但以理书 2
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
巴比伦王忘记自己的梦
2 尼布甲尼撒在位第二年，他作了梦，因此心里烦乱，不能入睡。 2 于是王吩咐人把术士、用法术的、行邪术的和迦勒底人都召来，要他们把王的梦告诉王。他们来了，站在王面前。 3 王对他们说：“我作了一个梦，心里烦乱，我要知道这是甚么梦。” 4 迦勒底人用亚兰话对王说：“愿王万岁！请把那梦告诉仆人，我们好解释梦的意思。” 5 王回答迦勒底人说：“我已经定旨：如果你们不把那梦和梦的意思向我说明，就必被碎尸万段，你们的家必成为废墟。 6 如果你们能把那梦和梦的意思向我解释，就必从我这里得礼物、奖赏和大尊荣，所以你们要把梦和梦的意思向我解释。” 7 他们第二次回答王说：“请王把梦告诉仆人，我们好解释梦的意思。” 8 王回答说：“我清楚知道你们企图拖延时间，因为你们看出我已经定旨。 9 如果你们不把那梦向我说明，只有一个办法对付你们。你们串通在我面前胡言乱语，希望时势有所改变。你们现在要把梦告诉我，好使我知道你们真能把梦的意思向我解释。”
迦勒底人无法说出王的梦
10 迦勒底人在王面前回答说：“世上没有人能把王所问的事说出来，因为从来没有一个伟大和有权势的君王向术士、用法术的和迦勒底人询问过这样的事。 11 王所问的事很难答，除了那不和世人同住的神明以外，没有人能在王面前把这事说出来。” 12 因此，王大发烈怒，下令杀绝巴比伦所有的智慧人。 13 于是王的御旨发出，要把智慧人都杀死；人就寻找但以理和他的同伴，要杀死他们。
但以理求王宽限
14 那时，王的护卫长亚略出来，要杀死巴比伦的智慧人，但以理就婉转机敏地向他询问； 15 但以理对王的护卫长亚略说：“王的命令为甚么这样严厉呢？”亚略就把这事告诉但以理。 16 但以理就进去，求王宽限，使他可以把那梦的意思为王解释。
神把梦的意义指示但以理
17 但以理回到自己的家里，把这事告诉他的同伴哈拿尼雅、米沙利和亚撒利雅， 18 要他们为这隐秘的事祈求天上的 神怜悯，免得但以理和他的同伴与巴比伦其余的智慧人一同灭亡。 19 于是这隐秘的事在夜间的异象中给但以理显明了。但以理就称颂天上的 神。 20 但以理说：
“愿 神的名得称颂，从永远直到永远，
因为智慧和能力都是属他的。
21 他改变时间、季节；
他废王、立王；
他赐智慧给智慧人，
赐知识给聪明人。
22 他显明深奥和隐密的事，
他洞悉暗中的一切，
因为光明与他同住。
23 我列祖的 神啊！我感谢你，赞美你！
你把智慧和能力赐了给我；
我们向你所求的，现在你已向我显明，
把王的事告诉了我们。”
但以理入宫见王
24 于是但以理进去见亚略，就是王委派去杀绝巴比伦的智慧人的，对他这样说：“不要杀绝巴比伦的智慧人；请把我带到王面前，我要把梦的意思向王解释。”
25 亚略就急忙把但以理带到王面前，对王这样说：“我在被掳的犹大人中找到一个能把梦的意思向王说明的人。” 26 王问称为伯提沙撒的但以理说：“你能向我说明我所见的梦和梦的意思吗？” 27 但以理在王面前回答说：“王所问的那隐秘的事，没有智慧人、用法术的、术士和占星家能向王解释； 28 只有一位在天上的 神能把一切隐秘的事显明；他已经把日后将要发生的事告诉你尼布甲尼撒王了。你的梦和你躺在床上时脑海中出现的异象就是这样： 29 王啊！你躺在床上时，想到日后将要发生的事，那显明隐秘事的 神就把将要发生的事向你说明了。 30 现在这隐秘的事向我显明，并不是因为我的智慧胜过所有的人，而是要使王知道梦的意思和你心想明白的事。
复述梦境
31 “王啊！你正在观看，看见有一座大像，那像甚高，非常光耀，竖立在你面前，样貌十分可怕。 32 这像的头是纯金的，胸膛和手臂是银的，腹和腰是铜的， 33 腿是铁的，脚是铁和泥混杂的。 34 你正观看的时候，有一块非人手凿成的石头，击在那座大像铁和泥混杂的脚上，把脚砸碎了。 35 于是铁、泥、铜、银、金都一同砸得粉碎，好象夏天禾场上的糠秕，被风吹散，无处可寻；那打碎这像的石头却变成一座大山，充满全地。
详解梦义
36 “这就是那梦，现在我们要在王面前讲解那梦的意思。 37 王啊！你是万王之王，天上的 神已经把国度、权柄、能力和尊荣都赐给你； 38 也把散居在各处的世人、田野的走兽和空中的飞鸟，都交在你手里，使你管理这一切。你就是那金头。 39 在你以后，另一国将兴起，不及于你。后有第三国，就是那铜的，要统治全地。 40 还有第四国，坚强如铁，因为铁能砸碎击破万物；铁怎样压碎一切，那国也要照样砸碎一切。 41 正如你看见那像的脚和脚趾是窑匠的泥和铁混杂的，那国也必分裂；正如你看见铁和陶泥混合在一起，那国也必有铁的坚硬。 42 那些脚趾是铁和泥混杂的，那国也必是部分坚强，部分脆弱。 43 你怎样看见铁和陶泥混合在一起，那国的人也必和列国的人通婚混杂，却不能彼此联合，正如铁和泥不能混杂一样。 44 那些王在位的时候，天上的 神必兴起另一个永不灭亡的国，国权必不归给别族的人。这国必砸碎毁灭其他各国；并且这国必存到永远。 45 正如你看见那块从山而出，非人手凿成的石头，把铁、铜、泥、银和金都砸碎了，伟大的 神已把日后必有的结局都告诉王了。这梦是确实的，梦的意思也是准确的。”
王高抬并重赏但以理
46 尼布甲尼撒王俯伏在地，向但以理下拜，又下令向但以理献上供物和香品。 47 王对但以理说：“你们的 神真是万神之神，万王之王，又是显明隐秘事的，因为你能把这隐秘的事显明出来。” 48 于是王提升但以理，赐他许多贵重的礼物，使他管理巴比伦全省，又立他为总长，管理巴比伦所有的智慧人。 49 但以理求王，王就委派沙得拉、米煞、亚伯尼歌管理巴比伦省的政务；但以理却在朝中侍立。
Daniel 2
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
2 In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed such dreams that his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him. 2 So the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. When they came in and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, ‘I have had such a dream that my spirit is troubled by the desire to understand it.’ 4 The Chaldeans said to the king (in Aramaic),[a] ‘O king, live for ever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will reveal the interpretation.’ 5 The king answered the Chaldeans, ‘This is a public decree: if you do not tell me both the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. 6 But if you do tell me the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honour. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.’ 7 They answered a second time, ‘Let the king first tell his servants the dream, then we can give its interpretation.’ 8 The king answered, ‘I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see I have firmly decreed: 9 if you do not tell me the dream, there is but one verdict for you. You have agreed to speak lying and misleading words to me until things take a turn. Therefore, tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.’ 10 The Chaldeans answered the king, ‘There is no one on earth who can reveal what the king demands! In fact no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. 11 The thing that the king is asking is too difficult, and no one can reveal it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.’
12 Because of this the king flew into a violent rage and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. 13 The decree was issued, and the wise men were about to be executed; and they looked for Daniel and his companions, to execute them. 14 Then Daniel responded with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the king’s chief executioner, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon; 15 he asked Arioch, the royal official, ‘Why is the decree of the king so urgent?’ Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. 16 So Daniel went in and requested that the king give him time and he would tell the king the interpretation.
God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
17 Then Daniel went to his home and informed his companions, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 18 and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions with the rest of the wise men of Babylon might not perish. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night, and Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
20 Daniel said:
‘Blessed be the name of God from age to age,
for wisdom and power are his.
21 He changes times and seasons,
deposes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and light dwells with him.
23 To you, O God of my ancestors,
I give thanks and praise,
for you have given me wisdom and power,
and have now revealed to me what we asked of you,
for you have revealed to us what the king ordered.’
Daniel Interprets the Dream
24 Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, ‘Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will give the king the interpretation.’
25 Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king and said to him: ‘I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who can tell the king the interpretation.’ 26 The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, ‘Are you able to tell me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?’ 27 Daniel answered the king, ‘No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or diviners can show to the king the mystery that the king is asking, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has disclosed to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen at the end of days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed were these: 29 To you, O king, as you lay in bed, came thoughts of what would be hereafter, and the revealer of mysteries disclosed to you what is to be. 30 But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me because of any wisdom that I have more than any other living being, but in order that the interpretation may be known to the king and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.
31 ‘You were looking, O king, and lo! there was a great statue. This statue was huge, its brilliance extraordinary; it was standing before you, and its appearance was frightening. 32 The head of that statue was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 As you looked on, a stone was cut out, not by human hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, were all broken in pieces and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
36 ‘This was the dream; now we will tell the king its interpretation. 37 You, O king, the king of kings—to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the might, and the glory, 38 into whose hand he has given human beings, wherever they live, the wild animals of the field, and the birds of the air, and whom he has established as ruler over them all—you are the head of gold. 39 After you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over the whole earth. 40 And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron; just as iron crushes and smashes everything,[b] it shall crush and shatter all these. 41 As you saw the feet and toes partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but some of the strength of iron shall be in it, as you saw the iron mixed with the clay. 42 As the toes of the feet were part iron and part clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 As you saw the iron mixed with clay, so will they mix with one another in marriage,[c] but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. 44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall this kingdom be left to another people. It shall crush all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand for ever; 45 just as you saw that a stone was cut from the mountain not by hands, and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. The great God has informed the king what shall be hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpretation trustworthy.’
Daniel and His Friends Promoted
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, worshipped Daniel, and commanded that a grain-offering and incense be offered to him. 47 The king said to Daniel, ‘Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery!’ 48 Then the king promoted Daniel, gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court.
Footnotes
- Daniel 2:4 The text from this point to the end of chapter 7 is in Aramaic
- Daniel 2:40 Gk Theodotion Syr Vg: Aram adds and like iron that crushes
- Daniel 2:43 Aram by human seed
Daniel 2
Christian Standard Bible
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
2 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams(A) that troubled him, and sleep deserted him.(B) 2 So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, mediums, sorcerers, and Chaldeans[a](C) to tell the king his dreams. When they came and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, “I have had a dream and am anxious to understand it.”
4 The Chaldeans spoke to the king (Aramaic[b](D) begins here): “May the king live forever.(E) Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”
5 The king replied to the Chaldeans, “My word is final: If you don’t tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb,[c] and your houses will be made a garbage dump.(F) 6 But if you make the dream and its interpretation known to me, you’ll receive gifts, a reward, and great honor from me.(G) So make the dream and its interpretation known to me.”
7 They answered a second time, “May the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will make known the interpretation.”
8 The king replied, “I know for certain you are trying to gain some time, because you see that my word is final. 9 If you don’t tell me the dream, there is one decree for you.(H) You have conspired to tell me something false or fraudulent until the situation changes. So tell me the dream and I will know you can give me its interpretation.”
10 The Chaldeans answered the king, “No one on earth can make known what the king requests.(I) Consequently, no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked anything like this of any magician, medium, or Chaldean. 11 What the king is asking is so difficult that no one can make it known to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.”(J) 12 Because of this, the king became violently angry(K) and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 The decree was issued that the wise men were to be executed, and they searched for Daniel and his friends, to execute them.
14 Then Daniel responded with tact and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard,[d](L) who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. 15 He asked Arioch, the king’s officer, “Why is the decree from the king so harsh?” [e](M) Then Arioch explained the situation to Daniel. 16 So Daniel went and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give the king the interpretation.
17 Then Daniel went to his house and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about the matter, 18 urging them to ask the God of the heavens(N) for mercy(O) concerning this mystery, so Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of Babylon’s wise men.(P) 19 The mystery was then revealed to Daniel in a vision(Q) at night, and Daniel praised the God of the heavens 20 and declared:
May the name of God
be praised forever and ever,(R)
for wisdom(S) and power belong to him.
21 He changes the times and seasons;
he removes kings and establishes kings.(T)
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those
who have understanding.(U)
22 He reveals the deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,(V)
and light dwells with him.(W)
23 I offer thanks and praise to you,
God of my ancestors,(X)
because you have given me
wisdom and power.
And now you have let me know
what we asked of you,
for you have let us know(Y)
the king’s mystery.[f]
24 Therefore Daniel went to Arioch,(Z) whom the king had assigned to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He came and said to him, “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon! Bring me before the king, and I will give him the interpretation.”(AA)
25 Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king and said to him, “I have found a man among the Judean exiles(AB) who can let the king know the interpretation.”
26 The king said in reply to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar,(AC) “Are you able to tell me the dream I had and its interpretation?” (AD)
27 Daniel answered the king, “No wise man, medium, magician, or diviner(AE) is able to make known to the king the mystery he asked about. 28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has let King Nebuchadnezzar know what will happen in the last days.(AF) Your dream and the visions that came into your mind as you lay in bed(AG) were these: 29 Your Majesty, while you were in your bed, thoughts came to your mind about what will happen in the future.[g](AH) The revealer of mysteries(AI) has let you know what will happen. 30 As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me,(AJ) not because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but in order that the interpretation might be made known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.(AK)
The Dream’s Interpretation
31 “Your Majesty, as you were watching, suddenly a colossal statue appeared. That statue, tall and dazzling, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was terrifying. 32 The head of the statue was pure gold, its chest and arms were silver, its stomach and thighs were bronze, 33 its legs were iron, and its feet were partly iron and partly fired clay. 34 As you were watching, a stone broke off without a hand touching it,[h](AL) struck the statue(AM) on its feet of iron and fired clay, and crushed them.(AN) 35 Then the iron, the fired clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were shattered and became like chaff(AO) from the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled(AP) the whole earth.
36 “This was the dream; now we will tell the king its interpretation. 37 Your Majesty, you are king of kings.(AQ) The God of the heavens has given you sovereignty, power,(AR) strength, and glory. 38 Wherever people live—or wild animals, or birds of the sky—he has handed them over to you and made you ruler over them all.(AS) You are the head of gold.
39 “After you, there will arise another kingdom, inferior to yours, and then another, a third kingdom, of bronze, which will rule the whole earth.(AT) 40 A fourth kingdom will be as strong as iron; for iron crushes and shatters everything, and like iron that smashes, it will crush and smash all the others.[i](AU) 41 You saw the feet and toes, partly of a potter’s fired clay and partly of iron—it will be a divided kingdom, though some of the strength of iron will be in it. You saw the iron mixed with clay, 42 and that the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly fired clay—part of the kingdom will be strong, and part will be brittle. 43 You saw the iron mixed with clay—the peoples will mix with one another[j] but will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with fired clay.
44 “In the days of those kings, the God of the heavens will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed,(AV) and this kingdom will not be left to another people. It will crush all these kingdoms(AW) and bring them to an end, but will itself endure forever. 45 You saw a stone(AX) break off from the mountain without a hand touching it,[k](AY) and it crushed the iron, bronze, fired clay, silver, and gold. The great God has told the king what will happen in the future.(AZ) The dream is certain, and its interpretation reliable.”
Nebuchadnezzar’s Response
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell facedown, worshiped Daniel, and gave orders to present an offering and incense to him.(BA) 47 The king said to Daniel, “Your God is indeed God of gods, Lord of kings,(BB) and a revealer of mysteries,(BC) since you were able to reveal this mystery.” 48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many generous gifts. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon.(BD) 49 At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego(BE) to manage the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court.(BF)
Footnotes
- 2:2 In this chap. Chaldeans are influential Babylonian wise men.
- 2:4 Dn 2:4–7:28 is written in Aramaic.
- 2:5 Lit be made into limbs
- 2:14 Or executioners
- 2:15 Or urgent
- 2:23 Lit matter
- 2:29 Lit happen after this, also in v. 45
- 2:34 Lit off not by hands
- 2:40 Lit all these
- 2:43 Lit another in the seed of men
- 2:45 Lit mountain, not by hands
Daniel 2
International Children’s Bible
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
2 During Nebuchadnezzar’s second year as king, he had some dreams. Those dreams bothered him, and he could not sleep. 2 So the king called for his fortune-tellers, magicians, wizards and wise men. The king wanted those men to tell him what he had dreamed. So they came in and stood in front of the king.
3 Then the king said to them, “I had a dream that bothers me. I want to know what the dream means.”
4 Then the wise men answered the king in the Aramaic language. They said, “Our king, live forever! We are your servants. Please tell us your dream. Then we will tell you what it means.”
5 Then King Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “No! You must tell me the dream. And then you must tell me what it means. If you don’t do these things, I will have you torn apart. And I will turn your houses into piles of stones. 6 But if you tell me my dream and its meaning, I will reward you. I will give you gifts and great honor. So tell me the dream, and tell me what it means.”
7 Again the wise men said to the king, “Please, tell us the dream. And we will tell you what it means.”
8 King Nebuchadnezzar answered, “Now I know that you are trying to get more time. You know that I meant what I said. 9 If you don’t tell me my dream, you will be punished. You have all agreed to tell me lies and wicked things. You are hoping things will change. Now, tell me the dream. Then I will know you can tell me what it really means!”
10 The wise men answered the king. They said, “No one on earth can do what the king asks! Not even a great and powerful king has ever asked the fortune-tellers, magicians or wise men to do this. 11 The king is asking something that is too hard. Only the gods could tell the king this. But the gods do not live among people.”
12 When the king heard that, he became very angry. He gave an order for all the wise men of Babylon to be killed. 13 So King Nebuchadnezzar’s order was announced. All the wise men were to be put to death. Men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to kill them.
14 Arioch was the commander of the king’s guards. He was going to put to death the wise men of Babylon. But Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and skill. 15 Daniel asked, “Why did the king order such a terrible punishment?” Then Arioch explained everything to Daniel. 16 When Daniel heard the story, he went to King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel asked him to give him some more time. Then he would tell the king what he had dreamed and what it meant.
17 So Daniel went to his house. He explained the whole story to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 18 Daniel asked his friends to pray to the God of heaven. Daniel asked them to pray that God would show them mercy and help them understand this secret. Then Daniel and his friends would not be put to death with the other wise men of Babylon.
19 During the night God explained the secret to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven. 20 Daniel said:
“Praise God forever and ever.
He has wisdom and power.
21 He changes the times and seasons of the year.
He takes away the power of kings.
And he gives their power to new kings.
He gives wisdom to people so they become wise.
And he helps people learn and know things.
22 He makes known secrets that are deep and hidden.
He knows what is hidden in darkness,
and light lives with him.
23 I thank you and praise you, God of my ancestors.
You have given me wisdom and power.
You told me what we asked of you.
You told us about the king’s dream.”
The Meaning of the Dream
24 Then Daniel went to Arioch. King Nebuchadnezzar had chosen Arioch to put to death the wise men of Babylon. Daniel said to Arioch, “Don’t put the wise men of Babylon to death. Take me to the king. I will tell him what his dream means.”
25 So very quickly Arioch took Daniel to the king. Arioch said to the king, “I have found a man among the captives from Judah. He can tell the king what his dream means.”
26 The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) a question. He asked, “Are you able to tell me what I dreamed and what it means?”
27 Daniel answered, “No person can explain to the king the secret he has asked about. No wise man, magician or fortune-teller can do this. 28 But there is a God in heaven who explains secret things. God has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen at a later time. This is your dream. This is the vision you saw while lying on your bed: 29 My king, as you were lying there, you thought about things to come. God, who can tell people about secret things, showed you what is going to happen. 30 God also told this secret to me. It is not because I have greater wisdom than other men. It is so that you, my king, may know what it means. In that way you will understand what went through your mind.
31 “My king, in your dream you saw a large statue in front of you. It was huge, shiny and frightening. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure gold. Its chest and arms were made of silver. Its middle and the upper part of its legs were made of bronze. 33 The lower part of the legs were made of iron. Its feet were made partly of iron and partly of baked clay. 34 While you were looking at the statue, you saw a rock cut free. But no human being touched the rock. It hit the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. 35 Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver and gold broke to pieces at the same time. They became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summertime. The wind blew them away, and there was nothing left. Then the rock that hit the statue became a very large mountain. It filled the whole earth.
36 “That was your dream. Now we will tell the king what it means. 37 My king, you are the greatest king. God of heaven has given you a kingdom. He has given you power, strength and glory. 38 God has given you power over people, wild animals and birds. Wherever they live, God has made you ruler over them all. King Nebuchadnezzar, you are the head of gold on that statue.
39 “Another kingdom will come after you. But that kingdom will not be as great as yours. Next a third kingdom will rule over the earth. That is the bronze part. 40 Then there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron. Iron crushes and smashes things to pieces. In the same way the fourth kingdom will smash and crush all the other kingdoms.
41 “You saw that the statue’s feet and toes were partly baked clay and partly iron. That means the fourth kingdom will be a divided kingdom. It will have some of the strength of iron in it. As you saw, iron was mixed with clay. 42 The toes of the statue were partly iron and partly clay. So the fourth kingdom will be partly strong like iron and partly breakable like clay. 43 You saw the iron mixed with clay. But iron and clay don’t mix completely together. In the same way the people of the fourth kingdom will be a mixture. Those people will not be united as one people.
44 “During the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up another kingdom. It will never be destroyed. And it will not be given to another group of people. This kingdom will crush all the other kingdoms. It will bring them to an end. But that kingdom itself will continue forever.
45 “King Nebuchadnezzar, you saw a rock cut from a mountain. But no human being touched it. The rock broke the iron, bronze, clay, silver and gold to pieces. In this way the great God showed you what will happen. The dream is true, and you can trust this explanation.”
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell facedown on the ground in front of Daniel. The king honored him. He ordered that an offering and incense be presented to Daniel. 47 Then the king said to Daniel, “Truly I know your God is the greatest of all gods. And he is the Lord of all the kings. He tells people about things they cannot know. I know this is true. You were able to tell these secret things to me.”
48 Then the king gave Daniel an important position in his kingdom. And he gave many gifts to Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar made him ruler over the whole area of Babylon. And he put Daniel in charge of all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Daniel asked the king to make Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego important leaders over the area of Babylon. And the king did as Daniel asked. Daniel himself became one of the important people who stayed at the royal court.
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The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
