Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options
Close ASND

Daniel 2
Ang Salita ng Dios (Tagalog Contemporary Bible)

Ang Panaginip ni Nebucadnezar

2 Noong pangalawang taon ng paghahari ni Nebucadnezar, nagkaroon siya ng mga panaginip na bumabagabag sa kanya, kaya hindi siya makatulog. 2 Ipinatawag niya ang kanyang mga salamangkero, engkantador, mangkukulam, at mga astrologo[a] para ipaliwanag nila ang kanyang mga panaginip. 3 Sinabi niya sa kanila, “Nanaginip ako at binabagabag ako nito, kaya ipinatawag ko kayo dahil gusto kong malaman kung ano ang kahulugan ng panaginip na iyon.”

4 Sumagot ang mga astrologo sa hari sa wikang Aramico,[b] “Mahal na Hari, sabihin nʼyo po sa amin na inyong mga lingkod ang inyong panaginip at ipapaliwanag namin sa inyo ang kahulugan nito.”

5 Sinabi ng hari sa kanila, “Ito ang aking napagpasyahan: Kung hindi ninyo mahulaan ang aking panaginip at ang kahulugan nito, pagpuputol-putulin ko ang katawan ninyo at ipapawasak ang inyong mga bahay. 6 Kung mahuhulaan ninyo ang aking panaginip at maipaliwanag ang kahulugan nito, gagantimpalaan ko kayo at bibigyan pa ng malaking karangalan. Sige, hulaan na ninyo at ipaliwanag ang kahulugan nito.”

7 Muli silang sumagot sa hari, “Mahal na Hari, sabihin nʼyo po sa amin ang inyong panaginip at ipapaliwanag namin sa inyo ang kahulugan nito.”

8 Sinabi ng hari, “Alam kong pinahahaba lang ninyo ang oras dahil alam ninyong gagawin ko ang sinabi ko sa inyo, 9 na kung hindi ninyo mahulaan at maipaliwanag ang aking panaginip, paparusahan ko kayo katulad ng sinabi ko. Nagkasundo kayong magsinungaling sa akin sa pag-aakalang magbabago pa ang aking isip sa paglipas ng oras. Hulaan na ninyo kung ano ang aking panaginip para maniwala ako na marunong talaga kayong magpaliwanag ng kahulugan nito.”

10 Sumagot sila sa hari, “Walang tao sa buong mundo ang makagagawa ng iniuutos ninyo. At wala ring hari, gaano man ang kanyang kapangyarihan, na mag-uutos ng ganyan sa kanyang mga engkantador, mangkukulam, o mga astrologo. 11 Napakahirap ng inyong hinihingi, Mahal na Hari. Ang mga dios lang ang makakagawa niyan, pero hindi sila naninirahan kasama ng mga tao.”

12 Dahil sa sagot nilang ito, galit na galit ang hari. At nag-utos siyang patayin ang lahat ng marurunong[c] na mga tao sa Babilonia. 13 Nang inilabas na ang utos ng hari na patayin ang mga marurunong, hinanap si Daniel at ang kanyang mga kasama para patayin din.

14-15 Kaya nakipag-usap si Daniel kay Arioc na kapitan ng mga tagapagbantay ng hari na siyang inutusan na patayin ang mga marurunong sa Babilonia. Maingat na nagtanong si Daniel sa kanya kung ano ang dahilan ng napakabigat na utos ng hari. Kaya sinabi sa kanya ni Arioc ang nangyari.

16 Pagkatapos, pumunta si Daniel sa hari at hiniling niya na bigyan siya ng panahong maipaliwanag ang kahulugan ng panaginip nito. 17 Pumayag naman ang hari, kaya umuwi si Daniel at ibinalita sa kanyang mga kasamahang sina Hanania, Mishael at Azaria ang tungkol sa nangyari. 18 Hiniling niya sa mga ito na manalangin para kaawaan sila ng Dios sa langit[d] at para malaman nila ang kahulugan ng panaginip ng hari, upang hindi sila patayin kasama ng iba pang marurunong na tao sa Babilonia. 19 Nang gabing iyon, ipinahayag ng Dios kay Daniel ang panaginip ng hari at ang kahulugan nito sa pamamagitan ng pangitain. At pinuri ni Daniel ang Dios sa langit. 20 Sinabi niya,

    “Purihin ang Dios magpakailanman.
    Siya ay matalino at makapangyarihan.
21 Siya ang nagbabago ng panahon.
    Siya ang nagpapasya kung sino ang maghahari at siya rin ang nag-aalis sa kanila sa trono.
    Siya ang nagbibigay ng karunungan sa marurunong.
22 Ipinapaliwanag niya ang mahihiwagang bagay na mahirap intindihin.
    Nasa kanya ang liwanag, at nalalaman niya ang anumang nasa kadiliman.
23 O Dios ng aking mga ninuno, pinupuri ko kayo at pinapasalamatan.
    Kayo ang nagbigay sa akin ng karunungan at kakayahan.
    At ibinigay nʼyo sa amin ang aming kahilingan sa inyo na ipahayag sa amin ang panaginip ng hari.”

Ipinaliwanag ni Daniel ang Panaginip ng Hari

24 Pagkatapos, bumalik si Daniel kay Arioc na inutusan ng hari para patayin ang mga marurunong na tao sa Babilonia. Sinabi ni Daniel sa kanya, “Huwag mo muna silang patayin; dalhin mo muna ako sa hari at ipapaliwanag ko ang kanyang panaginip.”

25 Kaya dali-daling dinala ni Arioc si Daniel sa hari. Sinabi ni Arioc, “Mahal na Hari, may nakita po akong bihag mula sa Juda na makapagpapaliwanag ng inyong panaginip.” 26 Tinanong ng hari si Daniel na tinatawag ding Belteshazar, “Talaga bang mahuhulaan mo ang aking panaginip at maipapaliwanag ang kahulugan nito?” 27 Sumagot si Daniel, “Mahal na Hari, wala pong sinumang marunong katulad ng mga mangkukulam, engkantador, o manghuhula ang makakapagpaliwanag ng inyong panaginip. 28 Pero may Dios sa langit na naghahayag ng mga mahiwagang bagay. At inihayag niya sa inyo sa panaginip ang mangyayari sa hinaharap. Ngayon, sasabihin ko po sa inyo ang mga pangitaing nakita ninyo sa inyong panaginip.

29 “Habang natutulog po kayo, Mahal na Hari, nanaginip kayo tungkol sa mga mangyayari sa hinaharap. Ipinapaalam ito sa inyo ng Dios na tagapagpahayag ng mga mahiwagang bagay. 30 At inihayag sa akin ng Dios ang inyong panaginip hindi dahil mas matalino ako kaysa sa iba kundi para maipaliwanag ko sa inyo at maintindihan nʼyo ang gumugulo sa inyong isipan.

31 “Ito po ang inyong panaginip: May nakita kayong malaking rebulto na nakakasilaw na nakatayo sa inyong harapan at nakakatakot tingnan. 32 Ang ulo nito ay purong ginto, ang mga bisig at dibdib ay pilak, ang tiyan at hita ay tanso. 33 Ang kanyang mga binti ay bakal at ang kanyang mga paa naman ay bakal at luwad.[e] 34 At habang tinitingnan nʼyo po ang rebulto, may batong natipak na hindi kagagawan ng tao. Tumama ito sa mga paang bakal at luwad ng rebulto, at nawasak ang kanyang mga paa. 35 Agad namang nadurog ang buong rebulto na gawa sa bakal, luwad, tanso, pilak at ginto. At parang naging ipa sa giikan na ipinadpad ng hangin kung saan-saan. Pero ang batong bumagsak sa paa ng rebulto ay naging malaking bundok at pumuno sa buong mundo.

36 “Iyan po ang panaginip nʼyo, at ito naman ang kahulugan: 37 Mahal na Hari, kayo ang hari ng mga hari. Ginawa kayong hari ng Dios sa langit[f] at binigyan ng kapangyarihan, kalakasan, at karangalan. 38 Ipinasakop niya sa inyo ang mga tao, mga hayop at mga ibon sa lahat ng dako. Kayo ang sumisimbolo sa gintong ulo ng rebulto.

39 “Ang susunod sa inyong kaharian ay mas mahina kaysa sa inyo. Pagkatapos, ang ikatlong kaharian ay sumisimbolo ng tansong bahagi ng rebulto, at ang kahariang ito ay maghahari sa buong mundo. 40 At ang ikaapat na kaharian ay kasintatag ng bakal. Kung paanong ang bakal ay dumudurog, ang kahariang ito ay dudurog din ng ibang mga kaharian. 41 Ang mga paa na yari sa bakal at luwad ay nangangahulugan ng mahahating kaharian. Pero mananatili itong malakas, dahil ikaw mismo ang nakakita na may halo itong bakal. 42 Ang mga daliring bakal at luwad na mga paa ay nangangahulugan na may bahagi ang kaharian na matibay at may bahaging mahina. 43 Ang pagsasama ng bakal at luwad ay nangangahulugang magkakaisa ang mga pinuno ng mga kahariang ito sa pamamagitan ng pag-aasawa ng magkaibang lahi. Pero hindi rin magtatagal ang kanilang pagkakaisa, katulad ng bakal at luwad na hindi maaaring paghaluin.

44 “Sa panahon ng mga haring ito, ang Dios sa langit ay magtatayo ng isang kaharian na hindi babagsak kailanman. Hindi ito matatalo ng alinmang kaharian, kundi wawasakin pa niya ang lahat ng kaharian at mananatili ito magpakailanman. 45 Katulad ito ng iyong nakitang tipak na bato mula sa bundok (na hindi kagagawan ng tao) na dumurog sa rebultong yari sa bakal, tanso, luwad, pilak at ginto.

“Mahal na Hari, ipinahayag po ng makapangyarihang Dios sa inyo kung ano ang mga mangyayari sa hinaharap. Iyon ang panaginip nʼyo at ang kahulugan nito. Totoo po ang lahat ng sinabi ko.”

46 Nagpatirapa si Haring Nebucadnezar upang parangalan si Daniel. Pagkatapos, nag-utos siyang maghandog at magsunog ng insenso kay Daniel. 47 Sinabi niya kay Daniel, “Dahil sa ipinahayag mo ang panaginip ko at ang kahulugan nito, totoo na ang iyong Dios ang pinakamakapangyarihan sa lahat ng dios. Siya ang dapat kilalaning Panginoon ng mga hari. At siya lamang ang nakakapagpahayag ng mga hiwaga.”

48 Pagkatapos, binigyan ng hari si Daniel ng maraming magagandang regalo. Ginawa siyang tagapamahala ng buong lalawigan ng Babilonia at pinuno ng lahat ng marurunong doon. 49 Hiniling ni Daniel sa hari na italaga sina Shadrac, Meshac, at Abednego bilang katulong niya sa pamamahala ng lalawigan. Pumayag naman ang hari. At namalagi si Daniel sa palasyo ng hari.

Footnotes

  1. 2:2 astrologo: sa literal, Caldeo.
  2. 2:4 Wikang Aramico ang ginamit mula sa talatang ito hanggang sa katapusan ng kabanata 7.
  3. 2:12 marurunong: Mga taong katulad ng nabanggit sa talata 2.
  4. 2:18 Dios sa langit: o, Dios na nasa langit; o, Dios na lumikha ng langit; o, Dios na higit sa lahat.
  5. 2:33 luwad: sa Ingles, “clay.”
  6. 2:37 Tingnan ang footnote sa talatang 18.
Close NET

Daniel 2
New English Translation

Nebuchadnezzar Has a Disturbing Dream

2 In the second year of his[a] reign Nebuchadnezzar had many dreams.[b] His mind[c] was disturbed and he suffered from insomnia.[d] 2 The king issued an order[e] to summon the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and wise men[f] in order to explain his dreams to him.[g] So they came and awaited the king’s instructions.[h]

3 The king told them, “I have had a dream,[i] and I[j] am anxious to understand the dream.” 4 The wise men replied to the king: [What follows is in Aramaic[k]] “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will disclose its[l] interpretation.” 5 The king replied[m] to the wise men, “My decision is firm.[n] If you do not inform me of both the dream and its interpretation, you will be dismembered[o] and your homes reduced to rubble! 6 But if you can disclose the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts, a reward, and considerable honor. So disclose to me the dream and its interpretation.” 7 They again replied, “Let the king inform us[p] of the dream; then we will disclose its[q] interpretation.” 8 The king replied, “I know for sure that you are attempting to gain time, because you see that my decision is firm. 9 If you don’t inform me of the dream, there is only one thing that is going to happen to you.[r] For you have agreed among yourselves to report to me something false and deceitful[s] until such time as things might change. So tell me the dream, and I will have confidence[t] that you can disclose its interpretation.”

10 The wise men replied to the king, “There is no man on earth who is able to disclose the king’s secret,[u] for no king, regardless of his position and power, has ever requested such a thing from any magician, astrologer, or wise man. 11 What the king is asking is too difficult, and no one exists who can disclose it to the king, except for the gods—but they don’t live among mortals!”[v]

12 Because of this the king got furiously angry[w] and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So a decree went out, and the wise men were about[x] to be executed. They also sought[y] Daniel and his friends so that they could be executed.

14 Then Daniel spoke with prudent counsel[z] to Arioch, who was in charge of the king’s executioners and who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. 15 He inquired of Arioch the king’s deputy, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?”[aa] Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. 16 So Daniel went in and[ab] requested the king to grant him time, that he might disclose the interpretation to the king. 17 Then Daniel went to his home and informed his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the matter. 18 He asked them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he[ac] and his friends would not be destroyed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then in a night vision the mystery was revealed to Daniel. So Daniel praised[ad] the God of heaven, 20 saying:[ae]

“Let the name of God[af] be praised[ag] forever and ever,
for wisdom and power belong to him.
21 He changes times and seasons,
deposing some kings
and establishing others.[ah]
He gives wisdom to the wise;
he imparts knowledge to those with understanding;[ai]
22 he reveals deep and hidden things.
He knows what is in the darkness,
and light resides with him.
23 O God of my fathers, I acknowledge and glorify you,
for you have bestowed wisdom and power on me.
Now you have enabled me to understand what we[aj] requested from you.
For you have enabled us to understand the king’s dilemma.”[ak]

24 Then Daniel went in to see[al] Arioch (whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon). He came[am] and said to him, “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon! Escort me[an] to the king, and I will disclose the interpretation to him.”[ao]

25 So Arioch quickly ushered Daniel into the king’s presence, saying to him, “I[ap] have found a man from the captives of Judah who can make known the interpretation to the king.” 26 The king then asked Daniel (whose name was also Belteshazzar), “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I saw, as well as its interpretation?” 27 Daniel replied to the king, “The mystery that the king is asking about is such that no wise men, astrologers, magicians, or diviners can possibly disclose it to the king. 28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries,[aq] and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the times to come.[ar] The dream and the visions you had while lying on your bed[as] are as follows:

29 “As for you, O king, while you were in your bed your thoughts turned to future things.[at] The revealer of mysteries has made known to you what will take place. 30 As for me, this mystery was revealed to me not because I possess more wisdom[au] than any other living person, but so that the king may understand[av] the interpretation and comprehend the thoughts of your mind.[aw]

31 “You, O king, were watching as a great statue—one[ax] of impressive size and extraordinary brightness—was standing before you. Its appearance caused alarm. 32 As for that statue, its head was of fine gold, its chest and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs were of bronze. 33 Its legs were of iron; its feet were partly of iron and partly of clay.[ay] 34 You were watching as[az] a stone was cut out,[ba] but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its iron and clay feet, breaking them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were broken in pieces without distinction[bb] and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors that the wind carries away. Not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a large mountain that filled the entire earth. 36 This was the dream. Now we[bc] will set forth before the king its interpretation.

Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

37 “You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has granted you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. 38 Wherever human beings,[bd] wild animals,[be] and birds of the sky live—he has given them into your power.[bf] He has given you authority over them all. You are the head of gold. 39 Now after you another kingdom[bg] will arise, one inferior to yours. Then a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule in all the earth. 40 Then there will be a fourth kingdom, one strong like iron. Just like iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything, and as iron breaks in pieces[bh] all these metals,[bi] so it will break in pieces and crush the others.[bj] 41 In that you were seeing feet and toes[bk] partly of wet clay[bl] and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom. Some of the strength of iron will be in it, for you saw iron mixed with wet clay.[bm] 42 In that the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, the latter stages of this kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 And[bn] in that you saw iron mixed with wet clay, so people will be mixed[bo] with one another[bp] without adhering to one another, just as[bq] iron does not mix with clay. 44 In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever. 45 You saw that a stone was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands; it smashed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold into pieces. The great God has made known to the king what will occur in the future.[br] The dream is certain, and its interpretation is reliable.”

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed down with his face to the ground[bs] and paid homage to Daniel. He gave orders to offer sacrifice and incense to him. 47 The king replied to Daniel, “Certainly your God is a God of gods and Lord of kings and revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery!” 48 Then the king elevated Daniel to high position and bestowed on him many marvelous gifts. He granted him authority over the entire province of Babylon and made him the main prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 And at Daniel’s request, the king[bt] appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the administration of the province of Babylon. Daniel himself served in the king’s court.[bu]

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 2:1 tn Heb “Nebuchadnezzar’s.” The possessive pronoun is substituted in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  2. Daniel 2:1 tn Heb “dreamed dreams.” The plural is used here and in v. 2, but the singular in v. 3. The plural “dreams” has been variously explained. Some interpreters take the plural as denoting an indefinite singular (so GKC 400 §124.o). But it may be that it is describing a stream of related dreams, or a dream state. In the latter case, one might translate: “Nebuchadnezzar was in a trance.” See further, J. A. Montgomery, Daniel (ICC), 142.
  3. Daniel 2:1 tn Heb “his spirit.”
  4. Daniel 2:1 tn Heb “his sleep left (?) him.” The use of the verb הָיָה (hayah, “to be”) here is unusual. The context suggests a meaning such as “to be finished” or “gone” (cf. Dan 8:27). Some scholars emend the verb to read נָדְדָה (nadedah, “fled”); cf. Dan 6:19. See further, DCH 2:540 s.v. היה I Ni.3; HALOT 244 s.v. היה nif; BDB 227-28 s.v. הָיָה Niph.2.
  5. Daniel 2:2 tn Heb “said.” So also in v. 12.
  6. Daniel 2:2 tn Heb “Chaldeans.” The term Chaldeans (Hebrew כַּשְׂדִּים, kasdim) is used in the book of Daniel both in an ethnic sense and, as here, to refer to a caste of Babylonian wise men and astrologers.
  7. Daniel 2:2 tn Heb “to explain to the king his dreams.”
  8. Daniel 2:2 tn Heb “stood before the king.”
  9. Daniel 2:3 tn Heb “I have dreamed a dream” (so KJV, ASV).
  10. Daniel 2:3 tn Heb “my spirit.”
  11. Daniel 2:4 sn Contrary to common belief, the point here is not that the wise men (Chaldeans) replied to the king in the Aramaic language, or that this language was uniquely the language of the Chaldeans. It was this view that led in the past to Aramaic being referred to as “Chaldee.” Aramaic was used as a lingua franca during this period; its origins and usage were not restricted to the Babylonians. Rather, this phrase is better understood as an editorial note (cf. NAB) marking the fact that from 2:4b through 7:28 the language of the book shifts from Hebrew to Aramaic. In 8:1, and for the remainder of the book, the language returns to Hebrew. Various views have been advanced to account for this change of language, most of which are unconvincing. The change in language likely reflects stages in the transmission history of the book of Daniel or factors in its composition history.
  12. Daniel 2:4 tn Or “the.”
  13. Daniel 2:5 tn Aram “answered and said,” a common idiom to indicate a reply, but redundant in contemporary English.
  14. Daniel 2:5 tn It seems clear from what follows that Nebuchadnezzar clearly recalls the content of the dream, although obviously he does not know what to make of it. By not divulging the dream itself to the would-be interpreters, he intends to find out whether they are simply leading him on. If they can tell him the dream’s content, which he is able to verify, he then can have confidence in their interpretation, which is what eludes him. The translation “the matter is gone from me” (cf. KJV, ASV), suggesting that the king had simply forgotten the dream, is incorrect. The Aramaic word used here (אַזְדָּא, ʾazdaʾ) is probably of Persian origin; it occurs in the OT only here and in v. 8. There are two main possibilities for the meaning of the word: “the matter is promulgated by me” (see KBL 1048 s.v.) and therefore “publicly known” (cf. NRSV; F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 62-63, §189), or “the matter is irrevocable” (cf. NAB, NIV, TEV, CEV, NLT; HALOT 1808 s.v. אזד; cf. also BDB 1079 s.v.). The present translation reflects this latter option. See further E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 3.
  15. Daniel 2:5 tn Aram “made limbs” (cf. 3:29).
  16. Daniel 2:7 tn Aram “his servants.”
  17. Daniel 2:7 tn Or “the.”
  18. Daniel 2:9 tn Aram “one is your law,” i.e., only one thing is applicable to you.
  19. Daniel 2:9 tn Aram “a lying and corrupt word.”
  20. Daniel 2:9 tn Aram “I will know.”
  21. Daniel 2:10 tn Aram “matter, thing.”
  22. Daniel 2:11 tn Aram “whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
  23. Daniel 2:12 tn Aram “was angry and very furious.” The expression is a hendiadys (two words or phrases expressing a single idea).
  24. Daniel 2:13 tn The Aramaic participle is used here to express the imminent future.
  25. Daniel 2:13 tn The impersonal active plural (“they sought”) of the Aramaic verb could also be translated as an English passive: “Daniel and his friends were sought” (cf. NAB).
  26. Daniel 2:14 tn Aram “returned prudence and counsel.” The expression is a hendiadys.
  27. Daniel 2:15 tn The Aramaic word מְהַחְצְפָה (mehakhtsefah) may refer to the severity of the king’s decree (i.e., “harsh”; so HALOT 1879 s.v. חצף; BDB 1093 s.v. חֲצַף), although it would seem that in a delicate situation such as this Daniel would avoid this kind of criticism of the king’s actions. The translation above understands the word to refer to the immediacy, not harshness, of the decree. See further, F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 50, §116; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 67.
  28. Daniel 2:16 tc Theodotion and the Syriac lack the words “went in and.”
  29. Daniel 2:18 tn Aram “Daniel.” The proper name is redundant here in English and has not been included in the translation.
  30. Daniel 2:19 tn Or “blessed.”
  31. Daniel 2:20 tn Aram “Daniel answered and said.”
  32. Daniel 2:20 sn As is often the case in the Bible, here the name represents the person.
  33. Daniel 2:20 tn Or “blessed.”
  34. Daniel 2:21 tn Aram “kings.”
  35. Daniel 2:21 tn Aram “the knowers of understanding.”
  36. Daniel 2:23 tn Various explanations have been offered for the plurals we and us. They could be editorial plurals, or refer to Daniel and his three friends who were also praying about the matter.
  37. Daniel 2:23 tn Aram “the word of the king.”
  38. Daniel 2:24 tc The MT has עַל עַל (ʿal ʿal, “he entered upon”). Several medieval Hebrew mss lack the verb, although this may be due to haplography.
  39. Daniel 2:24 tc The LXX and Vulgate, along with one medieval Hebrew ms, lack this verb.
  40. Daniel 2:24 tn Aram “cause me to enter,” as also in v. 25.
  41. Daniel 2:24 tn Aram “the king.”
  42. Daniel 2:25 sn Arioch’s claim is self-serving and exaggerated. It is Daniel who came to him, and not the other way around. By claiming to have found one capable of solving the king’s dilemma, Arioch probably hoped to ingratiate himself to the king.
  43. Daniel 2:28 tn Aram “a revealer of mysteries.” The phrase serves as a quasi-title for God in Daniel.
  44. Daniel 2:28 tn Aram “in the latter days.”
  45. Daniel 2:28 tn Aram “your dream and the visions of your head upon your bed.”
  46. Daniel 2:29 tn Aram “your thoughts upon your bed went up to what will be after this.”
  47. Daniel 2:30 tn Aram “not for any wisdom which is in me more than [in] any living man.”
  48. Daniel 2:30 tn Aram “they might cause the king to know.” The impersonal plural is used here to refer to the role of God’s spirit in revealing the dream and its interpretation to the king. As J. A. Montgomery says, “it appropriately here veils the mysterious agency” (Daniel [ICC], 164-65). Subsequent narratives show both God and angels involved with Nebuchadnezzar, so “they” can be appropriate.
  49. Daniel 2:30 tn Aram “heart.”
  50. Daniel 2:31 tn Aram “an image.”
  51. Daniel 2:33 sn Clay refers to baked clay, which despite being hard was also fragile. Compare the reference in v. 41 to “wet clay.”
  52. Daniel 2:34 tn Aram “until.”
  53. Daniel 2:34 tc The LXX, Theodotion, and the Vulgate have “from a mountain,” though this is probably a harmonization with v. 45.
  54. Daniel 2:35 tn Aram “as one.” For the meaning “without distinction” see the following: F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 36, §64, and p. 93; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 60.
  55. Daniel 2:36 tn Various suggestions have been made concerning the plural “we.” It could be an editorial plural translatable as “I.” However, Daniel has portrayed himself as an agent of God, who revealed the matter (vv. 28, 30), so we can express that reality.
  56. Daniel 2:38 tn Aram “the sons of man.”
  57. Daniel 2:38 tn Aram “the beasts of the field.”
  58. Daniel 2:38 tn Aram “hand.”
  59. Daniel 2:39 sn The identity of the first kingdom is clearly Babylon. The identification of the following three kingdoms is disputed. The common view is that they represent Media, Persia, and Greece. Most conservative scholars identify them as Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome.
  60. Daniel 2:40 tc Theodotion and the Vulgate lack the phrase “and as iron breaks in pieces.”
  61. Daniel 2:40 tn The Aramaic text does not have this word, but it has been added in the translation for clarity.
  62. Daniel 2:40 tn The words “the others” are supplied from the context.
  63. Daniel 2:41 tc The LXX lacks “and toes.”
  64. Daniel 2:41 tn Aram “potter’s clay.”
  65. Daniel 2:41 tn Aram “clay of clay” (also in v. 43).
  66. Daniel 2:43 tc The present translation reads the conjunction, with most medieval Hebrew mss, LXX, Vulgate, and the Qere. The Kethib lacks the conjunction.
  67. Daniel 2:43 sn The reference to people being mixed is usually understood to refer to intermarriage.
  68. Daniel 2:43 tn Aram “with the seed of men.”
  69. Daniel 2:43 tc The present translation reads הֵיךְ דִּי (hekh di) rather than the MT הֵא־כְדִי (heʾ khedi, “even as which”). It is a case of wrong word division.
  70. Daniel 2:45 tn Aram “after this.”
  71. Daniel 2:46 tn Aram “fell on his face.”
  72. Daniel 2:49 tn Aram “and Daniel sought from the king and he appointed.”
  73. Daniel 2:49 tn Aram “was at the gate of the king.”
Listen to Daniel 2
Close NIV

Daniel 2
New International Version

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

2 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams;(A) his mind was troubled(B) and he could not sleep.(C) 2 So the king summoned the magicians,(D) enchanters, sorcerers(E) and astrologers[a](F) to tell him what he had dreamed.(G) When they came in and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles(H) me and I want to know what it means.[b]”

4 Then the astrologers answered the king,[c](I) “May the king live forever!(J) Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

5 The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided:(K) If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces(L) and your houses turned into piles of rubble.(M) 6 But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor.(N) So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.”

7 Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

8 Then the king answered, “I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: 9 If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one penalty(O) for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.”(P)

10 The astrologers(Q) answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer.(R) 11 What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods,(S) and they do not live among humans.”

12 This made the king so angry and furious(T) that he ordered the execution(U) of all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death.(V)

14 When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. 15 He asked the king’s officer, “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. 16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.

17 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.(W) 18 He urged them to plead for mercy(X) from the God of heaven(Y) concerning this mystery,(Z) so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 During the night the mystery(AA) was revealed to Daniel in a vision.(AB) Then Daniel praised the God of heaven(AC) 20 and said:

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;(AD)
    wisdom and power(AE) are his.
21 He changes times and seasons;(AF)
    he deposes(AG) kings and raises up others.(AH)
He gives wisdom(AI) to the wise
    and knowledge to the discerning.(AJ)
22 He reveals deep and hidden things;(AK)
    he knows what lies in darkness,(AL)
    and light(AM) dwells with him.
23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors:(AN)
    You have given me wisdom(AO) and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
    you have made known to us the dream of the king.(AP)”

Daniel Interprets the Dream

24 Then Daniel went to Arioch,(AQ) whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, “Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him.”

25 Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, “I have found a man among the exiles(AR) from Judah(AS) who can tell the king what his dream means.”

26 The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar),(AT) “Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?”

27 Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about,(AU) 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.(AV) He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come.(AW) Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind(AX) as you were lying in bed(AY) are these:(AZ)

29 “As Your Majesty was lying there, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen.(BA) 30 As for me, this mystery has been revealed(BB) to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that Your Majesty may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind.

31 “Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue,(BC) awesome(BD) in appearance. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. 34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands.(BE) It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed(BF) them.(BG) 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away(BH) without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain(BI) and filled the whole earth.(BJ)

36 “This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king.(BK) 37 Your Majesty, you are the king of kings.(BL) The God of heaven has given you dominion(BM) and power and might and glory; 38 in your hands he has placed all mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds in the sky. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all.(BN) You are that head of gold.

39 “After you, another kingdom will arise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth.(BO) 40 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others.(BP) 41 Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. 42 As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.

44 “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush(BQ) all those kingdoms(BR) and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.(BS) 45 This is the meaning of the vision of the rock(BT) cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands(BU)—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.

“The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future.(BV) The dream is true(BW) and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate(BX) before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering(BY) and incense be presented to him. 47 The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods(BZ) and the Lord of kings(CA) and a revealer of mysteries,(CB) for you were able to reveal this mystery.(CC)”

48 Then the king placed Daniel in a high(CD) position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men.(CE) 49 Moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon,(CF) while Daniel himself remained at the royal court.(CG)

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 2:2 Or Chaldeans; also in verses 4, 5 and 10
  2. Daniel 2:3 Or was
  3. Daniel 2:4 At this point the Hebrew text has in Aramaic, indicating that the text from here through the end of chapter 7 is in Aramaic.
Next
Daniel 1
Daniel 3
Next
dropdown
Ang Salita ng Dios (Tagalog Contemporary Bible) (ASND)

Ang Salita ng Dios (Tagalog Contemporary Bible) Copyright © 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015 by Biblica, Inc. ®

New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV