Daniel 2

1In the secondH8147 yearH8141 of hisH5019 reignH4438, NebuchadnezzarH5019 had dreamsH2492H2472 that troubledH6470 his spiritH7307, and sleepH8142 escapedH1961 himH5921. 2So the kingH4428 gave ordersH559 to summonH7121 the magiciansH825, enchantersH2748, sorcerersH3784, and astrologersH37781 to explainH5046 his dreamsH2472. When they cameH935 and stoodH5975 beforeH6440 the kingH4428, 3heH4428 said to themH559, “I have had a dreamH2472H2492, and my spiritH7307 is anxiousH6470 to understandH3045 itH2472.”

4Then the astrologersH3778 answeredH1696 the kingH4428 in AramaicH762,2 “O kingH4430, may you liveH2418 foreverH5957! TellH560 your servantsH5649 the dreamH2493, and we will giveH2324 the interpretationH6591.”

5The kingH4430H560 repliedH6032 to the astrologersH3779, “My wordH4406H4481 is finalH230: IfH2006 you do notH3809 tell meH3046 the dreamH2493 and its interpretationH6591, you will be cutH5648 into piecesH1917 and your housesH1005 will be reducedH7761 to rubbleH5122. 6But ifH2006 you tell meH2324 the dreamH2493 and its interpretationH6591, you will receiveH6902 fromH4481 meH6925 giftsH4978 and rewardsH5023 and greatH7690 honorH3367. SoH2006 tell meH2324 the dreamH2493 and its interpretationH6591.”

7They answeredH6032 a second timeH8579, “Let the kingH4430 tellH560 the dreamH2493H560 to his servantsH5649, and we will giveH2324 the interpretationH6591.”

8The kingH4430H560 repliedH6032, “IH576 knowH3046 forH4481 sureH3330 thatH1768 youH608 are stallingH2084 for timeH5732H3606 becauseH1768 you seeH2370 thatH1768 myH4481 wordH4406 is finalH230. 9IfH2006 you do notH3809 tell meH3046 the dreamH2493, there isH1932 only oneH2298 decree for youH1882. You have conspiredH2164 to speakH560 before meH6925 falseH3538 and fraudulentH7844 wordsH4406, hopingH5705H1768 the situationH5732 will changeH8133. ThereforeH2006 tellH560 me the dreamH2493, and I will knowH3046 thatH1768 you can give meH2324 its interpretationH6591.”

10The astrologersH3779H6925 answeredH6032 the kingH4430H560, “NoH3809H383H606 oneH5922 on earthH3007H1768 canH3202 doH2324 what the kingH4430 requestsH4406! NoH3809 kingH4430, however greatH7229 and powerfulH7990, has ever askedH7593 anythingH4406 like thisH1836 of anyH3606 magicianH2749, enchanterH826, or astrologerH3779. 11WhatH1768 the kingH4430 requestsH7593 is so difficultH3358 that noH3809 oneH321 can tell itH2324 toH6925 himH4430 exceptH3861 the godsH426, whoseH1768 dwellingH4070 isH383 notH3809 withH5974 mortalsH1321.”

12

This response madeH6903H1836 the kingH4430 soH7690 angryH1149 and furiousH7108 that he gave ordersH560 to destroyH7 allH3606 the wise menH2445 of BabylonH895. 13So the decreeH1882 went outH5312 that the wise menH2445 were to be executedH6992, and men went to look forH1156 DanielH1841 and his friendsH2269 to execute themH6992.

The Dream Revealed to Daniel

14WhenH116 AriochH746, the commanderH7229 of the king’sH4430H1768 guardH2877, went outH5312 to executeH6992 the wise menH2445 of BabylonH895, DanielH1841 respondedH8421 with discretionH5843 and tactH2942. 15“WhyH5922H4101 is the decreeH1882 fromH4481H6925 the kingH4430 so harshH2685?” he askedH6032H560.

ThenH116 AriochH746 explainedH3046 the situationH4406 to DanielH1841. 16So DanielH1841 went inH5954 and askedH1156H4481 the kingH4430H1768 to giveH5415 him some timeH2166, so that he could giveH2324 him the interpretationH6591.

17ThenH116 DanielH1841 returnedH236 to his houseH1005 and explainedH3046 the matterH4406 to his friendsH2269 HananiahH2608, MishaelH4333, and AzariahH5839, 18urging them to pleadH1156 for mercyH7359H4481 fromH6925 the GodH426 of heavenH8065 concerningH5922 thisH1836 mysteryH7328, so thatH1768 DanielH1841 and his friendsH2269 would notH3809 be killedH7 withH5974 the restH7606 of the wiseH2445 men of BabylonH895.

19DuringH116 the nightH3916, the mysteryH7328 was revealedH1541H116 to DanielH1841 in a visionH2376, andH1841 he blessedH1289 the GodH426 of heavenH8065 20and declaredH560:

24

Daniel Interprets the Dream

ThereforeH6903H1836 DanielH1841 wentH5954 toH5922 AriochH746, whomH1768 the kingH4430 had appointedH4483 to destroyH7 the wise menH2445 of BabylonH895, and saidH236H3652H560 to him, “Do notH409 executeH7 the wise menH2445 of BabylonH895! Bring meH5954 beforeH6925 the kingH4430, and I will giveH2324 himH4430 the interpretationH6591.”

25AriochH746 hastilyH927H116 broughtH5954 DanielH1841 beforeH6925 the kingH4430H3652 and saidH560 to him, “I have foundH7912 a manH1400 amongH4481 the exilesH1123H1547 from JudahH3061 whoH1768 will tellH3046 the kingH4430 the interpretationH6591.”

26The kingH4430 respondedH6032H560 to DanielH1841, whoseH1768 nameH8036 was BelteshazzarH1096H383, “Are you ableH3546 to tell meH3046 whatH1768 I sawH2370 in the dreamH2493, as well as its interpretationH6591?”

27DanielH1841H6925 answeredH6032 the kingH4430H560, “NoH3809 wise manH2445, enchanterH826, mediumH2749, or magicianH1505 canH3202 explainH2324 to the kingH4430 the mysteryH7328 of whichH1768 he inquiresH7593. 28ButH1297 there isH383 a GodH426 in heavenH8065 who revealsH1541 mysteriesH7328, and He has made knownH3046 to KingH4430 NebuchadnezzarH5020 whatH4101H1768 will happenH1934 in the latterH320 daysH3118. Your dreamH2493 and the visionsH2376 that came into your mindH7217 as you lay onH5922 your bedH4903 were theseH1836H1932:

29As youH607 lay onH5922 your bedH4903, O kingH4430, your thoughtsH7476 turnedH5559 toH4101H1768 the futureH1934H311H1836, and the RevealerH1541 of MysteriesH7328 made known to youH3046 whatH4101H1768 will happenH1934. 30And to meH576 thisH1836 mysteryH7328 has been revealedH1541, notH3809 becauseH1768 I haveH383 more wisdomH2452 thanH4481 any manH3606 aliveH2417, butH3861 in order thatH5922H1701H1768 the interpretationH6591 might be made knownH3046 to the kingH4430, and that you may understandH3046 the thoughtsH7476 of your mindH3825.

31As youH607, O kingH4430, were watchingH2370H1934, aH2298 greatH7690 statueH67553 appearedH431. A greatH7229 and dazzlingH2122 statueH6755H3493 stoodH6966 before youH6903, and its formH7299 was awesomeH1763. 32The headH7217H1768 of the statueH6755 was pureH2869 goldH1722, its chestH2306 and armsH1872H1768 were silverH3702, its bellyH4577 and thighsH3410H1768 were bronzeH5174, 33its legsH8243H1768 were ironH6523, and its feetH7271 were partH4481H1768 ironH6523 and partH4481H1768 clayH2635.

34As youH1934 watchedH2370, a stoneH69H1768 was cut outH1505,4 but notH3809 by human handsH3028. It struckH4223 the statueH6755 onH5922 its feetH7271 ofH1768 ironH6523 and clayH2635, and crushedH1855 themH1994. 35ThenH116 the ironH6523, clayH2635, bronzeH5174, silverH3702, and goldH1722 were shatteredH1855H2298 and becameH1934 like chaffH5784 onH4481 the threshing floorH147 in summerH7007. The windH7308 carried themH1994 awayH5376, andH3606 notH3809 a traceH870 of them could be foundH7912. But the stoneH69 thatH1768 had struckH4223 the statueH6755 becameH1934 a greatH7229 mountainH2906 and filledH4391 the wholeH3606 earthH772.

36ThisH1836 was the dreamH2493; now we will tellH560H6925 the kingH4430 its interpretationH6591.

37YouH607, O kingH4430, are the kingH4430 of kingsH4430, to whomH1768 the GodH426 of heavenH8065 has givenH3052 sovereigntyH4437, powerH2632, strengthH8632, and gloryH3367. 38WhereverH3606H1768 the sonsH1123 of menH606 or beastsH2423 of the fieldH1251 or birdsH5776 of the airH8065 dwellH1753, He has givenH3052 them into your handH3028 and has made you rulerH7981 over them allH3606. YouH607 are thatH1932 headH7217 ofH1768 goldH1722.

39But after youH870, there will ariseH6966 anotherH317 kingdomH4437, inferiorH772 to yoursH4481.

Next, aH317 thirdH8523 kingdomH4437, one ofH1768 bronzeH5174, will ruleH7981 the wholeH3606 earthH772.

40Finally, there will beH1934 a fourthH7244 kingdomH4437 as strongH8624 as ironH6523; forH6903H1768 ironH6523 shattersH1855 and crushesH2827 all thingsH3606, and like ironH6523 thatH1768 crushesH7490 all thingsH3606, it will shatterH1855 and crushH7490 all the othersH459. 41And just asH1768 you saw thatH2370 the feetH7271 and toesH677 were madeH4481H6353 partly ofH1768 fired clayH2635 and partly ofH4481 ironH6523, so this will beH1934 a dividedH6386 kingdomH4437, yetH4481 some of the strengthH5326 ofH1768 ironH6523 will be in itH1934—just asH6903H1768 you sawH2370 the ironH6523 mixedH6151 with clayH2635H2917. 42And as the toesH677 of the feetH7271 were partlyH4481 ironH6523H4481 and partlyH4481 clayH2635, so this kingdomH4437 will beH1934 partlyH7118 strongH8624 and partlyH4481 brittleH8406. 43AsH1768 you sawH2370 the ironH6523 mixedH6151 with clayH2635H2917, so the peoplesH2234H6065 will mix with one anotherH6151H1934 but will notH3809H1934 hold togetherH1693H1836H5974 any moreH1888 thanH1768 ironH6523 mixesH6151 withH5974 clayH2635.

44In the daysH3118 of thoseH581 kingsH4430, the GodH426 of heavenH8065 will set upH6966 a kingdomH4437 thatH1768 will neverH5957H3809 be destroyedH2255, nor willH3809 it be leftH7662 to anotherH321 peopleH5972. It will shatterH1855 allH3606 theseH459 kingdomsH4437H1932 and bring them to an endH5487, but will itself standH6966 foreverH5957. 45And just asH3606H6903H1768 you sawH2370H1768 a stoneH69H1768 being cut outH1505 of the mountainH2906 withoutH3809 human handsH3028, and it shatteredH1855 the ironH6523, bronzeH5174, clayH2635, silverH3702, and goldH1722, so the greatH7229 GodH426 has toldH3046 the kingH4430 whatH4101H1768 will happenH1934 in the futureH311H1836.

The dreamH2493 is trueH3330, and its interpretationH6591 is trustworthyH540.”

Nebuchadnezzar Promotes Daniel

46At thisH116, KingH4430 NebuchadnezzarH5020 fellH5308 onH5922 his faceH600, paid homageH5457 to DanielH1841, and orderedH560 that an offeringH4504 and incenseH5208 be presentedH5260 to him. 47The kingH4430 saidH6032 to DanielH1841H560, “Your GodH426H1932 is trulyH4481H7187 the GodH426 of godsH426 and LordH4756 of kingsH4430, the RevealerH1541 of MysteriesH7328, sinceH1768 you were ableH3202 to revealH1541 thisH1836 mysteryH7328.”

48ThenH116 the kingH4430 promotedH7236 DanielH1841 and gaveH3052 him manyH7690 generousH7260 giftsH4978. He made him rulerH7981 overH5922 the entireH3606 provinceH4083 of BabylonH895 and chiefH7229 administratorH5460 overH5922 allH3606 the wise menH2445 of BabylonH895. 49And at Daniel’sH1841 requestH1156H4481, the kingH4430 appointedH4483 ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and AbednegoH5665 toH5922 manageH5673H1768 the provinceH4083 of BabylonH895, while DanielH1841 remained in the king’sH4430 courtH8651.