Daniel 4:21–37

21 and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt and in whose branches the birds of the sky lodged—

22 it is ayou, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your 1majesty has become great and reached to the sky and your bdominion to the end of the earth.

23 ‘In that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, “aChop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump 1with 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 2him share with the beasts of the field until bseven 3periods of time pass over him,”

24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has acome upon my lord the king:

25 that you be adriven away from mankind and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven 1periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the bMost High is ruler over the realm of mankind and cbestows it on whomever He wishes.

26 ‘And in that it was commanded to aleave the stump 1with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will be 2assured to you after you recognize that it is bHeaven that rules.

27 ‘Therefore, O king, may my aadvice be pleasing to you: 1bbreak away now from your sins by doing righteousness and from your iniquities by cshowing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a dprolonging of your prosperity.’

The Vision Fulfilled

28 “All this ahappened to Nebuchadnezzar the king.

29 “aTwelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon.

30 “The king 1reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the agreat, which I myself have built as a royal 2residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’

31 “While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice 1came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: 2sovereignty has been removed from you,

32 and ayou will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and bseven 1periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the cMost High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’

33 “Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was adriven 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 1that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my 2reason returned to me, and I blessed the aMost High and praised and honored bHim who lives forever;

For His dominion is an ceverlasting dominion,

And His kingdom endures from generation to generation.

35 “aAll the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,

But bHe does according to His will in the host of heaven

And among the inhabitants of earth;

And cno one can 1ward off His hand

Or say to Him, ‘dWhat have You done?’

36 “At that time my 1areason returned to me. And my majesty and bsplendor were 2restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my 3sovereignty, and surpassing cgreatness was added to me.

37 “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of aheaven, for ball His works are 1true and His ways 2just, and He is able to humble those who cwalk in pride.”