Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

1 ¹ King Nebuchadnezzar ^jto all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! 2 It has seemed good to me to show the ^ksigns and wonders that the ^lMost High God has done for me.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream

4 ² I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. 5 I saw a dream ⁿthat made me afraid. ^oAs I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. 6 ^pSo 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 enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but ^qthey could not make known to me its interpretation. 8 At last Daniel came in before me—^rhe who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and ^sin whom is the spirit of the holy gods³—and I told him the dream, saying, 9 “O Belteshazzar, ^tchief of the magicians, because I know that ^uthe spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. 10 The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. 11 The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 ^vIts leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. ^wThe beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

13 “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a ^xwatcher, a ^yholy one, came down from heaven. 14 He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ^z‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. 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; and let seven periods of time pass over him. 17 The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, ^ato the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and ^bgives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’ 18 This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Daniel Interprets the Second Dream

19 ^cThen Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was dismayed for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies! 20 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 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 it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. 23 And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘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 seven 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 that ^dyou shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. 26 And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, ^eyour 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 practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation

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, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” 31 ^fWhile 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 and 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, until 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. 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.

Nebuchadnezzar Restored

34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I ^gblessed the Most High, and praised and honored ^hhim who lives forever,

36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for ⁿall his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

Jehoiachin Released from Prison

31 ^tAnd in the thirty-seventh year of the ^uexile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth day of the month, Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, graciously freed¹ Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison. 32 And he spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat above the seats of the kings who were with him in Babylon. 33 So Jehoiachin put off his prison garments. And every day of his life he dined regularly at the king’s table, 34 and for his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, according to his daily needs, until the day of his death, as long as he lived.

Daniel’s Vision of the Four Beasts

1 In the first year of ^oBelshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head ^pas he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter. 2 Daniel declared,¹ “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the ^qfour winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3 And four great ^rbeasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. 4 The first was ^slike a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it. 5 And behold, another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Arise, devour much flesh.’ 6 After this I looked, and behold, another, like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a ^tfourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ^uten horns. 8 I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a ^vlittle one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and ^wa mouth speaking great things.

The Ancient of Days Reigns

9 “As I looked,

11 “I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, ^ethe beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

The Son of Man Is Given Dominion

13 “I saw in the night visions,

Daniel’s Vision Interpreted

15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me² was anxious, and the visions of my head ^kalarmed me. 16 I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things. 17 ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. 18 But ^lthe saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’

19 “Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, 20 and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. 21 As I looked, this horn ^mmade war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.

23 “Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast,

28 “Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly ^ualarmed me, and ^vmy color changed, but I kept the matter in my heart.”

Daniel’s Vision of the Ram and the Goat

1 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after ^wthat which appeared to me at the first. 2 And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in ^xSusa the citadel, which is in the province of ^yElam. And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal. 3 I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. 4 I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. ^zHe did as he pleased and became great.

5 As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground. And the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. 6 He came to the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, and he ran at him in his powerful wrath. 7 I saw him come close to the ram, and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and broke his two horns. And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power. 8 Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and ^ainstead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.

9 Out of one of them came a ^blittle horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the ^cglorious land. 10 It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and ^dsome⁴ of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. 11 It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the ^eregular burnt offering was ^ftaken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown. 12 And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression,⁵ and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and ^gprosper. 13 Then I heard a ^hholy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, ⁱ“For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the ^jtransgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the ^ksanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?” 14 And he said to me,⁶ “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”

The Interpretation of the Vision

15 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it. And behold, there stood before me ^lone having the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, ^m“Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” 17 So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and ⁿfell on my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the ^otime of the end.”

18 And ^pwhen he had spoken to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. But he ^qtouched me and ^rmade me stand up. 19 He said, “Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the latter end of the ^sindignation, for it refers to the ^tappointed time of the end. 20 As for the ^uram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia. 21 And the ^vgoat⁷ is the king of ^wGreece. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king. 22 As for the horn that was broken, in place of which ^xfour others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his⁸ nation, but not with his power. 23 And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise. 24 His power shall be great—but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall ^ysucceed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints. 25 By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. ^zWithout warning he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken—but ^aby no human hand. 26 The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is ^btrue, but ^cseal up the vision, for ^dit refers to many days from now.”

27 ^eAnd I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days. Then I rose and went about the king’s business, but I was appalled by the vision and did not understand it.