Daniel 4:4-14

English Standard Version

Nebuchadnezzar's Second Dream

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

¹³“I saw in ^(R)the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, ^(S)a watcher, ^(T)a holy one, came down from heaven. ¹⁴He ^(U)proclaimed aloud and said thus: ^(V)‘Chop down the tree and ^(W)lop off its branches, ^(X)strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. ^(Y)Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches.