1 * 4:1 Ch 3:31 in Aramaic King Nebuchadnezzar to all *See ch. 3:4peoples, nations, and languages, *ch. 6:25that dwell in all the earth: *1 Pet. 1:2;2 Pet. 1:2Peace be multiplied to you! 2 It has seemed good to me to show the *ch. 6:27;[John 4:48] signs and wonders that the *ch. 3:26Most High God has done for me.

3 How great are *[See ver. 2above] his signs,

how mighty his *[See ver. 2above] wonders!

*See ch. 2:44His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

*See ch. 2:44and his dominion endures from generation to generation.

4 * 4:4 Ch 4:1 in Aramaic I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and *ch. 2:28;7:15the visions of my head alarmed me. 6 So *See ch. 3:10I made a decree that *ch. 2:12all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then *See ch. 2:2the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but *[ver. 18; ch. 2:27;5:8,15]they could not make known to me its interpretation. 8 At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named *See ch. 1:7Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is *ver. 18;ch. 2:11;5:11;Gen. 41:38;[Isa. 63:14]the spirit of the holy gods*4:8 Or Spirit of the holy God; also verses 9, 18—and I told him the dream, saying, 9 "O Belteshazzar, *ch. 5:11;[ch. 2:48] chief of the magicians, because I know that *[See ver. 8above] the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no *ch. 2:18mystery is too difficult for you, tell me *[See ver. 5above]the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. 10 *[See ver. 5above] The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and *[Ezek. 31:3]behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. 11 *[Ps. 37:35]The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 *Ezek. 31:7Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. *Ezek. 31:6The beasts of the field found shade under it, and *Ezek. 31:6the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

13 "I saw in *[See ver. 5above] the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, *ver. 23a watcher, *[Deut. 33:2;Zech. 14:5;Jude 14]a holy one, came down from heaven. 14 He *See ch. 3:4proclaimed aloud and said thus: *ver. 23;[Matt. 3:10;Luke 3:9] ‘Chop down the tree and *[Ezek. 31:12]lop off its branches, *[Ezek. 31:12]strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. *[Ezek. 31:12]Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him; *[ver. 23, 25] and let seven periods of time *[1 Chr. 29:30]pass over him. 17 The sentence is by the decree of *[See ver. 13above] the watchers, the decision by the word of *[See ver. 13above] the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High *ver. 25, 32;ch. 5:21rules the kingdom of men *Jer. 27:5and gives it to whom he will and *See 1 Sam. 2:8sets over it the lowliest of men.’ 18 This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O *See ch. 1:7Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because *[ver. 7; ch. 5:8,15;Gen. 41:8] all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for *See ver. 8the spirit of the holy gods is in you."

19 Then Daniel, whose name was *[See ver. 18above] Belteshazzar, was *ch. 3:24dismayed for a while, and *ch. 5:6his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, "Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you." Belteshazzar answered and said, "My lord, *[1 Sam. 25:26;2 Sam. 18:32]may the dream be for those who hate you *[1 Sam. 25:26;2 Sam. 18:32]and its interpretation for your enemies! 20 *[ver. 10, 11]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 *[ver. 12]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 *[Ezek. 31:3] it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. *See Jer. 27:6-8Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, *See Jer. 27:6-8and your dominion to the ends of the earth. 23 And because the king saw *ver. 13a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, *ver. 14, 15‘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 *ver. 16seven periods of time pass over him,’ 24 this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, 25 *ver. 32, 33;[ch. 5:21] that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made *[Ps. 106:20] to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and *[See ver. 23above] seven periods of time shall pass over you, till *ver. 17, 32you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. 26 And as it was commanded *ver. 15, 23to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by *Matt. 6:1practicing righteousness, *Prov. 16:6;[Matt. 25:35,36;Luke 11:41] and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, *[Jer. 18:8;Jonah 3:10;Acts 8:22;2 Tim. 2:25]that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity."

28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, *[ch. 5:20] "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by *[ver. 36; ch. 2:37]my mighty power as a royal residence and for *[ver. 36; ch. 2:37]the glory of my majesty?" 31 *[ch. 5:5;Luke 12:20]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 *ver. 17, 25;ch. 5:21and 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, *ver. 17, 25;ch. 5:21until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will." 33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. *[See ver. 32above]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.

34 *[ver. 26] At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and *ver. 36my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored *ch. 6:26;12:7;Rev. 4:10him who lives forever,

*[Ps. 10:16]; See ch. 2:44for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,

and *[Ps. 10:16]; See ch. 2:44his kingdom endures from generation to generation;

35 *Isa. 40:17all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,

and *[Ps. 115:3;Heb. 1:13,14] he does according to his will among the host of heaven

and among the inhabitants of the earth;

*[Isa. 14:27] and none can stay his hand

or *Job 9:12;[Isa. 45:9;Rom. 9:20]say to him, "What have you done?"

36 At the same time *ver. 34my reason returned to me, and for *[ver. 30; ch. 5:18] the glory of my kingdom, *[ver. 30; ch. 5:18] my majesty and splendor returned to me. *ch. 3:24;6:7My counselors and *ch. 5:1;6:17my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was *[Job 42:12;Matt. 6:33]added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, *ver. 34praise and extol and honor the *[ch. 5:23] King of heaven, *[Deut. 32:4;Ps. 33:4;Rev. 15:3] for all his works are right and his ways are just; and *[ch. 5:20;Prov. 20:23]those who walk in pride he is able to humble.