Daniel 2:1–12

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

2Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; ^aand his spirit was so troubled that ^bhis sleep left him. ^2cThen the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. ³And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to ¹know the dream.”

⁴Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, ^d“O ²king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”

⁵The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “My ³decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be ^ecut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. ^6fHowever, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”

⁷They answered again and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation.”

⁸The king answered and said, “I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: ⁹if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the ⁴time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can ⁵give me its interpretation.”

¹⁰The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, “There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. ¹¹It is a ⁶difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king ^gexcept the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”

¹²For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.