramaic text (BHS), with 4:1 ET = 3:31 AT, 4:2 ET = 3:32 AT, 4:3 ET = 3:33 AT, 4:4 ET = 4:1 AT, etc., through 4:37 ET = 4:34 AT. Thus Dan 3:31-33 of the Aramaic text appears as Dan 4:1-3 in the English Bible, and the corresponding verses of ch. 4 differ accordingly. In spite of the division of the Aramaic text, a good case can be made that 3:31-33 AT (= 4:1-3 ET) is actually the introduction to ch. 4.
  2. Daniel 4:1 tn Aram “May your peace increase!”
  3. Daniel 4:3 tn Aram “His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.”
  4. Daniel 4:4 sn This verse marks the beginning of chap. 4 in the Aramaic text of Daniel (see the note on 4:1). The Greek OT (LXX) has the following addition: “In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign he said.” This date would suggest a link to the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 b.c. In general, the LXX of chapters 4-6 is very different from the MT, so much so that the following notes will call attention only to selected readings. In Daniel 4 the LXX lacks sizable portions of material in the MT (e.g., vv. 3-6, 31-32), includes sizable portions of material not in the MT (e.g., v. 14a, parts of vv. 16, 28), has a different order of some material (e.g., v. 8 after v. 9), and in some instances is vastly different from the MT (e.g., vv. 30, 34). Whether these differences are due to an excessively paraphrastic translation technique adopted for these chapters in the LXX, or are due to differences in the underlying Vorlage of the LXX, is a disputed matter. The latter seems more likely. There is a growing trend in modern scholarship to take the LXX of chapters 4-6 much more seriously than was the case in most earlier text-critical studies that considered this issue.
  5. Daniel 4:4 tn Aram “my house.”
  6. Daniel 4:4 tn Aram “happy.”
  7. Daniel 4:5 tn Aram “and it.”
  8. Daniel 4:6 tn Aram “from me there was placed a decree.”
  9. Daniel 4:6 tn The Aramaic infinitive here is active.
  10. Daniel 4:8 sn This explanation of the meaning of the name Belteshazzar may be more of a paronomasia than a strict etymology. See the note at 1:7. The king's god was Marduk, who was called Bel (“Lord”).
  11. Daniel 4:9 tc The present translation assumes the reading חֲזִי (khazi, “consider”) rather than the MT חֶזְוֵי (khezve, “visions”). The MT implies that the king required Daniel to disclose both the dream and its interpretation, as in chapter 2. But in the following verses Nebuchadnezzar recounts his dream, while Daniel presents only its interpretation.
  12. Daniel 4:10 tc The LXX lacks the first two words (Aram “the visions of my head”) of the Aramaic text.
  13. Daniel 4:10 tn Instead of “in the middle of the land,” some English versions render this phrase “a tree at the center of the earth” (NRSV); NAB, CEV “of the world”; NLT “in the middle of the earth.” The Hebrew phrase can have either meaning.
  14. Daniel 4:10 tn Aram “its height was great.”
  15. Daniel 4:11 tn Aram “its sight,” as also v. 17.
  16. Daniel 4:11 tn Or “to the end of all the earth” (so KJV, ASV); NCV, CEV “from anywhere on earth.”
  17. Daniel 4:12 tn Aram “the beasts of the field.”
  18. Daniel 4:12 tn Aram “all flesh.”
  19. Daniel 4:13 tn Aram “the visions of my head.”
  20. Daniel 4:13 tn Aram “a watcher and a holy one.” The expression is a hendiadys, as also in v. 23. This “watcher” is apparently an angel. The Greek OT (LXX) in fact has ἄγγελος (angelos, “angel”) here. Theodotion simply transliterates the Aramaic word (ʿir). The term is sometimes rendered “sentinel” (NAB) or “messenger” (NIV, NLT).
  21. Daniel 4:14 tn Aram “in strength.”
  22. Daniel 4:14 tn Aram “and thus he was saying.”
  23. Daniel 4:15 tn Aram “the stock of its root,” as also in v. 23. The implication here is that although the tree is chopped down, it is not killed. Its life-giving root is spared. The application to Nebuchadnezzar is obvious.
  24. Daniel 4:15 sn The function of the band of iron and bronze is not entirely clear, but it may have had to do with preventing the splitting or further deterioration of the portion of the tree that was left after being chopped down. By application it would then refer to the preservation of Nebuchadnezzar’s life during the time of his insanity.
  25. Daniel 4:15 tn Aram “its lot be.”
  26. Daniel 4:16 tn Aram “its heart.” The metaphor of the tree begins to fade here and the reality behind the symbol (the king) begins to emerge.
  27. Daniel 4:16 sn The seven periods of time probably refer to seven years.
  28. Daniel 4:16 tn Aram “over” (also in vv. 23, 25, 32).
  29. Daniel 4:17 tc The present translation follows an underlying reading of עַל־דִּבְרַת (ʿal divrat, “so that”) rather than MT עַד־דִּבְרַת (ʿad divrat, “until”).
  30. Daniel 4:17 tn Aram “the kingdom of man”; NASB “the realm of mankind”; NCV “every kingdom on earth.”
  31. Daniel 4:18 tc The present translation, as also in the next verse, reads פִּשְׁרֵהּ (pishreh, “its interpretation”) with the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss; the Kethib is פִּשְׁרָא (pishraʾ, “the interpretation”).
  32. Daniel 4:18 tn Aram “of.”
  33. Daniel 4:19 tn Aram “about one hour.” The expression refers idiomatically to a brief period of time of undetermined length.
  34. Daniel 4:19 tn Aram “my lord.”
  35. Daniel 4:20 tn Aram “its sight.”
  36. Daniel 4:21 tn Aram “the beasts of the field” (also in vv. 23, 25, 32).
  37. Daniel 4:22 sn Much of modern scholarship views this chapter as a distortion of traditions that were originally associated with Nabonidus rather than with Nebuchadnezzar. A Qumran text, the Prayer of Nabonidus, is often cited for parallels to these events.
  38. Daniel 4:25 tn The Aramaic indefinite active plural is used here like the English passive, as also in vv. 28, 29, and 32.
  39. Daniel 4:25 tn Aram “from mankind,” as also in v. 32.
  40. Daniel 4:25 tn Aram “your dwelling will be,” as also in v. 32.
  41. Daniel 4:25 tn Or perhaps: “be made to eat.”
  42. Daniel 4:25 sn Nebuchadnezzar’s insanity has features that are associated with the mental disorder boanthropy, in which the person so afflicted imagines himself to be an ox or a similar animal and behaves accordingly.
  43. Daniel 4:25 tn Aram “until.”
  44. Daniel 4:26 sn The reference to heaven here is a circumlocution for God. There was a tendency in Jewish contexts to avoid direct reference to God. Compare the expression “kingdom of heaven” in the NT and such statements as: “I have sinned against heaven and in your sight” (Luke 15:21).
  45. Daniel 4:27 tn Aram “if there may be a lengthening to your prosperity.”
  46. Daniel 4:28 tn Aram “reached.”
  47. Daniel 4:29 tn The word “battlements” is not in the text but is supplied from context. Many English versions supply “roof” here (e.g., NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); cf. NLT “on the flat roof.”
  48. Daniel 4:30 tn Aram “house.”
  49. Daniel 4:30 tn Aram “by the might of my strength.”
  50. Daniel 4:31 tn Aram “in the mouth of the king.”
  51. Daniel 4:31 tn Aram “to you they say.”
  52. Daniel 4:32 tn Aram “until.”
  53. Daniel 4:33 tn Aram “hour.”
  54. Daniel 4:33 tn Or “on.”
  55. Daniel 4:33 tn Aram “was fulfilled.”
  56. Daniel 4:33 tn The words “feathers” and “claws” are not present in the Aramaic text, but have been added in the translation for clarity.
  57. Daniel 4:34 tn Aram “days.”
  58. Daniel 4:34 tn Aram “lifted up my eyes.”
  59. Daniel 4:35 tc The present translation reads כְּלָא (kelaʾ), with many medieval Hebrew mss, rather than כְּלָה (kelah) of BHS.
  60. Daniel 4:35 tn Aram “strikes against.”
  61. Daniel 4:36 tc The translation reads הַדְרֵת (hadret, “I returned”) rather than the MT הַדְרִי (hadri, “my honor”); cf. Theodotion.
  62. Daniel 4:36 tc The translation reads הָתְקְנֵת (hotqenet, “I was established”) rather than the MT הָתְקְנַת (hotqenat, “it was established”). The MT could read: “And regarding my kingdom, it was established.”
  63. Daniel 4:37 tn Aram “walk.”
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Daniele 4
Conferenza Episcopale Italiana

Nabucodonosor racconta il suo sogno

4 Io Nabucodònosor ero tranquillo in casa e felice nella reggia, 2 quando ebbi un sogno che mi spaventò. Le immaginazioni che mi vennero mentre ero nel mio letto e le visioni che mi passarono per la mente mi turbarono. 3 Feci un decreto con cui ordinavo che tutti i saggi di Babilonia fossero condotti davanti a me, per farmi conoscere la spiegazione del sogno.

4 Allora vennero i maghi, gli astrologi, i caldei e gli indovini, ai quali esposi il sogno, ma non me ne potevano dare la spiegazione. 5 Infine mi si presentò Daniele, chiamato Baltazzàr dal nome del mio dio, un uomo in cui è lo spirito degli dei santi, e gli raccontai il sogno 6 dicendo: «Baltazzàr, principe dei maghi, poiché io so che lo spirito degli dei santi è in te e che nessun segreto ti è difficile, ecco le visioni che ho avuto in sogno: tu dammene la spiegazione».

7 Le visioni che mi passarono per la mente, mentre stavo a letto, erano queste:

Io stavo guardando
ed ecco un albero di grande altezza in mezzo alla
terra.
8 Quell'albero era grande, robusto,
la sua cima giungeva al cielo
e si poteva vedere fin dall'estremità della terra.
9 I suoi rami erano belli e i suoi frutti abbondanti
e vi era in esso da mangiare per tutti.
Le bestie della terra si riparavano alla sua ombra
e gli uccelli del cielo facevano il nido fra i suoi
rami;
di lui si nutriva ogni vivente.
10 Mentre nel mio letto stavo osservando
le visioni che mi passavano per la mente,
ecco un vigilante, un santo, scese dal cielo
11 e gridò a voce alta:
«Tagliate l'albero e stroncate i suoi rami:
scuotete le foglie, disperdetene i frutti:
fuggano le bestie di sotto e gli uccelli dai suoi
rami.
12 Lasciate però nella terra il ceppo con le radici,
legato con catene di ferro e di bronzo
fra l'erba della campagna.
Sia bagnato dalla rugiada del cielo
e la sua sorte sia insieme con le bestie sui prati.
13 Si muti il suo cuore e invece di un cuore umano
gli sia dato un cuore di bestia:
sette tempi passeranno su di lui.
14 Così è deciso per sentenza dei vigilanti
e secondo la parola dei santi.

Così i viventi sappiano che l'Altissimo domina sul regno degli uomini e che egli lo può dare a chi vuole e insediarvi anche il più piccolo degli uomini».

15 Questo è il sogno, che io, re Nabucodònosor, ho fatto. Ora tu, Baltazzàr, dammene la spiegazione. Tu puoi darmela, perché, mentre fra tutti i saggi del mio regno nessuno me ne spiega il significato, in te è lo spirito degli dei santi.

Daniele interpreta il sogno

16 Allora Daniele, chiamato Baltazzàr, rimase per qualche tempo confuso e turbato dai suoi pensieri. Ma il re gli si rivolse: «Baltazzàr, il sogno non ti turbi e neppure la sua spiegazione». Rispose Baltazzàr: «Signor mio, valga il sogno per i tuoi nemici e la sua spiegazione per i tuoi avversari. 17 L'albero che tu hai visto, grande e robusto, la cui cima giungeva fino al cielo e si poteva vedere da tutta la terra 18 e le cui foglie erano belle e i suoi frutti abbondanti e in cui c'era da mangiare per tutti e sotto il quale dimoravano le bestie della terra e sui cui rami facevano il nido gli uccelli del cielo, 19 sei tu, re, che sei diventato grande e forte; la tua grandezza è cresciuta, è giunta al cielo e il tuo dominio si è esteso sino ai confini della terra.

20 Che il re abbia visto un vigilante, un santo che scendeva dal cielo e diceva: Tagliate l'albero, spezzatelo, però lasciate nella terra il ceppo delle sue radici legato con catene di ferro e di bronzo fra l'erba della campagna e sia bagnato dalla rugiada del cielo e abbia sorte comune con le bestie della terra, finché sette tempi siano passati su di lui, 21 questa, o re, ne è la spiegazione e questo è il decreto dell'Altissimo, che deve essere eseguito sopra il re, mio signore: 22 Tu sarai cacciato dal consorzio umano e la tua dimora sarà con le bestie della terra; ti pascerai d'erba come i buoi e sarai bagnato dalla rugiada del cielo; sette tempi passeranno su di te, finché tu riconosca che l'Altissimo domina sul regno degli uomini e che egli lo dà a chi vuole.

23 L'ordine che è stato dato di lasciare il ceppo con le radici dell'albero significa che il tuo regno ti sarà ristabilito, quando avrai riconosciuto che al Cielo appartiene il dominio. 24 Perciò, re, accetta il mio consiglio: sconta i tuoi peccati con l'elemosina e le tue iniquità con atti di misericordia verso gli afflitti, perché tu possa godere lunga prosperità».

Il sogno si realizza

25 Tutte queste cose avvennero al re Nabucodònosor.

26 Dodici mesi dopo, passeggiando sopra la terrazza della reggia di Babilonia, 27 il re prese a dire: «Non è questa la grande Babilonia che io ho costruito come reggia per la gloria della mia maestà, con la forza della mia potenza?».

28 Queste parole erano ancora sulle labbra del re, quando una voce venne dal cielo: «A te io parlo, re Nabucodònosor: il regno ti è tolto! 29 Sarai cacciato dal consorzio umano e la tua dimora sarà con le bestie della terra; ti pascerai d'erba come i buoi e passeranno sette tempi su di te, finché tu riconosca che l'Altissimo domina sul regno degli uomini e che egli lo dà a chi vuole».

30 In quel momento stesso si adempì la parola sopra Nabucodònosor. Egli fu cacciato dal consorzio umano, mangiò l'erba come i buoi e il suo corpo fu bagnato dalla rugiada del cielo: il pelo gli crebbe come le penne alle aquile e le unghie come agli uccelli.

31 «Ma finito quel tempo, io Nabucodònosor alzai gli occhi al cielo e la ragione tornò in me e benedissi l'Altissimo; lodai e glorificai colui che vive in eterno,

la cui potenza è potenza eterna
e il cui regno è di generazione in generazione.
32 Tutti gli abitanti della terra
sono, davanti a lui, come un nulla;
egli dispone come gli piace delle schiere del cielo
e degli abitanti della terra.
Nessuno può fermargli la mano e dirgli: Che cosa fai?

33 In quel tempo tornò in me la conoscenza e con la gloria del regno mi fu restituita la mia maestà e il mio splendore: i miei ministri e i miei prìncipi mi ricercarono e io fui ristabilito nel mio regno e mi fu concesso un potere anche più grande. 34 Ora io, Nabucodònosor, lodo, esalto e glorifico il Re del cielo: tutte le sue opere sono verità e le sue vie giustizia; egli può umiliare coloro che camminano nella superbia».

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Daniel 4
New International Version

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of a Tree

4 [a]King Nebuchadnezzar,

To the nations and peoples of every language,(A) who live in all the earth:

May you prosper greatly!(B)

2 It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs(C) and wonders that the Most High God(D) has performed for me.

3 How great are his signs,
    how mighty his wonders!(E)
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
    his dominion endures(F) from generation to generation.

4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented(G) and prosperous. 5 I had a dream(H) that made me afraid. As I was lying in bed,(I) the images and visions that passed through my mind(J) terrified me.(K) 6 So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret(L) the dream for me. 7 When the magicians,(M) enchanters, astrologers[b] and diviners(N) came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me.(O) 8 Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar,(P) after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods(Q) is in him.)

9 I said, “Belteshazzar, chief(R) of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods(S) is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me. 10 These are the visions I saw while lying in bed:(T) I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous.(U) 11 The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth.(V) 12 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches;(W) from it every creature was fed.

13 “In the visions I saw while lying in bed,(X) I looked, and there before me was a holy one,(Y) a messenger,[c] coming down from heaven. 14 He called in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree(Z) and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches.(AA) 15 But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field.

“‘Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times[d] pass by for him.(AB)

17 “‘The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High(AC) is sovereign(AD) over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest(AE) of people.’

18 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me.(AF) But you can,(AG) because the spirit of the holy gods(AH) is in you.”(AI)

Daniel Interprets the Dream

19 Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified(AJ) him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you.”(AK)

Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries! 20 The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, 21 with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the wild animals, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds(AL)— 22 Your Majesty, you are that tree!(AM) You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.(AN)

23 “Your Majesty saw a holy one,(AO) a messenger, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live with the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.’(AP)

24 “This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree(AQ) the Most High has issued against my lord the king: 25 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched(AR) with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High(AS) is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.(AT) 26 The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots(AU) means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.(AV) 27 Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed.(AW) It may be that then your prosperity(AX) will continue.(AY)”

The Dream Is Fulfilled

28 All this happened(AZ) to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory(BA) of my majesty?”(BB)

31 Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you.(BC) 32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”(BD)

33 Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched(BE) with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.(BF)

34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity(BG) was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.(BH)

His dominion is an eternal dominion;
    his kingdom(BI) endures from generation to generation.(BJ)
35 All the peoples of the earth
    are regarded as nothing.(BK)
He does as he pleases(BL)
    with the powers of heaven
    and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back(BM) his hand(BN)
    or say to him: “What have you done?”(BO)

36 At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom.(BP) My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt(BQ) and glorify(BR) the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just.(BS) And those who walk in pride(BT) he is able to humble.(BU)

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 4:1 In Aramaic texts 4:1-3 is numbered 3:31-33, and 4:4-37 is numbered 4:1-34.
  2. Daniel 4:7 Or Chaldeans
  3. Daniel 4:13 Or watchman; also in verses 17 and 23
  4. Daniel 4:16 Or years; also in verses 23, 25 and 32
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