Daniel 4
Common English Bible
Nebuchadnezzar’s testimony
4 [a] King Nebuchadnezzar’s message to all the peoples, nations, and languages inhabiting the entire earth: “I wish you much peace. 2 I’m delighted to share the signs and miracles that the Most High God has worked in my life.
3 His signs are superb!
His miracles so powerful!
His kingdom is everlasting.
His rule is for all time.
4 [b] “While I, Nebuchadnezzar, was safe in my house, content in my palace, 5 I had a terrifying dream. My thoughts while I was lying in bed and the vision in my mind overwhelmed me. 6 I ordered all Babylon’s sages to come before me, so they might tell me the dream’s meaning. 7 So the dream interpreters, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners came. I told them the dream, but they couldn’t interpret it for me. 8 Daniel, who is called Belteshazzar after the name of my god, was the last to come before me. In him is the breath[c] of the holy gods! I told Daniel the dream:
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream
9 “Belteshazzar, chief of the dream interpreters, I know the breath of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Tell me the meaning of the visions I had in my dream. 10 In my mind, as I lay in bed, I saw a vision:
At the center of the earth was a towering tree.
11 The tree grew in size and strength;
it was as high as the sky;
it could be seen from every corner of the earth.
12 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant;
it had enough food for everyone.
Wild animals took shade under it;
birds nested in its branches.
All living things lived off that tree.
13 “In my mind, as I lay in bed, I saw another vision: A holy watcher came down from heaven. 14 He proclaimed loudly:
‘Cut down the tree and shear off its branches!
Strip its leaves and scatter its fruit!
The creatures should flee from its shelter;
the birds should take flight from its branches.
15 But leave its deepest root in the earth,
bound with iron and bronze in the field grass.
Dew from heaven is to wash it,
and it must live with the animals in the earth’s vegetation.
16 Its[d] human mind is to be changed:
it will be given the mind of an animal.
Seven periods of time will pass over it.
17 This sentence is by the watchers’ decree;
this decision is the holy ones’ word
so that all who live might know
that the Most High dominates human kingship.
The Most High gives kingship to anyone he wants
and sets over it the lowest of people.’
18 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. So now Belteshazzar, tell me the meaning because all the sages in my kingdom were unable to interpret it for me. But you are able to do it because the breath of the holy gods is in you.”
Daniel interprets the visions
19 Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar, was shocked for a bit. What he thought about frightened him.
The king declared, “Don’t let the dream and its meaning scare you, Belteshazzar.”
Then Belteshazzar answered, “Sir, I wish the dream to be for those who hate you and its meaning to be for your enemies! 20 The tree you saw that grew in size and strength, that was as high as the sky, that could be seen from every corner of the earth, 21 with its beautiful leaves and its abundant fruit, and that had enough food for everyone, with wild animals living under it and birds nesting in its branches— 22 Your Majesty, that tree is you! You have grown large and become powerful. Your greatness is as high as the sky; your rule extends to the edge of the earth!
23 “Your Majesty, the holy watcher you saw coming down from heaven, who said, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave its deepest root in the earth, bound with iron and bronze in the field grass, dew from heaven is to wash it, and it must live with the wild animals until seven periods of time pass over it’— 24 Your Majesty, this is the dream’s meaning: It is the sentence of the Most High, delivered to my master the king. 25 You will be driven away from other humans and will live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like cattle and will be washed by dew from heaven. Seven periods of time will pass over you, until you acknowledge that the Most High dominates human kingship, giving it to anyone he wants. 26 And when he said to leave the deepest root of the tree—that means your kingship will again be yours, once you acknowledge that heaven rules all. 27 Therefore, Your Majesty, please accept my advice: remove your sins by doing what is right; remove your wrongdoing by showing mercy to the poor. Then your safety will be long lasting.”
Visions come true
28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later, he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon. 30 The king declared, “Isn’t this Babylon, the magnificent city that I built as the royal house by my own mighty strength and for my own majestic glory?”
31 These words hadn’t even left the king’s mouth when a voice came from heaven: “You, King Nebuchadnezzar, are now informed: Kingship is taken away from you. 32 You will be driven away from other humans and will live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you acknowledge that the Most High dominates human kingship, giving it to anyone he wants.”
33 Nebuchadnezzar’s sentence was immediately carried out. He was driven away from other humans and ate grass like cattle. Dew from heaven washed his body until he grew hair like eagles’ feathers and claws like a bird.
Nebuchadnezzar is restored
34 “At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes to heaven. My reason returned to me, and I praised the Most High. I worshipped and glorified the one who lives forever because his rule is everlasting; his kingdom is for all time. 35 All of earth’s inhabitants are nothing in comparison. The Most High does whatever he wants with heaven’s forces and with earth’s inhabitants. No one can contain his power or say to him, ‘What do you think you are doing?’ 36 So at that moment my reason returned to me. My honor and splendor came back to me for the glory of my kingdom. My associates and my princes wanted to be with me again. Not only was I reinstated over my kingdom, I received more power than ever before.
37 “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, worship, magnify, and glorify the king of heaven. All his works are truth, all his paths are justice, and he is able to humble all who walk in pride.”
Footnotes
- Daniel 4:1 3:31 in Aram
- Daniel 4:4 4:1 in Aram
- Daniel 4:8 Or spirit; also in 4:9, 18
- Daniel 4:16 Throughout 4:15-16 and later in this chap, it and its could also be translated he and his.
Daniel 4
Revised Geneva Translation
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, being at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace,
2 Saw a dream which made me afraid. And the thoughts upon my bed, and the visions of my head troubled me.
3 Therefore I made a decree, that they should bring all the wise men of Babel before me, that they might declare to me the interpretation of the dream.
4 So came the enchanters, the astrologers, the Chaldeans and the soothsayers, to whom I told the dream. But they could not show me the interpretation thereof.
5 Till at the last, Daniel came before me, (whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, who has the spirit of the holy gods in him). And before him I told the dream, saying,
6 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the enchanters, because I know, that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
7 “Thus were the visions of my head in my bed. And behold, I saw a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great;
8 “A great tree and strong. And the height thereof reached to heaven, and the sight thereof to the ends of all the earth.
9 “The boughs thereof were fair and the fruit thereof much. And in it was food for all. It made a shadow under it for the beasts of the field. And the birds of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof. And all flesh fed from it.
10 “I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and behold, a watchman and a holy one came down from heaven,
11 “And cried aloud, and said, ‘Cut down the tree, and break off his branches. Shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit, that the beasts may flee from under it, and the birds from his branches.
12 ‘Nevertheless, leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and with a band of iron and brass bind it among the grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts among the grass of the field.
13 ‘Let his heart be changed from man’s nature, and let a beast’s heart be given to him, and let seven times pass over him.
14 ‘The command is according to the decree of the watchmen, and according to the word of the holy ones, to the intent that living men may know that the most High has power over the kingdom of men; and gives it to whomever he will; and appoints over it the lowest among men.’
15 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Therefore, you, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof. For all the wise men of my kingdom are unable to show me the interpretation. But you are able. For the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
16 Then Daniel (whose name was Belteshazzar) was astonished for one hour. And his thoughts troubled him. And the king spoke and said, “Belteshazzar, let neither the dream, nor the interpretation thereof, trouble you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, the dream is for those who hate you, and the interpretation thereof for your enemies.
17 “The tree that you saw, which was great and mighty, whose height reached to the heaven, and the sight thereof through all the world,
18 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much; and in it was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the birds of the heaven sat -
19 it is you, O king, who is great and mighty. For your greatness has grown, and reaches to Heaven; and your dominion to the ends of the Earth.
20 “And whereas the king saw a watchman, and a holy one, who came down from heaven, and said, ‘Cut down the tree, and destroy it, yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth. And, with a band of iron and brass, bind it among the grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him’,
21 “This is the interpretation, O king. And it is the decree of the Most High, who has come upon my lord the king;
22 “That they shall drive you from men. And your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass, as the oxen. And, they shall wet you with the dew of heaven. And seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the most High bears rule over the kingdom of men; and gives it to whomever he will.
23 “And whereas they said that one should ‘leave the stump of the tree roots’, your kingdom shall remain yours. After that, you shall know that the heavens rule.
24 “Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you. And break off your sins by righteousness; and your iniquities by mercy towards the poor. Lo, let there be a healing of your error.”
25 All these things came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
26 At the end of twelve months, he walked in the royal palace of Babel.
27 And the king spoke and said, “Is not this great Babel that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?”
28 While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came down from heaven, saying, “O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you be it spoken, ‘Your kingdom has departed from you.
29 “‘And they shall drive you from men. And your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you to eat grass, as the oxen. And seven times shall pass over you, until you know, that the most High bears rule over the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.’”
30 That very same hour was this thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar. And he was driven from men, and ate grass as the oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown as eagles feathers, and his nails like birds claws.
31 And at the end of these days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven. And my understanding was restored to me. And I gave thanks to the most High. And I praised and honored him who lives forever, whose power is an everlasting power, and whose kingdom is from generation to generation.
32 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. And according to his will, he works in the army of heaven, and in the inhabitants of the earth. And none can stay his hand, nor say to him, “What are you doing?”
33 At the same time was my understanding restored to me. And I returned to the honor of my kingdom. My glory and my beauty was restored to me, and my counselors and my princes sought me. And I was re-established in my kingdom, and my glory was added to me.
34 Now therefore, I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and magnify the king of heaven, whose works are all truth; and his ways judgment. And those who walk in pride, he is able to humble.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
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