Daniel 2:1–12

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

²In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed such dreams that his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him.^{* 2}So the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. When they came in and stood before the king,^{* 3}he said to them, “I have had such a dream that my spirit is troubled by the desire to understand it.”^{* 4}The Chaldeans said to the king (in Aramaic),^b “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will reveal the interpretation.”^{* 5}The king answered the Chaldeans, “This is a public decree: if you do not tell me both the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins.^{* 6}But if you do tell me the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”^{* 7}They answered a second time, “Let the king first tell his servants the dream, then we can give its interpretation.”^{* 8}The king answered, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time because you see the decree from me is firm: ⁹if you do not tell me the dream, there is but one verdict for you. You have agreed to speak lying and misleading words to me until things take a turn. Therefore, tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.”^{* 10}The Chaldeans answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can reveal what the king demands! In fact, no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. ¹¹The thing that the king is asking is too difficult, and no one can reveal it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.”^*

¹²Because of this the king flew into a violent rage and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed.