Daniel 4
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 4[a]
1 [b]I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in contentment at home and enjoying the luxury of my palaces. 2 However, as I lay in my bed, I had a dream that frightened me, and the visions that I experienced in my mind were a source of torment.
3 Therefore, I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon were to be brought before me and offer me their interpretation of the dream. 4 When the magicians, the soothsayers, the Chaldeans, and the diviners arrived, I related to them the content of the dream, but they were unable to explain its meaning.
5 Finally Daniel, whom I had renamed Belteshazzar, after the name of my god and in whom resides the Spirit of the holy God, came into my presence, and I related to him my dream. 6 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the Spirit of the holy God resides in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you to resolve. Listen to the dream that I experienced, and tell me its interpretation.
7 “These were the visions that came to me as I lay in my bed:
“I beheld a tree at the center of the earth,
and its height was great.
8 The tree became ever taller and stronger
until its top reached the heavens,
and it was visible to the ends of the earth.
9 Its foliage was beautiful,
and its fruit was abundant,
providing fruit for all.
The wild beasts found shade under it,
the birds of the air rested in its branches,
and from it all living creatures were nourished.
10 “In the vision I saw as I lay in my bed, I next beheld a holy sentinel coming down from heaven. 11 He shouted loudly:
“ ‘Hew down the tree and lop off its branches;
strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit.
12 However, leave the stump and its roots in the ground,
bound with iron and bronze
in the grass of the field.
Let him be bathed by the dew of heaven,
and let his lot be to eat, among wild beasts,
the grass of the earth.
13 Let his mind be changed from that of a human,
and let the mind of a beast be given to him,
until seven years pass over him.
14 ‘Such is the sentence decreed by the sentinel,
the verdict announced by the holy ones,
so that all who live may learn
that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mortals.
He confers it on whomever he wishes
and appoints over it the lowliest of men.’
15 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now I am depending upon you, Belteshazzar, to interpret its meaning, although none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret its meaning, you can do so because the Spirit of the holy God resides in you.”
16 Daniel Interprets the Dream.[c] Then Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar, was greatly upset and confused. The king said, “Belteshazzar, do not allow the dream and its meaning to terrify you.” Belteshazzar replied, “My lord, may the dream be meant for those who hurt you, and its interpretation for your enemies. 17 The tree that you saw, which grew great and strong, with its top reaching the sky so that it could be seen throughout the entire earth, 18 a tree with beautiful foliage and abundant fruit, providing food for all and affording shade for the wild beasts, with the birds of heaven dwelling in its branches— 19 that tree is you, O king. You have grown great and strong. Your power has increased and now reaches the sky; your sovereignty extends to the ends of the earth.
20 “In regard to the king’s vision of a holy sentinel descending from heaven and saying: ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump and its roots in the ground, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field; let him be bathed by the dew of heaven, and let his lot be with the wild beasts until seven years pass over him,’ 21 this is the interpretation, O king. It is a decree that the Most High has issued upon my lord the king:
22 “You will be banished from human society,
and you will dwell among the wild animals.
You will be forced to eat grass like oxen,
and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven.
Seven years will pass over you
until you have learned
that the Most High rules over the kingdom of men
and gives it to whomever he wishes.
23 “As for the command to leave untouched the stump and the roots of the tree, this means that your kingdom will once again be subject to your rule once you come to acknowledge the sovereignty of Heaven.[d] 24 May the king be willing to take my advice. Atone for your sins with deeds of righteousness, and for your iniquities with mercy to the oppressed. If you do so, you will enjoy a long and peaceful life.”[e]
25 The Dream Is Fulfilled. All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 26 At the end of twelve months, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace, 27 the king said, “How magnificent Babylon is! Was it not built as a royal residence by my mighty strength and for my majestic glory?”[f]
28 These words were not completely out of his mouth when a voice came from heaven:
“To you, King Nebuchadnezzar, it is decreed:
your kingdom has been taken from you.
29 You shall be banished from human society
as you are forced to dwell with wild beasts
and feed on grass as the oxen do.
Seven years shall pass over you
until you have learned
that the Most High rules over the kingdom of men
and gives it to whomever he wishes.”
30 This sentence was immediately fulfilled. Nebuchadnezzar was cast out from human society, and he ate grass as oxen do. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails became like a bird’s talons.
31 When the period was over, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes to heaven and my power of reasoning was restored to me.
I blessed the Most High,
and I praised and glorified him
who lives forever.
32 All who dwell on earth count for nothing;
he does as he pleases with the powers of heaven[g]
and the inhabitants on earth.
No one can stay his hand
or say to him, “What are you doing?”
33 At that very moment my power of reason returned to me, and my glory and splendor were restored to me. My counselors and my lords sought my counsel. I was reestablished in my kingdom, and my power was greatly increased.
34 Therefore, now I, Nebuchadnezzar,
praise and exalt and glorify
the King of heaven.
For all of his works are right,
and all of his ways are just.
Also, he is able to humble
all those who follow the path of pride.
Footnotes
- Daniel 4:1 There do exist, in fact, some documents about a king who withdrew for some years to an oasis and who consulted a Jewish seer. This would be Nabonidus, who reigned a half-century after Nebuchadnezzar (556–539 B.C.). Everyone knows of the immense pride of Nebuchadnezzar, who turned his city into one of the wonders of the world. In our story, the author has drawn on recollections and information that were not accurate, while reserving the right to attribute everything to the person with whom he is concerned, Nebuchadnezzar.
- Daniel 4:1 The king is tormented by the way in which a tree, the symbol par excellence of life and immortality (see Gen 3:9), is treated in his dream. In the Bible, a tree serves also to describe the destiny of a person, of a sovereign (Pss 1:3; 37:35; Ezek 31). By reserving to Daniel the responsibility for interpreting the king’s nightmare, the author shows the superiority of Jewish wisdom in explaining the difficult mysteries of human existence.
- Daniel 4:16 This is a kind of prophecy that announces the lot reserved for Nebuchadnezzar: this most prestigious and most acclaimed of kings will undergo a trial before being converted unless he changes his present ways.
- Daniel 4:23 God is called Heaven in order not to profane God’s name by uttering it; to him alone, dominion belongs.
- Daniel 4:24 A classic locus for the doctrine of the efficacy of good works.
- Daniel 4:27 The words of the king are similar to those found in royal inscriptions of the Mesopotamian kings.
- Daniel 4:32 The powers of heaven are the heavenly creatures.
Daniel 4
New King James Version
Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream
4 Nebuchadnezzar the king,
(A)To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:
Peace be multiplied to you.
2 I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders (B)that the Most High God has worked for me.
3 (C)How great are His signs,
And how mighty His wonders!
His kingdom is (D)an everlasting kingdom,
And His dominion is from generation to generation.
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace. 5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, (E)and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head (F)troubled me. 6 Therefore I issued a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 (G)Then the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told them the dream; but they did not make known to me its interpretation. 8 But at last Daniel came before me (H)(his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; (I)in him is the Spirit of the Holy God), and I told the dream before him, saying: 9 “Belteshazzar, (J)chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.
10 “These were the visions of my head while on my bed:
I was looking, and behold,
(K)A tree in the midst of the earth,
And its height was great.
11 The tree grew and became strong;
Its height reached to the heavens,
And it could be seen to the ends of all the earth.
12 Its leaves were lovely,
Its fruit abundant,
And in it was food for all.
(L)The beasts of the field found shade under it,
The birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches,
And all flesh was fed from it.
13 “I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was (M)a watcher, (N)a holy one, coming down from heaven. 14 He cried [a]aloud and said thus:
(O)‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,
Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.
(P)Let the beasts get out from under it,
And the birds from its branches.
15 Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth,
Bound with a band of iron and bronze,
In the tender grass of the field.
Let it be wet with the dew of heaven,
And let him graze with the beasts
On the grass of the earth.
16 Let his heart be changed from that of a man,
Let him be given the heart of a beast,
And let seven (Q)times[b] pass over him.
17 ‘This decision is by the decree of the watchers,
And the sentence by the word of the holy ones,
In order (R)that the living may know
(S)That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men,
(T)Gives it to whomever He will,
And sets over it the (U)lowest of men.’
18 “This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, (V)since all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, (W)for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you.”
Daniel Explains the Second Dream
19 Then Daniel, (X)whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts (Y)troubled him. So the king spoke, and said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you.”
Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may (Z)the dream [c]concern those who hate you, and its interpretation [d]concern your enemies!
20 (AA)“The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and which could be seen by all the earth, 21 whose leaves were lovely and its fruit abundant, in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home— 22 (AB)it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, (AC)and your dominion to the end of the earth.
23 (AD)“And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, (AE)and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven [e]times pass over him’; 24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: 25 They shall (AF)drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you (AG)eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven [f]times shall pass over you, (AH)till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and (AI)gives it to whomever He chooses.
26 “And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that (AJ)Heaven[g] rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; (AK)break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. (AL)Perhaps there may be (AM)a [h]lengthening of your prosperity.”
Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation
28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of the twelve months he was walking [i]about the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king (AN)spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?”
31 (AO)While the word was still in the king’s mouth, (AP)a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! 32 And (AQ)they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven [j]times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.”
33 That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
Nebuchadnezzar Praises God
34 And (AR)at the end of the [k]time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him (AS)who lives forever:
For His dominion is (AT)an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation.
35 (AU)All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;
(AV)He does according to His will in the army of heaven
And among the inhabitants of the earth.
(AW)No one can restrain His hand
Or say to Him, (AX)“What have You done?”
36 At the same time my reason returned to me, (AY)and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was (AZ)restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was (BA)added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, (BB)praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, (BC)all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. (BD)And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.
Footnotes
- Daniel 4:14 Lit. with strength
- Daniel 4:16 Possibly years
- Daniel 4:19 be for
- Daniel 4:19 for
- Daniel 4:23 Possibly years
- Daniel 4:25 Possibly years
- Daniel 4:26 God
- Daniel 4:27 prolonging
- Daniel 4:29 Or upon
- Daniel 4:32 Possibly years
- Daniel 4:34 Lit. days
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
