The Book of the Prophet Daniel 4 The King's Edict. His Dream of a Great Tree: His Folly

 The Book of the Prophet Daniel 4

The King's Edict. His Dream of a Great Tree: His Folly

1 King Nebuchadnezzar: To all peoples, nations, and languages ​​that dwell in all the earth: May peace be multiplied to you.

2 It seemed good to me to make known the signs and wonders that God, the Most High, has done for me.

3 How great are his signs, and how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.

4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.

5 I had a dream that frightened me; and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

6 Therefore, I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

7 Then the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told them the dream; but they could not make known to me its interpretation.

8 But at last Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods, came in before me; and I told him the dream:

9 “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret is too difficult for you; tell me the visions of my dream that I had and their interpretation.”

10 These were the visions of my head upon my bed: I was looking, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great;

11 The tree grew and became strong, so that its height reached to heaven; and it was visible to the ends of the earth.

12 Its foliage was beautiful, and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all; Under it the beasts of the field found shade, and the birds of the air made their nests in its branches, and all flesh was nourished by it.

13 I was seeing this in the visions of my head, on my bed; and behold, a watcher, a holy one, was coming down from heaven.

14 He cried out loudly, and said thus: Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, scatter its fruit; let the beasts flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.

15 But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, 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 its portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth.

16 Let his heart be changed from that of a man, and let a beast’s heart be given to him; and let seven times pass over him:

17 This sentence is by decree of the watchers, and this order by command of the holy ones; so that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men and gives them to whomever he wishes, and even sets over them the lowest of men.

18 This is what I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw in a dream. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation. All the wise men of my kingdom could not make known to me the interpretation, but you can, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.

19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for about an hour, and his thoughts 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 the dream be against those who hate you, and its interpretation against your enemies.

20 The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to heaven, and which was visible to all the earth;

21 Whose leaves were beautiful, and its fruit abundant, and in which there was food for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the air had their dwelling;

22 It is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; your greatness has grown and reached to the heavens, and your dominion to the ends of the earth.

23 And as for what the king saw, a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven, and saying, “Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground, 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 its portion be with the beasts of the field, until seven times pass over it;

24 This is the interpretation, O king: and this is the decree of the Most High, which will come upon the king, my lord:

25 You will be driven away from among men, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field; you will eat grass like oxen, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven times will pass by for you, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He wills.

26 And as for what was said, that they should leave the stump with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will return to you after you acknowledge that Heaven rules.

27 Therefore, O king, accept my advice, and atone for your sins by doing righteousness, and for your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, so that your prosperity may continue.

28 All these things came upon King Nebuchadnezzar.

29 At the end of twelve months, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,

30 the king spoke and said, “Is not this the great Babylon that I have built for the royal house by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?”

31 While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice came from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, this is what is decreed for you: Your royal authority has been taken from you.

32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”

33 At that very moment what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like feathers and his nails like birds' claws. 

34 But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and glorified him who lives forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and whose kingdom endures from generation to generation.

35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he does according to his will with the army of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What are you doing?”

36 At that time my understanding returned to me, and my majesty and splendor returned to me, for the dignity of the kingdom; and my captains and my nobles sought me out; and I was restored to my kingdom, and my glory was increased.

37 Now therefore I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and glorify the King of heaven, because all his works are true; and their ways are just, and he can humble those who walk in pride.