Daniel 2:1–12

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams;^a his mind was troubled^b and he could not sleep.^c So the king summoned the magicians,^d enchanters, sorcerers^e and astrologers^f to tell him what he had dreamed.^g When they came in and stood before the king, he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles^h me and I want to know what it means.”

Then the astrologers answered the king,ⁱ “May the king live forever!^j Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided:^k If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces^l and your houses turned into piles of rubble.^m But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor.ⁿ So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.”

Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

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: If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one penalty^o 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.”^p

The astrologers^q answered the king, “There is not a person 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.^r What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods,^s and they do not live among human beings.”

This made the king so angry and furious^t that he ordered the execution^u of all the wise men of Babylon.