Daniel 2:1–23

And ^ain the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith ^bhis spirit was troubled, and ^chis sleep brake from him. ^2ccThen the king commanded to call ^dthe magicians, and ^dthe astrologers, and ^ethe sorcerers, and ^fthe Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and ^gstood before the king. ³And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and ^bmy spirit was troubled to know the dream. ⁴Then spake ^fthe Chaldeans to the king in Syriack , ^ggO king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation. ⁵The king answered and said to ^fthe Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall ^hbe cut in pieces, and ^hiyour houses shall be made a dunghill. ⁶But ^kif ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me ^lgifts and rewards and great honour: ^mtherefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof. ⁷They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it. ⁸The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would ⁿgain the time, ⁿⁿbecause ye see the thing is gone from me. ⁹But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, ^othere is but one decree for you: for ye have ^pprepared lying and ^qcorrupt words to speak before me, ⁿtill the time be changed: ^mtherefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof. ^10fThe Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: ^rtherefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any ^dmagician, or ^dastrologer, or ^fChaldean. ¹¹And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, ^sexcept ^tthe gods, ^uwhose dwelling is not with flesh. ^12uuFor this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all ^vthe wise men of Babylon. ¹³And the decree went forth that ^vthe wise men should be slain; and they sought ^wDaniel and his fellows to be slain.

¹⁴Then Daniel answered with counsel and ^xwisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay ^vthe wise men of Babylon: ¹⁵he answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so ^xxhasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. ¹⁶Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation. ¹⁷Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to ^yHananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: ^18zthat they would desire mercies of ^athe God of heaven concerning this ^bsecret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of ^ccthe wise men of Babylon.

¹⁹Then was ^bthe secret revealed unto Daniel ^din a night vision. Then Daniel ^eblessed ^athe God of heaven. ²⁰Daniel answered and said,

^fBlessed be the name of God for ever and ever:

For ^gwisdom and might are his:

²¹And ^hhe changeth ⁱthe times and the seasons:

He ^klremoveth kings, and ^lsetteth up kings:

He giveth wisdom unto the wise,

And ^mknowledge to them that know understanding:

²²ⁿHe revealeth the deep and secret things:

^oHe knoweth what is in the darkness,

And ^pthe light dwelleth with him.

^23qI thank thee, and praise thee, O thou ^rGod of my fathers,

Who hast given me ^gwisdom and might,

And hast made known unto me now what ^swe desired of thee:

For thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.