Daniel 2:1-16

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

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.^{(A) 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,^{(B) 3} he said to them, “I have had such a dream that my spirit is troubled by the desire to understand it.”^{(C) 4} The Chaldeans said to the king (in Aramaic),^[a] “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will reveal the interpretation.”^{(D) 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.^{(E) 6} But if you do tell me the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”^{(F) 7} They answered a second time, “Let the king first tell his servants the dream, then we can give its interpretation.”^{(G) 8} The king answered, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time because you see the decree from me is firm: 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.”^{(H) 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.”^(I)

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;^{(J) 15} he asked Arioch, the royal official, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel.^{(K) 16} So Daniel went in and requested that the king give him time and he would tell the king the interpretation.