Daniel 2:1–18
2 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams;j his mind was troubledk and he could not sleep.l 2 So the king summoned the magicians,m enchanters, sorcerersn and astrologersa o to tell him what he had dreamed.p When they came in and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, “I have had a dream that troublesq me and I want to know what it means.b”
4 Then the astrologers answered the king,c r “May the king live forever!s Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”
5 The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided:t If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into piecesu and your houses turned into piles of rubble.v 6 But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor.w So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.”
7 Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”
8 Then the king answered, “I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: 9 If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one penaltyx for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.”y
10 The astrologersz answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer.a 11 What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods,b and they do not live among humans.”
12 This made the king so angry and furiousc that he ordered the executiond of all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death.e
14 When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. 15 He asked the king’s officer, “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. 16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.
17 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.f 18 He urged them to plead for mercyg from the God of heavenh concerning this mystery,i so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.