Daniel 4

English Standard Version Anglicised

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

4 ^[a] King Nebuchadnezzar to all ^(A)peoples, nations, and languages, ^(B)that dwell in all the earth: ^(C)Peace be multiplied to you! ²It has seemed good to me to show the ^(D)signs and wonders that the ^(E)Most High God has done for me.

³How great are ^(F)his signs,
how mighty his ^(G)wonders!
^(H)His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
^(I)and his dominion endures from generation to generation.

Nebuchadnezzar's Second Dream

⁴^[b] I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. ⁵I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and ^(J)the visions of my head alarmed me. ⁶So ^(K)I made a decree that ^(L)all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. ⁷Then ^(M)the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but ^(N)they could not make known to me its interpretation. ⁸At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named ^(O)Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is ^(P)the spirit of the holy gods^[c]—and I told him the dream, saying, ⁹“O Belteshazzar, ^(Q)chief of the magicians, because I know that ^(R)the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no ^(S)mystery is too difficult for you, tell me ^(T)the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. ¹⁰^(U)The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and ^(V)behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. ¹¹^(W)The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. ¹²^(X)Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. ^(Y)The beasts of the field found shade under it, and ^(Z)the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

¹³“I saw in ^(AA)the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, ^(AB)a watcher, ^(AC)a holy one, came down from heaven. ¹⁴He ^(AD)proclaimed aloud and said thus: ^(AE)‘Chop down the tree and ^(AF)lop off its branches, ^(AG)strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. ^(AH)Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. ¹⁵But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. ¹⁶Let his mind be changed from a man's, and let a beast's mind be given to him; ^(AI)and let seven periods of time ^(AJ)pass over him. ¹⁷The sentence is by the decree of ^(AK)the watchers, the decision by the word of ^(AL)the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High ^(AM)rules the kingdom of men ^(AN)and gives it to whom he will and ^(AO)sets over it the lowliest of men.’ ¹⁸This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O ^(AP)Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because ^(AQ)all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for ^(AR)the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Daniel Interprets the Second Dream

¹⁹Then Daniel, whose name was ^(AS)Belteshazzar, was ^(AT)dismayed for a while, and ^(AU)his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, ^(AV)may the dream be for those who hate you ^(AW)and its interpretation for your enemies! ²⁰^(AX)The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, ²¹^(AY)whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived— ²²^(AZ)it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. ^(BA)Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, ^(BB)and your dominion to the ends of the earth. ²³And because the king saw ^(BC)a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ^(BD)‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till ^(BE)seven periods of time pass over him’, ²⁴this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, ²⁵^(BF)that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made ^(BG)to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and ^(BH)seven periods of time shall pass over you, till ^(BI)you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. ²⁶And as it was commanded ^(BJ)to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. ²⁷Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by ^(BK)practicing righteousness, ^(BL)and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, ^(BM)that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

Nebuchadnezzar's Humiliation

²⁸All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. ²⁹At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, ³⁰and the king answered and said, ^(BN)“Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by ^(BO)my mighty power as a royal residence and for ^(BP)the glory of my majesty?” ³¹^(BQ)While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, ³²^(BR)and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, ^(BS)until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” ³³Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. ^(BT)He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws.

Nebuchadnezzar Restored

³⁴^(BU)At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and ^(BV)my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honoured ^(BW)him who lives for ever,

^(BX)for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
    and ^(BY)his kingdom endures from generation to generation;
³⁵^(BZ)all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
    and ^(CA)he does according to his will among the host of heaven
    and among the inhabitants of the earth;
^(CB)and none can stay his hand
    or ^(CC)say to him, “What have you done?”

³⁶At the same time ^(CD)my reason returned to me, and for ^(CE)the glory of my kingdom, ^(CF)my majesty and splendour returned to me. ^(CG)My counsellors and ^(CH)my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was ^(CI)added to me. ³⁷Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, ^(CJ)praise and extol and honour the ^(CK)King of heaven, ^(CL)for all his works are right and his ways are just; and ^(CM)those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

Footnotes

Daniel 4:1 Ch 3:31 in Aramaic
Daniel 4:4 Ch 4:1 in Aramaic
Daniel 4:8 Or Spirit of the holy God; also verses 9, 18

Daniel 4

Revised Geneva Translation

4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, being at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace,

²Saw a dream which made me afraid. And the thoughts upon my bed, and the visions of my head troubled me.

³Therefore I made a decree, that they should bring all the wise men of Babel before me, that they might declare to me the interpretation of the dream.

⁴So came the enchanters, the astrologers, the Chaldeans and the soothsayers, to whom I told the dream. But they could not show me the interpretation thereof.

⁵Till at the last, Daniel came before me, (whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, who has the spirit of the holy gods in him). And before him I told the dream, saying,

⁶“O Belteshazzar, chief of the enchanters, because I know, that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.

⁷“Thus were the visions of my head in my bed. And behold, I saw a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great;

⁸“A great tree and strong. And the height thereof reached to heaven, and the sight thereof to the ends of all the earth.

⁹“The boughs thereof were fair and the fruit thereof much. And in it was food for all. It made a shadow under it for the beasts of the field. And the birds of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof. And all flesh fed from it.

¹⁰“I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and behold, a watchman and a holy one came down from heaven,

¹¹“And cried aloud, and said, ‘Cut down the tree, and break off his branches. Shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit, that the beasts may flee from under it, and the birds from his branches.

¹²‘Nevertheless, leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and with a band of iron and brass bind it among the grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts among the grass of the field.

¹³‘Let his heart be changed from man’s nature, and let a beast’s heart be given to him, and let seven times pass over him.

¹⁴‘The command is according to the decree of the watchmen, and according to the word of the holy ones, to the intent that living men may know that the most High has power over the kingdom of men; and gives it to whomever he will; and appoints over it the lowest among men.’

¹⁵“This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Therefore, you, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof. For all the wise men of my kingdom are unable to show me the interpretation. But you are able. For the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

¹⁶Then Daniel (whose name was Belteshazzar) was astonished for one hour. And his thoughts troubled him. And the king spoke and said, “Belteshazzar, let neither the dream, nor the interpretation thereof, trouble you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, the dream is for those who hate you, and the interpretation thereof for your enemies.

¹⁷“The tree that you saw, which was great and mighty, whose height reached to the heaven, and the sight thereof through all the world,

¹⁸Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much; and in it was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the birds of the heaven sat -

¹⁹it is you, O king, who is great and mighty. For your greatness has grown, and reaches to Heaven; and your dominion to the ends of the Earth.

²⁰“And whereas the king saw a watchman, and a holy one, who came down from heaven, and said, ‘Cut down the tree, and destroy it, yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth. And, with a band of iron and brass, bind it among the grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him’,

²¹“This is the interpretation, O king. And it is the decree of the Most High, who has come upon my lord the king;

²²“That they shall drive you from men. And your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass, as the oxen. And, they shall wet you with the dew of heaven. And seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the most High bears rule over the kingdom of men; and gives it to whomever he will.

²³“And whereas they said that one should ‘leave the stump of the tree roots’, your kingdom shall remain yours. After that, you shall know that the heavens rule.

²⁴“Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you. And break off your sins by righteousness; and your iniquities by mercy towards the poor. Lo, let there be a healing of your error.”

²⁵All these things came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.

²⁶At the end of twelve months, he walked in the royal palace of Babel.

²⁷And the king spoke and said, “Is not this great Babel that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?”

²⁸While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came down from heaven, saying, “O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you be it spoken, ‘Your kingdom has departed from you.

²⁹“‘And they shall drive you from men. And your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you to eat grass, as the oxen. And seven times shall pass over you, until you know, that the most High bears rule over the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.’”

³⁰That very same hour was this thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar. And he was driven from men, and ate grass as the oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown as eagles feathers, and his nails like birds claws.

³¹And at the end of these days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven. And my understanding was restored to me. And I gave thanks to the most High. And I praised and honored him who lives forever, whose power is an everlasting power, and whose kingdom is from generation to generation.

³²And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. And according to his will, he works in the army of heaven, and in the inhabitants of the earth. And none can stay his hand, nor say to him, “What are you doing?”

³³At the same time was my understanding restored to me. And I returned to the honor of my kingdom. My glory and my beauty was restored to me, and my counselors and my princes sought me. And I was re-established in my kingdom, and my glory was added to me.

³⁴Now therefore, I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and magnify the king of heaven, whose works are all truth; and his ways judgment. And those who walk in pride, he is able to humble.

English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

Daniel 4 English Standard Version Anglicised