Daniel 4–6

Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream

^4kKing Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages that live throughout the earth: May you have abundant prosperity!^{* 2}The signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me I am pleased to recount.^*

³How great are his signs,

how mighty his wonders!

His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and his sovereignty is from generation to generation.^*

^4lI, Nebuchadnezzar, was living at ease in my home and prospering in my palace.^{* 5}I saw a dream that frightened me; my fantasies in bed and the visions of my head terrified me.^{* 6}So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, in order that they might tell me the interpretation of the dream.^{* 7}Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not tell me its interpretation.^{* 8}At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god and who is endowed with a spirit of the holy gods^m—and I told him the dream:^{* 9}“O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that you are endowed with a spirit of the holy godsⁿ and that no mystery is too difficult for you. Hear^o the dream that I saw, and tell me its interpretation.^*

^10pUpon my bed this is what I saw:

there was a tree at the center of the earth,

and its height was great.^*

¹¹The tree grew great and strong,

its top reached to heaven,

and it was visible to the ends of the whole earth.

¹²Its foliage was beautiful,

its fruit abundant,

and it provided food for all.

The animals of the field found shade under it,

the birds of the air nested in its branches,

and from it all living beings were fed.^*

¹³“I continued looking, in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and there was a holy watcher coming down from heaven.^{* 14}He cried aloud and said:

‘Cut down the tree and chop off its branches;

strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit.

Let the animals flee from beneath it

and the birds from its branches.^*

¹⁵But leave its stump and roots in the ground,

with a band of iron and bronze,

in the tender grass of the field.

Let him be bathed with the dew of heaven,

and let his lot be with the animals

in the grass of the earth.

¹⁶Let his mind be changed from that of a human,

and let the mind of an animal be given to him.

And let seven times pass over him.^*

¹⁷The sentence is rendered by decree of the watchers,

the decision is given by order of the holy ones,

in order that all who live may know

that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of mortals;

he gives it to whom he will

and sets over it the lowliest of human beings.’^*

¹⁸“This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are unable to tell me the interpretation. You are able, however, for you are endowed with a spirit of the holy gods.”^q*

Daniel Interprets the Second Dream

¹⁹Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was severely distressed for a while. His thoughts terrified him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or the interpretation terrify you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies!^{* 20}The tree that you saw, which grew great and strong so that its top reached to heaven and was visible to the whole earth,^{* 21}whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and which provided food for all, under which animals of the field lived and in whose branches the birds of the air had nests—²²it is you, O king! You have grown great and strong. Your greatness has increased and reaches to heaven, and your sovereignty to the ends of the earth.^{* 23}And whereas the king saw a holy watcher coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, and let him be bathed with the dew of heaven, and let his lot be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him’^*—²⁴this is the interpretation, O king, and it is a decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king: ²⁵You shall be driven away from human society, and your dwelling shall be with the wild animals. You shall be made to eat grass like oxen, you shall be bathed with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, until you have learned that the Most High has sovereignty over the kingdom of mortals and gives it to whom he will.^{* 26}As it was commanded to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be reestablished for you from the time that you learn that Heaven is sovereign.^{* 27}Therefore, O king, may my counsel be acceptable to you: atone for^r your sins with righteousness and your iniquities with mercy to the oppressed, so that your prosperity may be prolonged.”^*

Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation

²⁸All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar.^{* 29}At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, ³⁰and the king said, “Is this not magnificent Babylon, which I have built as a royal capital by my mighty power and for my glorious majesty?”^{* 31}While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came down from heaven: “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: The kingdom is taken from you!^{* 32}You shall be driven away from human society, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like oxen, and seven times shall pass over you, until you have learned that the Most High has sovereignty over the kingdom of mortals and gives it to whom he will.” ³³Immediately the sentence was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven away from human society, he ate grass like oxen, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails became like birds’ claws.^*

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

³⁴When that period was over, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me.

I blessed the Most High

and praised and honored the one who lives forever.

For his sovereignty is an everlasting sovereignty,

and his kingdom endures from generation to generation.^*

³⁵All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,

and he does what he wills with the host of heaven

and the inhabitants of the earth.

There is no one who can stay his hand

or say to him, “What have you done?”^*

³⁶At that time my reason returned to me, and my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom. My counselors and my lords sought me out, I was reestablished over my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me.^{* 37}Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven,

for all his works are truth,

and his ways are justice;

he is able to bring low

those who walk in pride.^*

Belshazzar’s Feast

⁵King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand.^*

²Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar commanded that they bring in the vessels of gold and silver that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.^{* 3}So they brought in the vessels of gold that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. ⁴They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.^*

The Writing on the Wall

⁵Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the wall of the royal palace, next to the lampstand. The king was watching the hand as it wrote.^{* 6}Then the king’s face turned pale, and his thoughts terrified him. His limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.^{* 7}The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners, and the king said to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever can read this writing and tell me its interpretation shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around his neck, and rank third in the kingdom.”^{* 8}Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king the interpretation.^{* 9}Then King Belshazzar became greatly terrified, and his face turned pale, and his lords were perplexed.^*

¹⁰The queen, when she heard the discussion of the king and his lords, came into the banquet hall. The queen said, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts terrify you or your face grow pale.^{* 11}There is a man in your kingdom who is endowed with a spirit of the holy gods.^s In the days of your father he was found to have enlightenment, understanding, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners,^{t* 12}because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will reveal the interpretation.”^*

The Writing on the Wall Interpreted

¹³Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king said to Daniel, “So you are Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah?^{* 14}I have heard of you that a spirit of the gods^u is in you and that enlightenment, understanding, and excellent wisdom are found in you. ¹⁵Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and tell me its interpretation, but they were not able to reveal the interpretation of the matter. ¹⁶But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you are able to read the writing and tell me its interpretation, you shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around your neck, and rank third in the kingdom.”^*

¹⁷Then Daniel answered in the presence of the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, or give…