Daniel 4:4-9

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.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

Daniel 4:4 Ch 4:1 in Aramaic
Daniel 4:8 Or Spirit of the holy God; also verses 9, 18

Daniel 4:19-25

English Standard Version

Daniel Interprets the Second Dream

¹⁹Then Daniel, whose name was ^(A)Belteshazzar, was ^(B)dismayed for a while, and ^(C)his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, ^(D)may the dream be for those who hate you ^(E)and its interpretation for your enemies! ²⁰^(F)The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, ²¹^(G)whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived— ²²^(H)it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. ^(I)Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, ^(J)and your dominion to the ends of the earth. ²³And because the king saw ^(K)a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ^(L)‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till ^(M)seven periods of time pass over him,’ ²⁴this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, ²⁵^(N)that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made ^(O)to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and ^(P)seven periods of time shall pass over you, till ^(Q)you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.

Read full chapter

Daniel 4:28-33

English Standard Version

Nebuchadnezzar's Humiliation

²⁸All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. ²⁹At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, ³⁰and the king answered and said, ^(A)“Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by ^(B)my mighty power as a royal residence and for ^(C)the glory of my majesty?” ³¹^(D)While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, ³²^(E)and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, ^(F)until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” ³³Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. ^(G)He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws.