Daniel 4

The King Acknowledges God

11Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and populations of all 2languages who live in all the earth: “May your 34peace be great! 2I am pleased to declare the signs and miracles that the 5Most High God has done for me.3How great are His 6signs And how mighty are His miracles! His 7kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And His dominion is from generation to generation.

The Vision of a Great Tree

4“8I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and 9happy in my palace. 5I saw a 10dream and it startled me; and these appearances as I lay on my bed and the 11visions 12in my mind kept alarming me. 6So I gave orders to 13bring into my presence all the wise men of Babylon, so that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7Then the 14soothsayer priests, the sorcerers, the 15Chaldeans, and the diviners came in and I related the dream 16to them, but they could not make its 17interpretation known to me. 8But finally Daniel came in before me, whose name is 18Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is 1920a spirit of the holy gods; and I related the dream 21to him, saying, 9‘Belteshazzar, 22chief of the soothsayer priests, since I know that 23a spirit of the holy gods is in you and 24no secret baffles you, 25tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, along with its interpretation.

10‘Now these were the 26visions 27in my mind as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, there was a 28tree in the middle of the 29earth and its height was great.11The tree grew large and became strong And its height 30reached to the sky, And it was visible to the end of the whole earth.12Its foliage was 31beautiful and its fruit abundant, And in it was food for all. The 32animals of the field 33found 34shade under it, And the 35birds of the sky lived in its branches, And all 36living creatures fed from it.

13‘I was looking in the 37visions 38in my mind as I lay on my bed, and behold, 39an angelic watcher, a 40holy one, descended from heaven.14He shouted out and spoke as follows: “41Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, Shake off its foliage and scatter its fruit; Let the 42animals flee from under it And the birds from its branches.15Yet 43leave the stump 44with its roots in the ground, 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 45him share with the animals in the grass of the earth.16Let his 46mind change from that of a human And let an animal’s 47mind be given to him, And let 48seven 49periods of time pass over him.17This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers, And the decision is a command of the holy ones, In order that the living may 50know That the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, And 51He grants it to whomever He wishes And sets over it the 52lowliest of people.” 18This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me its interpretation, since none of the 53wise men of my kingdom is able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, because a 54spirit of the holy gods is in you.’

Daniel Interprets the Vision

19“Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while as his 55thoughts alarmed him. The king responded and said, ‘Belteshazzar, do not 56let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.’ Belteshazzar replied, ‘57My lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you, and its interpretation to 58your adversaries! 20The 59tree that you saw, which became large and grew strong, whose height reached to the sky and was visible to all the earth, 21and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which the animals of the field lived and in whose branches the birds of the sky settled-- 22it is 60you, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your 61majesty has become great and reached to the sky, and your 62dominion to the end of the earth. 23And in that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, “63Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump 64with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field, let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let 65him share with the animals of the field until 66seven 67periods of time pass over him,” 24this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has 68come upon my lord the king: 25that you be 69driven away from mankind and your dwelling place be with the animals of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven 70periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the 71Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and 72bestows it on whomever He wishes. 26And in that it was commanded to 73leave the stump 74with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will 75remain as yours after you recognize that it is 76Heaven that rules. 27Therefore, O king, may my 77advice be pleasing to you: 78wipe away your sin by doing righteousness, and your wrongdoings by 79showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a 80prolonging of your prosperity.’

The Vision Fulfilled

28“All of this 81happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king. 2982Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. 30The king began speaking and was saying, ‘Is this not Babylon the 83great, which I myself have built as a royal 84residence by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty?’ 31While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice 85came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: 86sovereignty has been removed from you, 32and 87you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the animals of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and 88seven 89periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the 90Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’ 33Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was 91driven 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 92that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my 93reason returned to me, and I blessed the 94Most High and praised and honored 95Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an 96everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation.3597All the inhabitants of the earth are of no account, But 98He does according to His will among the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And 99no one can 100fend off His hand Or say to Him, ‘101What have You done?’ 36At that time my 102103reason returned to me. And my majesty and 104splendor were 105restored to me for the honor of my kingdom, and my state counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my 106sovereignty, and surpassing 107greatness was added to me. 37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and honor the King of 108heaven, for 109all His works are 110true and His ways 111just; and He is able to humble those who 112walk in pride.”