Beginning
Nebuchadnezzar Declares the Most High God
4 [a]Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every tongue that inhabit all the earth: “May your [b](A)peace abound! 2 It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the (B)Most High God has done for me.
3 How great are His (C)signs,
And how strong are His wonders!
His (D)kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And His [c]dominion is from generation to generation.
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of a Great Tree
4 “[d]I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and (E)flourishing in my palace. 5 I saw a (F)dream, and it made me fearful; and these fantasies as I lay on my bed and the (G)visions in my head kept alarming me. 6 So I gave a decree to (H)bring into my presence all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then the [e](I)magicians, the conjurers, the [f]Chaldeans, and the diviners came in, and I said the dream [g]to them, but they could not make its (J)interpretation known to me. 8 But at last Daniel came in before me, whose name is (K)Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is [h](L)a spirit of the holy gods; and I said the dream [i]to him: 9 ‘O Belteshazzar, (M)chief of the magicians, since I know that (N)a spirit of the holy gods is in you, and (O)no mystery is difficult for you, (P)say to me the visions of my dream which I have seen, along with its interpretation.
10 ‘Now these were the (Q)visions in my head as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, there was a (R)tree in the midst of the [j]earth, and its height was great.
11 The tree grew large and became strong,
And its height (S)reached to the sky,
And it was visible to the end of the whole earth.
12 Its foliage was (T)beautiful and its fruit abundant,
And in it was food for all.
The (U)beasts of the field found (V)shade under it,
And the (W)birds of the sky inhabited its branches,
And all flesh fed itself from it.
13 ‘I was looking in the (X)visions in my head as I lay on my bed, and behold, (Y)a [k]watcher, a (Z)holy one, descended from heaven.
14 He called out loudly and said thus:
“(AA)Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,
Strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit;
Let the (AB)beasts flee from under it
And the birds from its branches.
15 Yet (AC)leave the stump [l]with its roots in the earth,
But with a band of iron and bronze around it
In the new grass of the field;
And let him be drenched with the dew of heaven,
And let [m]him share with the beasts in the grass of the earth.
16 Let his heart be changed from that of a man,
And let the heart of a beast be given to him,
And let (AD)seven [n]periods of time pass over him.
17 This edict is by the resolution of the watchers,
And the decision is a command of the holy ones,
In order that the living may (AE)know
That the Most High is the powerful ruler over the kingdom of mankind
And (AF)gives it to whom He wishes
And sets up over it the (AG)lowliest of men.”
18 This is the dream which I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, say to me its interpretation, inasmuch as none of the (AH)wise men of my kingdom is able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for a (AI)spirit of the holy gods is in you.’
Daniel Interprets the Dream
19 “Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while as his (AJ)thoughts were alarming him. The king answered and said, ‘Belteshazzar, do not (AK)let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.’ Belteshazzar answered and said, ‘(AL)My lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you and its interpretation to (AM)your adversaries! 20 The (AN)tree that you saw, which became large and grew strong, whose height reached to the sky and was visible to all the earth, 21 and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field inhabited, and in whose branches the birds of the sky dwelt— 22 it is (AO)you, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your greatness has become even greater and reached to the sky and your [o](AP)dominion to the end of the earth. 23 But in that the king saw a watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, “(AQ)Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump [p]with its roots in the earth, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let [q]him share with the beasts of the field until (AR)seven [r]periods of time pass over him,” 24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the resolution of the Most High, which has (AS)reached my lord the king: 25 that you be (AT)driven away from mankind and your place of habitation be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven [s]periods of time will pass over you, until you know that the (AU)Most High is the powerful ruler over the kingdom of mankind and (AV)gives it to whomever He wishes. 26 And in that they said to (AW)leave the stump [t]with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will endure for you after you know that it is (AX)Heaven that rules with power. 27 Therefore, O king, may my (AY)advice seem good to you: [u](AZ)break away now from your sins by doing righteousness and from your iniquities by (BA)showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a (BB)prolonging of your prosperity.’
The Dream Is Accomplished
28 “All this (BC)reached Nebuchadnezzar the king. 29 (BD)At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king answered and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the (BE)great, which I myself have built as a royal house by the strength of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’ 31 While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice [v]came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is said: the kingdom has been removed from you, 32 and (BF)you will be driven away from mankind, and your place of habitation will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and (BG)seven [w]periods of time will pass over you until you know that the (BH)Most High is the powerful ruler over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whomever He wishes.’ 33 Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was accomplished; and he was (BI)driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
34 “But at the end of those days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes toward heaven, and my knowledge returned to me, and I blessed the (BJ)Most High and praised and honored (BK)Him who lives forever;
For His [x]dominion is an (BL)everlasting [y]dominion,
And His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35 (BM)And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
But (BN)He does according to His will in the host of heaven
And among the inhabitants of earth;
And (BO)no one can strike against His hand
Or say to Him, ‘(BP)What have You done?’
36 At that time my (BQ)knowledge returned to me. And my majesty and (BR)splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my high officials and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my kingdom, and extraordinary (BS)greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and honor the King of (BT)heaven, for (BU)all His works are [z]true and His ways [aa]just, and He is able to humble those who (BV)walk in pride.”
Belshazzar’s Feast
5 Belshazzar the king [ab]held a great (BW)feast for one thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand. 2 When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he said to bring the gold and silver (BX)vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his [ac]father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. 4 They (BY)drank the wine and praised the gods of (BZ)gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.
5 Suddenly the fingers of a man’s hand came out and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the [ad]back of the hand that did the writing. 6 Then the [ae](CA)splendor of the king’s face changed, and his thoughts alarmed him, and his (CB)hip joints [af]went slack, and his (CC)knees were knocking against each other. 7 The king called out loudly to bring in the (CD)conjurers, the [ag]Chaldeans, and the diviners. The king answered and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man who can read this writing and declare its interpretation to me shall be (CE)clothed with purple and have a (CF)necklace of gold around his neck and rule with power as [ah](CG)third ruler in the kingdom.” 8 Then all the king’s wise men came in, but (CH)they could not read the writing or make known its interpretation to the king. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly (CI)alarmed, and the [ai](CJ)splendor of his face changed further, and his nobles were perplexed.
10 The queen entered the banquet [aj]hall because of the words of the king and his nobles; the queen answered and said, “(CK)O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you or the [ak]splendor of your face be changed. 11 There is a (CL)man in your kingdom in whom is [al]a (CM)spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father, illumination, insight, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father [am](CN)the king, set him as chief of the [an]magicians, conjurers, [ao]Chaldeans, and diviners. 12 This was because an (CO)extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of enigmas, and [ap]solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named (CP)Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned, and he will declare the interpretation.”
Daniel Interprets the Writing on the Wall
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the [aq](CQ)exiles from Judah, whom my father the king (CR)brought from Judah? 14 Now I have heard about you that [ar]a spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight, and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. 15 Just now the (CS)wise men and the conjurers were brought in before me that they might read this writing and make its interpretation known to me, but they (CT)could not declare the interpretation of the [as]message. 16 But I personally have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and [at]solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read the writing and make its (CU)interpretation known to me, you will be (CV)clothed with purple and wear a necklace of gold around your neck, and you will rule with power as the [au]third ruler in the kingdom.”
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your (CW)gifts remain with you or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the writing to the king and make the interpretation known to him. 18 [av]O king, the (CX)Most High God (CY)granted the kingdom, (CZ)grandeur, glory, and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father. 19 And because of the grandeur which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations, and men of every tongue feared and were in dread before him; (DA)whomever he wished he killed, and whomever he wished he kept alive, and whomever he wished he raised up, and whomever he wished he made low. 20 But when his heart was (DB)raised up and his spirit became so (DC)strong that he behaved arrogantly, he was (DD)deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken away from him. 21 He was also (DE)driven away from the sons of [aw]men, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his place of habitation was with the (DF)wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of the sky until he knew that the (DG)Most High God is the powerful ruler over the kingdom of mankind and that He sets up over it whomever He wishes. 22 Yet you, his [ax]son, Belshazzar, have (DH)not made your heart lowly, [ay]even though you knew all this, 23 but you have (DI)raised yourself up against the (DJ)Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the (DK)gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear, or know. But the God (DL)in whose hand are your life-breath and all your (DM)ways, you have not honored. 24 Then the [az](DN)hand was sent from Him, and this writing was [ba]inscribed.
25 “Now this is the writing that was [bb]inscribed: ‘[bc]MENĒ, [bd]MENĒ, [be]TEKĒL, [bf]UPHARSIN.’ 26 This is the interpretation of the [bg]message: ‘MENĒ’—God has numbered your kingdom and (DO)put an end to it. 27 ‘TEKĒL’—you have been (DP)weighed on the scales and found lacking. 28 ‘PERĒS’—your kingdom has been divided and given over to the (DQ)Medes and [bh]Persians.”
29 Then Belshazzar said the word, and they (DR)clothed Daniel with purple and put a necklace of gold around his neck and issued a proclamation concerning him that he now would be the [bi]third powerful ruler in the kingdom.
30 That same night (DS)Belshazzar the Chaldean king was (DT)killed.
31 [bj]So (DU)Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.
Darius’ Officials Seek to Accuse Daniel
6 [bk]It seemed good to Darius that he set 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom, 2 and over them three commissioners (of whom (DV)Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer (DW)loss. 3 Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself [bl]among the commissioners and satraps because an (DX)extraordinary spirit was in him, and the king planned to set him over the (DY)entire kingdom. 4 Then the commissioners and satraps began (DZ)seeking to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to matters of the kingdom; but they were not able to find (EA)any ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the (EB)law of his God.”
6 Then these commissioners and satraps came [bm]by agreement to the king and said thus to him: “King Darius, (EC)live forever! 7 All the (ED)commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have (EE)counseled together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who seeks to make a petition [bn]to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall (EF)be cast into the lions’ [bo]den. 8 Now, O king, (EG)establish the injunction and [bp]sign the written document so that it may not be changed, according to the (EH)law of the Medes and Persians, which [bq]may not be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius (EI)signed the written document, that is, the injunction.
10 Now when Daniel knew that the written document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open (EJ)toward Jerusalem); and he continued (EK)kneeling on his knees three times a day, (EL)praying and (EM)giving thanks before his God, [br]as he had been doing previously. 11 Then these men came [bs](EN)by agreement and found Daniel seeking to make a petition and making supplication before his God. 12 Then they came near and (EO)said before the king concerning the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who seeks to make a petition [bt]to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king answered and said, “The word is certain, according to the (EP)law of the Medes and Persians, which [bu]may not be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “(EQ)Daniel, who is one of the [bv]exiles from Judah, pays (ER)no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps seeking to make his petition three times a day.”
14 Then, as soon as the king heard this word, he was greatly (ES)distressed within himself and set his mind on saving Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to deliver him. 15 Then these men came [bw]by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a (ET)law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
Daniel in the Lions’ Den
16 Then the king said the word, and Daniel was brought in and (EU)cast into the lions’ den. The king answered and said to Daniel, “[bx](EV)Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself save you.” 17 And a (EW)stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel. 18 Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night (EX)fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his (EY)sleep fled from him.
19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and hurriedly went to the lions’ den. 20 When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has (EZ)your God, whom you constantly serve, been (FA)able to save you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel spoke [by]to the king, “(FB)O king, live forever! 22 My God (FC)sent His angel and (FD)shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as [bz]I was found innocent before Him; and also [ca]toward you, O king, I have done no harm.” 23 Then the king was greatly pleased and said for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and (FE)no harm whatsoever was found on him because he had (FF)believed in his God. 24 The king then said the word, and they brought those men who had [cb]brought charges against Daniel, and they (FG)cast them, their (FH)children, and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
25 Then Darius the king wrote to all the (FI)peoples, nations, and men of every tongue who were inhabiting all the land: “(FJ)May your [cc]peace abound! 26 [cd]I (FK)make a decree that in all the [ce]dominion of my kingdom, men are to fear and be in dread before the God of Daniel;
For He is the (FL)living God and (FM)enduring forever,
And (FN)His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,
And His [cf]dominion will be unto the end.
27 He saves and delivers and does (FO)signs and wonders
In heaven and on earth,
Who has also saved Daniel from the [cg]power of the lions.”
28 So this (FP)Daniel enjoyed success in the kingdom of Darius and in the kingdom of (FQ)Cyrus the Persian.
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