Daniel 2
Dios Habla Hoy
El sueño del rey Nabucodonosor
2 Durante el segundo año de su reinado, Nabucodonosor tuvo varios sueños, y por causa de ellos llegó a estar tan preocupado que no podía dormir. 2 Entonces mandó llamar a magos, adivinos, hechiceros y sabios, para que le explicaran aquellos sueños. Ellos fueron y se presentaron ante el rey, 3 el cual les dijo:
—He tenido un sueño y estoy muy preocupado tratando de comprenderlo.
4 Y los sabios dijeron al rey, en arameo:
—¡Que viva Su Majestad para siempre! Cuente Su Majestad a estos servidores suyos lo que ha soñado, y nosotros le explicaremos lo que significa.
5 —Ésta es mi decisión —contestó el rey—: Si no me dicen ustedes qué es lo que soñé y lo que significa, serán hechos pedazos y sus casas serán convertidas en un montón de escombros. 6 Pero si me dicen lo que soñé y lo que mi sueño significa, recibirán regalos de mi parte, y favores y grandes honores. Así pues, díganme qué fue lo que soñé, y explíquenme su significado.
7 Los sabios respondieron por segunda vez:
—Cuéntenos Su Majestad lo que soñó, y nosotros le explicaremos el significado.
8 —Sé muy bien —contestó el rey— que ustedes quieren ganar tiempo, porque han oído mi decisión. 9 Por lo tanto, si no me dicen lo que soñé, todos ustedes sufrirán la misma sentencia, pues se han puesto de acuerdo para darme como respuesta mentiras y falsedades, en espera de que cambie la situación. Díganme, pues, el sueño, y así sabré que también pueden explicarme su significado.
10 —No hay nadie en el mundo —respondieron los sabios— que pueda decir lo que Su Majestad desea saber. Por otra parte, jamás ningún rey, por grande y poderoso que haya sido, ha pedido semejante cosa a ningún mago, adivino o sabio. 11 Lo que Su Majestad pide es tan difícil que no hay nadie que se lo pueda decir, a no ser los dioses; ¡pero ellos no viven entre los hombres!
12 Al oír esto, el rey se puso furioso y ordenó matar a todos los sabios de Babilonia. 13 Una vez publicada la orden, buscaron también a Daniel y a sus compañeros para quitarles la vida.
Daniel interpreta el sueño del rey
14 Entonces Daniel habló de manera discreta y sensata con Arioc, el jefe de la guardia real, que ya se disponía a matar a los sabios. 15 Y le preguntó:
—¿Por qué ha dado el rey esta orden tan terminante?
Arioc le explicó el motivo. 16 Entonces Daniel fue a ver al rey y le suplicó que le concediera algún tiempo para poder explicarle el sueño y su significado. 17 Luego se fue a su casa e informó de todo a sus compañeros Ananías, Misael y Azarías, 18 para que pidieran ayuda del Dios del cielo sobre aquel misterio, a fin de que no los mataran junto con los otros sabios de Babilonia. 19 Aquella noche el misterio le fue revelado a Daniel en una visión, por lo cual Daniel bendijo al Dios del cielo 20 con estas palabras:
«Bendito sea por siempre el nombre de Dios,
porque suyos son la sabiduría y el poder.
21 Él cambia los tiempos y las épocas;
quita y pone reyes,
da sabiduría a los sabios
e inteligencia a los inteligentes.
22 Él revela las cosas profundas y secretas;
conoce lo que está en la oscuridad,
pues la luz está con él.
23 A ti, Dios de mis padres,
te doy gracias y te alabo,
porque me has hecho sabio y fuerte;
y ahora me has hecho saber lo que te pedimos:
nos has dado a conocer lo que preocupaba al rey.»
24 Después de esto, Daniel fue a ver a Arioc, a quien el rey había ordenado matar a los sabios de Babilonia, y le dijo:
—No mates a los sabios. Llévame ante el rey, y yo le explicaré todo su sueño.
25 En seguida Arioc llevó a Daniel ante el rey Nabucodonosor, y le dijo al rey:
—Entre los judíos desterrados he hallado un hombre que explicará a Su Majestad el significado de su sueño.
26 Entonces el rey le dijo a Daniel, a quien llamaban Beltsasar:
—¿Puedes tú decirme lo que soñé, y lo que mi sueño significa?
27 Daniel respondió:
—No hay ningún sabio ni adivino, ni mago ni astrólogo, que pueda explicar a Su Majestad el misterio que desea conocer. 28 Pero hay un Dios en el cielo que revela los misterios, y él ha hecho saber a Su Majestad lo que va a pasar en el futuro. Voy a explicarle a Su Majestad el sueño y las visiones que ha tenido mientras dormía: 29 Su Majestad se hallaba en su cama; se puso a pensar en lo que va a pasar en el futuro, y el que revela los misterios se lo ha dado a conocer. 30 También a mí me ha sido revelado este misterio, pero no porque yo sea más sabio que todos los hombres, sino para que yo explique a Su Majestad lo que el sueño significa, y que así Su Majestad pueda comprender los pensamientos que han venido a su mente.
31 »En el sueño, Su Majestad veía que en su presencia se levantaba una estatua muy grande y brillante, y de aspecto terrible. 32 La cabeza de la estatua era de oro puro; el pecho y los brazos, de plata; el vientre y los muslos, de bronce; 33 las piernas, de hierro; y una parte de los pies era de hierro, y la otra de barro. 34 Mientras Su Majestad la estaba mirando, de un monte se desprendió una piedra, sin que nadie la empujara, y vino a dar contra los pies de la estatua y los destrozó. 35 En un momento, el hierro, el barro, el bronce, la plata y el oro quedaron todos convertidos en polvo, como el que se ve en verano cuando se trilla el trigo, y el viento se lo llevó sin dejar el menor rastro. Pero la piedra que dio contra la estatua se convirtió en una gran montaña que ocupó toda la tierra.
36 »Éste es el sueño. Y ahora voy a explicar a Su Majestad lo que el sueño significa. 37 Su Majestad es el más grande de todos los reyes, porque el Dios del cielo le ha dado el reino, el poder, la fuerza, el honor 38 y el dominio sobre todos los lugares habitados por hombres, animales y aves; él lo ha puesto todo bajo el poder de Su Majestad, que es la cabeza de oro. 39 Después del reino de Su Majestad habrá otro reino inferior al suyo, y luego un tercer reino de bronce, que dominará sobre toda la tierra. 40 Vendrá después un cuarto reino, fuerte como el hierro; y así como el hierro lo destroza todo y lo destruye, así ese reino destrozará y destruirá a todos los otros reinos.
41 »Su Majestad vio también que una parte de los pies y de los dedos era de barro, y la otra, de hierro; esto quiere decir que será un reino dividido, aunque con algo de la fortaleza del hierro, pues Su Majestad vio que el hierro estaba mezclado con el barro. 42 Los dedos de los pies eran en parte de hierro y en parte de barro, y eso significa que el reino será fuerte y débil al mismo tiempo. 43 Y así como Su Majestad vio el hierro mezclado con el barro, así los gobernantes de este reino se unirán por medio de alianzas matrimoniales; pero no podrán formar un solo cuerpo entre sí, como tampoco puede el hierro mezclarse con el barro. 44 Durante el gobierno de estos reyes, el Dios del cielo establecerá un reino que jamás será destruido ni dominado por ninguna otra nación, sino que acabará por completo con todos los demás reinos, y durará para siempre. 45 Eso es lo que significa la piedra que Su Majestad vio desprenderse del monte, sin que nadie la hubiera empujado; piedra que convirtió en polvo el hierro, el bronce, el barro, la plata y el oro. El gran Dios ha revelado a Su Majestad lo que va a pasar en el futuro. El sueño es verdadero, y su interpretación, cierta.»
46 Entonces el rey Nabucodonosor se puso de rodillas delante de Daniel, inclinó la cabeza hasta el suelo y mandó que le ofrecieran sacrificios e incienso. 47 Después le dijo a Daniel:
—Verdaderamente el Dios de ustedes es el más grande de todos los dioses; es el Señor de los reyes y el que revela los misterios, pues tú has podido descubrir este misterio.
48 Luego el rey puso a Daniel en un alto puesto y le hizo muchos y espléndidos regalos; además lo nombró gobernador de la provincia de Babilonia y jefe supremo de todos los sabios de aquella nación.
49 A petición de Daniel, el rey puso a Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-negó en importantes cargos de la administración de la provincia de Babilonia. Daniel mismo se quedó en la corte del rey.
Daniel 2
King James Version
2 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.
4 Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.
5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.
6 But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.
7 They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.
8 The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.
9 But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.
10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.
11 And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:
15 He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.
17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.
24 Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.
25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.
26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?
27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;
28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.
30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.
31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.
32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.
47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.
Daniel 2
English Standard Version
Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
2 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; (A)his spirit was troubled, and (B)his sleep left him. 2 Then the king commanded that (C)the magicians, (D)the enchanters, the (E)sorcerers, and (F)the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and (G)stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and (H)my spirit is troubled to know the dream.” 4 Then (I)the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic,[a] (J)“O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” 5 The king answered and said to (K)the Chaldeans, “The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be (L)torn limb from limb, (M)and your (N)houses shall be laid in ruins. 6 But if you show the dream and its interpretation, (O)you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. (P)Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.” 7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.” 8 The king answered and said, “I know with certainty that you are trying to (Q)gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm— 9 if you do not make the dream known to me, (R)there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till (S)the times change. (T)Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.” 10 (U)The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who can meet the king's demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or (V)Chaldean. 11 The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except (W)the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
12 Because of this the king was angry and (X)very furious, and (Y)commanded that all (Z)the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. 13 So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought (AA)Daniel and his companions, to kill them. 14 Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to (AB)Arioch, the (AC)captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. 15 He declared[b] to Arioch, the king's captain, “Why is the decree of the king (AD)so urgent?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. 16 And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king.
God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to (AE)Hananiah, (AF)Mishael, and (AG)Azariah, his companions, 18 (AH)and told them to seek mercy from the (AI)God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not (AJ)be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in (AK)a vision of the night. Then Daniel (AL)blessed the (AM)God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said:
(AN)“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
(AO)to whom belong wisdom and might.
21 (AP)He changes times and seasons;
(AQ)he removes kings and sets up kings;
(AR)he gives wisdom to the wise
(AS)and knowledge to those who have understanding;
22 (AT)he reveals deep and hidden things;
(AU)he knows what is in the darkness,
(AV)and the light dwells with him.
23 To you, O (AW)God of my fathers,
(AX)I give thanks and praise,
for (AY)you have given me wisdom and might,
and have now made known to me what (AZ)we asked of you,
for you have made known to us the king's matter.”
24 Therefore Daniel went in to (BA)Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.”
25 Then (BB)Arioch brought in Daniel before the king (BC)in haste and said thus to him: “I have found (BD)among the exiles from Judah a man who will make known to the king the interpretation.” 26 The king declared to Daniel, (BE)whose name was Belteshazzar, (BF)“Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” 27 Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, (BG)enchanters, (BH)magicians, or (BI)astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, 28 but (BJ)there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar (BK)what will be in the latter days. Your dream and (BL)the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these: 29 To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, (BM)and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be. 30 But (BN)as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that (BO)you may know the thoughts of your mind.
Daniel Interprets the Dream
31 “You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. 32 (BP)The head of this image was of fine gold, (BQ)its chest and arms of silver, its middle and (BR)thighs of bronze, 33 (BS)its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 As you looked, a stone was cut out (BT)by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and (BU)broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became (BV)like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that (BW)not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became (BX)a great mountain (BY)and filled the whole earth.
36 “This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. 37 You, O king, (BZ)the king of kings, to whom (CA)the God of heaven (CB)has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, 38 and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, (CC)the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are (CD)the head of gold. 39 (CE)Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom (CF)of bronze, (CG)which shall rule over all the earth. 40 And (CH)there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron (CI)breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall (CJ)break and crush all these. 41 And as you saw (CK)the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the (CL)firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will 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 (CM)the God of heaven will set up (CN)a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. (CO)It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and (CP)it shall stand forever, 45 just as (CQ)you saw that (CR)a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that (CS)it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A (CT)great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”
Daniel Is Promoted
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar (CU)fell upon his face and (CV)paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that (CW)an offering and (CX)incense be offered up to him. 47 The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your (CY)God is God of gods and (CZ)Lord of kings, and (DA)a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” 48 Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great (DB)gifts, and made him ruler over the whole (DC)province of Babylon and (DD)chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Daniel made a request of the king, and he (DE)appointed (DF)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of (DG)the province of Babylon. But Daniel (DH)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 2:15 Aramaic answered and said; also verse 26
- Daniel 2:43 Aramaic by the seed of men
Dios habla hoy ®, © Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas, 1966, 1970, 1979, 1983, 1996.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
