Daniel 2
La Palabra (España)
El sueño de la estatua
2 El año segundo de su reinado, Nabucodonosor tuvo unos sueños que turbaron su espíritu y no le dejaban dormir. 2 El rey ordenó llamar a los magos, adivinos, hechiceros y astrólogos para que interpretaran sus sueños. 3 Una vez que comparecieron ante su presencia, el rey les dijo:
— He tenido un sueño y estoy intrigado por conocer su sentido.
4 Los astrólogos respondieron al rey en arameo:
— ¡Larga vida al rey! Cuenta el sueño a tus siervos y daremos con su interpretación.
5 El rey les respondió:
— He tomado una determinación: como no me contéis el sueño y deis con su interpretación, seréis cortados en pedazos y vuestras casas serán demolidas. 6 Pero, si me contáis el sueño y dais con su interpretación, os colmaré de regalos, obsequios y honores. Os conviene, pues, contarme el sueño y dar con su interpretación.
7 Ellos insistieron:
— Que el rey nos cuente su sueño y nosotros daremos con su interpretación.
8 El rey respondió:
— Me parece que intentáis ganar tiempo, pues sabéis que he tomado la determinación de 9 haceros reos de una misma sentencia si no sois capaces de contarme el sueño. Seguro que os habéis puesto de acuerdo para mentirme y engañarme, en espera de que cambie la situación. Así que contadme de una vez el sueño; de ese modo me convenceré de que también sois capaces de interpretarlo.
10 Los astrólogos respondieron al rey:
— No hay nadie en el mundo que pueda responder a lo que pide su majestad. Y tampoco ha existido un rey, por muy grande y poderoso que haya sido, que haya preguntado cosa semejante a ningún mago, adivino o astrólogo. 11 Lo que pide su majestad es algo muy difícil. Nadie puede darlo a conocer al rey, excepto los dioses, que no habitan entre los mortales.
12 Entonces el rey se enfureció sobremanera y mandó acabar con todos los sabios de Babilonia. 13 Una vez hecha pública la orden de matar a los sabios, se buscó a Daniel y a sus compañeros, pues también a ellos les afectaba la orden real. 14 Pero cuando Arioc, jefe de la guardia real, iba a cumplir la orden de matar a los sabios de Babilonia, Daniel hizo gala de su prudencia y sensatez, 15 y le preguntó:
— ¿Por qué ha promulgado el rey una orden tan severa?
16 Cuando Arioc le puso al corriente de la situación, Daniel pidió audiencia y propuso al rey que le concediese un plazo para dar con la interpretación del sueño.
Daniel solicita la ayuda del Señor
17 Cuando volvió a casa, Daniel informó del asunto a sus compañeros Ananías, Misael y Azarías, 18 y les pidió que imploraran la misericordia del Dios del cielo para poder descifrar aquel misterio. De otro modo, Daniel y sus compañeros morirían junto con los demás sabios de Babilonia. 19 El misterio le fue revelado a Daniel en una visión nocturna. Entonces bendijo al Dios del cielo 20 con estas palabras:
Sea el nombre de Dios
bendito por siempre;
suyos son sabiduría y poder.
21 Él hace que se alternen
años y estaciones;
él entroniza reyes
y él mismo los destrona.
Concede sabiduría a los sabios
y ciencia a los perspicaces.
22 Revela lo profundo y lo secreto,
conoce lo que ocultan las sombras
y la luz mora junto a él.
23 Te alabo y te doy gracias,
Dios de mis antepasados,
pues me das sabiduría y poder,
me revelas lo que habíamos pedido
y me manifiestas el asunto del rey.
Daniel interpreta el sueño
24 Daniel fue después donde estaba Arioc, a quien el rey había dado orden de ejecutar a los sabios de Babilonia, y le dijo:
— No ejecutes a los sabios de Babilonia. Preséntame ante el rey y yo le interpretaré el sueño.
25 Arioc llevó a Daniel sin pérdida de tiempo ante el rey, y le dijo:
— He encontrado entre los deportados de Judá a uno que dice ser capaz de interpretar el sueño de su majestad.
26 El rey dijo a Daniel (apodado Baltasar):
— ¿De verdad eres capaz de contarme el sueño que he tenido y de interpretarlo?
27 Daniel respondió:
— No hay ningún sabio, adivino, mago o astrólogo capaz de descifrarle a su majestad ese misterio. 28 En cambio, hay un Dios en el cielo que revela misterios y que ha dado a conocer al rey Nabucodonosor lo que sucederá al final de los tiempos. El sueño y las visiones que tuviste mientras dormías son como siguen:
29 — Majestad, mientras estabas acostado, reflexionabas intentando saber lo que sucederá en el futuro. Pues bien, el que revela misterios te ha dado a conocer lo que sucederá. 30 A mí precisamente se me ha revelado este misterio, no porque mi sabiduría sea superior a la de los demás, sino para poner en conocimiento de su majestad la interpretación del sueño y para que comprendas los pensamientos que te turban.
31 Majestad, la visión que tuviste es la siguiente: Ante ti se alzaba una estatua enorme, de brillo deslumbrante y aspecto terrible. 32 La cabeza de la estatua era de oro puro, su pecho y brazos de plata, y su vientre y sus caderas de bronce; 33 sus piernas eran de hierro, y sus pies mitad de hierro y mitad de barro. 34 Mientras la contemplabas, se desprendió una piedra sin que interviniera fuerza alguna, chocó contra los pies de hierro y barro de la estatua y los hizo añicos. 35 Al mismo tiempo, todo quedó pulverizado: el hierro con el barro, el bronce, la plata y el oro. Todo quedó como el tamo de la era que el viento arrebata en verano sin dejar rastro. Pero la piedra que había chocado contra la estatua se convirtió en una montaña enorme, que cubrió toda la tierra.
36 Este fue el sueño. Ahora le ofreceremos a su majestad la interpretación. 37 Tú, majestad, rey de reyes, has recibido del Dios del cielo imperio, poder, fuerza y gloria. 38 Él ha puesto en tus manos a los seres humanos, las bestias del campo y las aves del cielo, allí donde habiten, y te ha dado dominio sobre todo ello. Eso quiere decir que tú eres la cabeza de oro. 39 Después de ti surgirá otro reino inferior al tuyo, y a continuación un tercer reino de bronce que dominará toda la tierra. 40 Después aparecerá un cuarto reino, duro como el hierro que todo lo tritura y pulveriza; del mismo modo que el hierro, él triturará y pulverizará a todos los demás. 41 Los pies y los dedos que viste, mitad de barro de alfarero y mitad de hierro, significan que habrá un reino dividido: será sólido como el hierro, pues viste cómo el barro estaba mezclado con hierro. 42 Los dedos de los pies, mitad de hierro y mitad de barro, significan que el reino será al mismo tiempo sólido y frágil. 43 Los linajes se mezclarán, del mismo modo que viste mezclados hierro y barro, pero no se fundirán, pues hierro y barro no pueden fundirse. 44 En tiempo de estos reyes, el Dios del cielo hará que surja un reino que nunca será destruido. No cederá su poder a otros pueblos, antes bien hará trizas y aniquilará a los otros reinos; y él subsistirá para siempre. 45 Este es el significado de la piedra que viste desprenderse del monte sin intervención de fuerza alguna, la piedra que hizo añicos el hierro, el bronce, el barro, la plata y el oro. El gran Dios ha revelado a su majestad los acontecimientos del futuro. El sueño es verdadero, y su interpretación fidedigna.
Resultados de la interpretación
46 Entonces el rey Nabucodonosor cayó rostro en tierra ante Daniel y mandó que le presentaran ofrendas y le dieran perfumes. 47 Después el rey dijo a Daniel:
— Está claro que vuestro Dios es Dios de dioses, Señor de reyes y revelador de misterios, pues tú has conseguido desvelar este misterio.
48 Después el rey honró a Daniel y le hizo muchos y magníficos regalos. Lo nombró gobernador de la provincia de Babilonia y jefe supremo de todos los sabios de Babilonia. 49 Daniel suplicó al rey que concediera la administración de la provincia de Babilonia a Sadrac, Mesac y Abednegó, y así lo hizo. Daniel, por su parte, se quedó en la corte.
Daniel 2
New American Standard Bible
The King’s Dream
2 Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar [a](A)had dreams; and his spirit was troubled and his (B)sleep [b]left him. 2 Then the king [c]gave orders to call in the (C)soothsayer priests, the conjurers, the sorcerers, and the [d]Chaldeans, to [e]tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 The king said to them, “I [f](D)had a dream, and my spirit [g]is anxious to [h]understand the dream.”
4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in [i](E)Aramaic: “(F)O king, live forever! (G)Tell the dream to your servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” 5 The king replied to the Chaldeans, “The command [j]from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be [k](H)torn limb from limb and your houses will be turned into a rubbish heap. 6 But if you declare the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me (I)gifts and a reward and great honor; therefore declare to me the dream and its interpretation.” 7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king (J)tell the dream to his servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” 8 The king replied, “I know for certain that you are trying to buy time, because you have perceived that the command [l]from me is firm, 9 that if you do not make the dream known to me, there is only (K)one [m]decree for you. For you have agreed together to speak lying and corrupt [n]words before me until the [o]situation is changed; therefore tell me the dream, so that I may (L)know that you can declare to me its interpretation.” 10 The Chaldeans answered [p]the king and said, “There is no person on earth who could declare the matter [q]to the king, because no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any (M)soothsayer priest, sorcerer, or Chaldean. 11 Moreover, the thing which the king demands is difficult, and there is no one else who could declare it [r]to the king except (N)gods, whose (O)dwelling place is not with mortal flesh.”
12 Because of this, the king became (P)angry and extremely furious, and he gave orders to kill all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the [s]decree was issued that the wise men be killed; and they looked for (Q)Daniel and his friends, to [t]kill them.
14 Then Daniel replied with discretion and discernment to (R)Arioch, the captain of the king’s [u]bodyguard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon; 15 he said to Arioch, the king’s officer, “For what reason is the decree from the king so harsh?” Then Arioch informed Daniel of the matter. 16 So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him a grace period, so that he might declare the interpretation to the king.
17 Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, (S)Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, about the matter, 18 so that they might (T)request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his friends would not be (U)killed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
The Secret Is Revealed to Daniel
19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night (V)vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven; 20 Daniel said,
“May the name of God be (W)blessed forever and ever,
For (X)wisdom and power belong to Him.
21 It is He who (Y)changes the times and the periods;
He (Z)removes kings and appoints kings;
He gives (AA)wisdom to wise men,
And knowledge to [v]people of understanding.
22 It is He who (AB)reveals the profound and hidden things;
(AC)He knows what is in the darkness,
And the (AD)light dwells with Him.
23 To You, (AE)God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise,
For You have given me (AF)wisdom and power;
Even now You have made known to me what we (AG)requested of You,
For You have made known to us the king’s matter.”
24 Thereupon, Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to kill the wise men of Babylon; he went and said this to him: “(AH)Do not kill the wise men of Babylon! Take me [w]into the king’s presence, and I will declare the interpretation to the king.”
25 Then Arioch hurriedly (AI)brought Daniel [x]into the king’s presence and spoke to him as follows: “I have found a man among the [y](AJ)exiles from Judah who can make the interpretation known to the king!” 26 The king said to Daniel, whose name was (AK)Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?” 27 Daniel answered before the king and said, “As for the secret about which the king has inquired, neither (AL)wise men, sorcerers, soothsayer priests, nor diviners are able to declare it to the king. 28 However, there is a (AM)God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the [z](AN)latter days. This was your dream and the (AO)visions [aa]in your mind while on your bed. 29 As for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts [ab]turned to what would take place [ac]in the future; and (AP)He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will take place. 30 But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me [ad]for any (AQ)wisdom [ae]residing in me more than in any other living person, but for the purpose of making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may understand the (AR)thoughts of your [af]mind.
The King’s Dream
31 “You, O king, were watching and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and [ag]of extraordinary radiance, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was [ah](AS)awesome. 32 The (AT)head of that statue was made of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, and its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 You [ai]continued watching until a (AU)stone was broken off (AV)without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and (AW)crushed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed to pieces [aj]all at the same time, and they were (AX)like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that (AY)not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great (AZ)mountain and filled the entire earth.
The Interpretation—Babylon the First Kingdom
36 “This was the dream; and now we will tell (BA)its interpretation before the king. 37 You, O king, are the (BB)king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the [ak]kingdom, the (BC)power, the strength, and the honor; 38 and wherever the sons of mankind live, or the (BD)animals of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has handed them over to you and has made you ruler over them all. You are the head of gold.
Medo-Persia and Greece
39 And after you another kingdom will arise inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth.
Rome
40 Then there will be a (BE)fourth kingdom as strong as iron; just as iron smashes and crushes everything, so, like iron that crushes, it will smash and crush all these things. 41 And in that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have within it some of the toughness of iron, since you saw the iron mixed with [al]common clay. 42 And just as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong, and part of it will be fragile. 43 In that you saw the iron mixed with [am]common clay, they will combine with one another [an]in [ao]their descendants; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not combine with pottery.
The Divine Kingdom
44 And in the days of those kings the (BF)God of heaven will (BG)set up a (BH)kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be [ap]left for another people; it will (BI)crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. 45 Just as you saw that a (BJ)stone was broken off from the mountain without hands, and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the (BK)great God has made known to the king what (BL)will take place [aq]in the future; so the dream is certain and its interpretation is trustworthy.”
Daniel Promoted
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and paid (BM)humble respect to Daniel, and gave orders to present to him an offering and (BN)incense. 47 The king responded to Daniel and said, “(BO)Your God truly is a (BP)God of gods and a Lord of kings and a (BQ)revealer of secrets, since you have been able to reveal this secret.” 48 Then the king [ar](BR)promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the entire (BS)province of Babylon, and chief [as]prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 And Daniel made a request of the king, and he (BT)appointed (BU)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego over the administration of the province of Babylon, while Daniel was at the king’s [at](BV)court.
Footnotes
- Daniel 2:1 Lit dreamed dreams
- Daniel 2:1 Lit was gone upon him
- Daniel 2:2 Lit said to call
- Daniel 2:2 Probably master astrologers, diviners, etc., and so throughout the ch
- Daniel 2:2 Lit explain to
- Daniel 2:3 Lit dreamed
- Daniel 2:3 Lit was troubled
- Daniel 2:3 Lit know
- Daniel 2:4 The text is in Aramaic from here through 7:28
- Daniel 2:5 Another reading is is issued by me
- Daniel 2:5 Lit turned into limbs
- Daniel 2:8 See note 1 v 5
- Daniel 2:9 Or verdict
- Daniel 2:9 Lit word
- Daniel 2:9 Lit time
- Daniel 2:10 Lit before the
- Daniel 2:10 Lit of
- Daniel 2:11 Lit before
- Daniel 2:13 Or law
- Daniel 2:13 Lit be killed
- Daniel 2:14 Or executioners
- Daniel 2:21 Lit knowers of
- Daniel 2:24 Lit in before the king
- Daniel 2:25 Lit in before the king
- Daniel 2:25 Lit sons of the exile of
- Daniel 2:28 Lit end of the days
- Daniel 2:28 Lit of your head
- Daniel 2:29 Lit came up
- Daniel 2:29 Lit after this
- Daniel 2:30 Or through
- Daniel 2:30 Lit which is
- Daniel 2:30 Lit heart
- Daniel 2:31 Lit its radiance was extraordinary
- Daniel 2:31 Or dreadful
- Daniel 2:34 Lit were
- Daniel 2:35 Lit as one
- Daniel 2:37 Or sovereignty
- Daniel 2:41 Lit wet clay
- Daniel 2:43 Lit wet clay
- Daniel 2:43 Or with
- Daniel 2:43 Lit the seed of men
- Daniel 2:44 Or passed on to
- Daniel 2:45 Lit after this
- Daniel 2:48 Lit made Daniel great
- Daniel 2:48 Lit of the prefects
- Daniel 2:49 Lit gate
La Palabra, (versión española) © 2010 Texto y Edición, Sociedad Bíblica de España
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
