American Standard Version

Daniel 4

1NebuchadnezzarH5020theking, unto allthepeoples, nations,andlanguages, that dwellinalltheearth: Peacebemultiplied unto you.

2Ithath seemed good untometoshowthesignsandwondersthattheMost High God hath wroughttowardme.

3How greatarehissigns!andhow mightyarehiswonders!hiskingdomisan everlasting kingdom,andhisdominionisfromgenerationtogeneration.

4I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at restinmy house,andflourishinginmy palace.

5IsawadreamH2493whichmademeafraid;andthethoughts uponmybedandthevisionsofmyhead troubledme.

6ThereforemadeH3046Iadecreetobringinallthewise menofBabylon before me,thattheymightmakeH3046knownH3046unto metheinterpretationH6591ofthedreamH2493.

7Then cameinthemagicians,theenchanters,theChaldeans,andthesoothsayers;andI toldthedream before them; but they did not make known unto metheinterpretation thereof.

8But atthelast Danielcamein before me, whose namewasBelteshazzar, accordingtothename of my god,andin whom isthespirit oftheholy gods:andI toldthedream before him, saying,

9O Belteshazzar, masterofthemagicians,becauseIknow thatthespiritoftheholy gods isinthee,andno secret troubleth thee, tell methevisionsofmy dream thatIhave seen,andtheinterpretation thereof.

10ThuswerethevisionsH2376ofmyheadH7217upon mybedH4903:IsawH2370,and,behold,atreeinthemidstoftheearth;andtheheight thereofwasgreat.

11ThetreeH363grew,andwasstrong,andtheheight thereof reached unto heaven,andthesight thereoftotheendofalltheearth.

12Theleaves thereofwerefair,andthefruit thereof much,andinitwasfoodforall:thebeastsH2423ofthefieldH1251hadshadow under it,andthebirdsoftheheavensH8065dweltinthebranches thereof,andall fleshwasfedfromit.

13Isawinthevisionsofmy head upon my bed,and, behold, a watcheranda holy one came downfromheaven.

14Hecried aloud,andsaid thus, Hew downthetree,andcut offitsbranches, shake offitsleaves,andscatteritsfruit: letthebeasts get awayfromunderit,andthefowlsfromitsbranches.

15Nevertheless leavethestumpofitsrootsintheearth,evenwithabandofironandbrass,inthetender grassofthefield;andletitbewetwiththedewofheaven:andlethisportionbewiththebeastsinthegrassoftheearth:

16lethisheartbechangedfromman’s,andletabeast’s heartbegivenunto him;andlet seventimespass over him.

17Thesentenceisbythedecreeofthewatchers,andthedemand bythewordoftheholy ones;totheintentthattheliving may knowthattheMost High rulethinthekingdomofmen,andgiveth ittowhomsoeverhewill,andsetteth up over itthelowestofmen.

18This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen;andthou, O Belteshazzar, declaretheinterpretation, forasmuch asallthewise menofmy kingdom are not abletomake known unto metheinterpretation; but thou art able;forthespiritoftheholy gods isinthee.

19ThenDaniel,whosenamewasBelteshazzar,wasstricken dumbfora while,andhisthoughts troubled him.ThekingH4430answeredandsaid, Belteshazzar, let notthedream,ortheinterpretation, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answeredandsaid,Mylord,thedream betothemthathate thee,andtheinterpretation thereoftothine adversaries.

20ThetreeH363thatthou sawest,whichgrew,andwasstrong,whoseheight reached untoheavenH8065,andthesight thereoftoalltheearthH772;

21whoseleaveswerefair,andthefruit thereof much,andinitwasfoodforall; underwhichthebeastsofthefield dwelt,anduponwhosebranchesthebirdsoftheheavenshadtheir habitation:

22itisthou, O king,thatart grownandbecome strong;forthy greatnessisgrown,andreacheth untoheavenH8065,andthy dominiontotheendoftheearth.

23Andwhereastheking saw a watcheranda holy one coming downfromheavenH8065,andsayingH560, Hew downthetreeH363,anddestroy it; neverthelessleaveH7662thestumpoftherootsH8330thereofintheearth,evenwith a bandofironandbrass,inthetender grassofthefield,andlet it be wet withthedewofheavenH8065:andlethisportion be withthebeastsofthefield, till seven times pass overhim;

24this istheinterpretation, OkingH4430,anditisthedecreeoftheMost High, which is come upon my lordthekingH4430:

25thatthou shalt be driven from men,andthy dwelling shall bewiththebeastsofthefield,andthou shalt be madetoeat grass as oxen,andshalt be wetwiththedewofheaven,andseven times shall passoverthee; till thou knowthattheMost High rulethinthekingdomofmen,andgivethittowhomsoeverhewill.

26Andwhereastheycommandedtoleavethestumpoftherootsofthetree; thykingdomH4437shallbesure unto thee,afterthatthou shalthaveknownthattheheavens do rule.

27Wherefore, OkingH4430, letmycounsel be acceptable unto thee,andbreak off thy sins by righteousness,andthine iniquities by showing mercytothepoor; iftheremay bealengtheningofthy tranquillity.

28AllthiscameuponthekingH4430NebuchadnezzarH5020.

29Attheendoftwelve monthshewaswalkingintheroyalpalaceofBabylon.

30Theking spakeandsaid,IsnotthisgreatH7236Babylon,whichIhave builtfortheroyal dwelling-place,bythemightofmypowerandforthegloryofmymajesty?

31Whilethewordwasintheking’s mouth,therefell a voicefromheavenH8065, saying, O kingNebuchadnezzarH5020,totheeitisspoken:ThekingdomH4437isdepartedfromthee:

32andthou shalt be drivenfrommen;andthy dwelling shall bewiththebeastsofthefield; thou shalt bemadetoeat grassasoxen;andseven times shall pass over thee; until thou knowthattheMost High rulethinthekingdomofmen,andgiveth ittowhomsoeverhewill.

33Thesame hourwasthething fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar:andhewasdriven from men,anddid eat grassasoxen,andhisbodywaswetwiththedewofheaven, tillhishairwasgrown like eagles’ feathers,andhisnails like birds’ claws.

34AndattheendofthedaysI,NebuchadnezzarH5020,liftedוּמְרוֹמֵ֤םu.me.ro.MemH7313up mine eyes untoheavenH8065,andmine understanding returned unto me,andIblessedtheMost High,andIpraisedandhonoredhimthatlivethforever;forhisdominionisan everlasting dominion,andhiskingdomfromgenerationtogeneration;

35and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

36At the same time mine understanding returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added unto me.

37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

Commentaries on Daniel 4

American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain