Daniel 4:1-37 NIV
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of a
Tree
1King
Nebuchadnezzar,
To the
nations and peoples of every language, who live in all the earth:
May you
prosper greatly!
2It is
my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most
High God has performed for me.
3
How great are His Signs,
how Mighty His Wonders!
His Kingdom is an Eternal Kingdom;
His Dominion endures from
generation to generation.
4I,
Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. 5I had a
dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in bed, the images and visions that
passed through my mind terrified me. 6So I
commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret
the dream for me. 7When
the magicians, enchanters, astrologersa and diviners came, I told them the dream,
but they could not interpret it for me. 8Finally,
Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called
Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in
him.)
9I said,
“Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods
is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret
it for me. 10These
are the visions I saw while lying in bed: I looked, and there before me stood a
tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. 11The
tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the
ends of the earth. 12Its
leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it
the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it
every creature was fed.
13“In the
visions I saw while lying in bed, I looked, and there before me was a Holy One,
a Messenger,b coming down from heaven. 14He
called in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off
its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the
birds from its branches. 15But let
the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in
the grass of the field.
“ ‘Let him be drenched with the
dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. 16Let his
mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal,
till seven timesc pass by for him.
17“ ‘The
decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that
the living may know that the Most High is Sovereign over all kingdoms on earth
and gives them to anyone He wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.’
18“This
is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what
it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But
you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
Daniel Interprets the Dream
19Then
Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his
thoughts terrified him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream
or its meaning alarm you.”
Belteshazzar answered, “My
lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your
adversaries! 20The
tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky,
visible to the whole earth, 21with
beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to
the wild animals, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds—22Your majesty,
you are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown
until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the
earth.
23“Your
majesty saw a Holy One, a Messenger, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut
down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze,
in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be
drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live with the wild animals, until
seven times pass by for him.’
24“This
is the interpretation, Your majesty, and this is the Decree the Most High has
issued against my lord the king: 25You
will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will
eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will
pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is Sovereign over all
kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone He wishes. 26The
command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom
will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. 27Therefore,
Your majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what
is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that
then your prosperity will continue.”
The Dream Is Fulfilled
28All
this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29Twelve
months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of
Babylon, 30he
said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my
mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”
31Even as
the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed
for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32You
will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will
eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge
that the Most High is Sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to
anyone He wishes.”
33Immediately
what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from
people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven
until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws
of a bird.
34At the
end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my
sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified Him
Who lives forever.
His Dominion is an Eternal Dominion;
His Kingdom endures from generation
to generation.
35All the peoples of the earth
are regarded as nothing.
He does as He pleases
with the Powers of Heaven
and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back His Hand
or say to Him: “What have You
done?”
36At the
same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to
me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was
restored to my throne and became even greater than before. 37Now I,
Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of Heaven, because
everything He does is right and all His ways are just. And those who walk in
pride He is able to humble.
This chapter was
written by Nebuchadnezzar himself; and was either taken out of his archives, or
given by him to Daniel, who under divine inspiration inserted it into this work
of his; and a very useful instruction it contains, showing the Sovereignty of God
over the greatest kings and potentates of the earth, and this acknowledged by
one of the proudest monarchs that ever lived upon it.
It begins with a
preface, saluting all nations, and declaring the Greatness and Power of God, Daniel 4:1 then follows the narrative
of a dream the king dreamed, which troubled him; upon which he called for his
wise men to interpret it, but in vain; at length he told it to Daniel, Daniel 4:4, the dream
itself; which being told, astonished Daniel, the king being so much interested
in it, Daniel 4:10,
the interpretation of it, with Daniel's advice upon it, is in Daniel 4:20 the fulfillment of it,
time and occasion thereof, Daniel 4:28.
Nebuchadnezzar's restoration to his reason and kingdom, for which he praises
God, Daniel 4:34.
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