Nebuchadnezzar Confesses God's Kingdom
1Nebuchadnezzarthe king,unto allpeople,nations,and languages,that dwellin allthe earth;Peacebe multipliedunto you.2I thoughtit goodto shewthe signsand wondersthat the highGodhath wroughttowardme.
3Howgreat[are] his signs!and howmighty[are] his wonders!his kingdom[is] an everlastingkingdom,and his dominion[is] fromgenerationto generation.
Nebuchadnezzar's Dream of a Great Tree
4INebuchadnezzarwasat restin mine house,and flourishingin my palace:5I sawa dreamwhich made me afraid,and the thoughtsuponmy bedand the visionsof my headtroubledme.6ThereforemadeIa decreeto bringin allthe wise[men] of Babylonbeforeme, that they might make knownunto me the interpretationof the dream.7Thencamein the magicians,the astrologers,the Chaldeans,and the soothsayers:and Itoldthe dreambeforethem; but they did notmake knownunto me the interpretationthereof.8But atthe lastDanielcame inbefore me,whose name[was] Belteshazzar,according to the nameof my god,and in whom [is] the spiritof the holygods:and beforehim I toldthe dream,[saying],9O Belteshazzar,masterof the magicians,because Iknowthat the spiritof the holygods[is] in thee, and nosecrettroubleththee, tellme the visionsof my dreamthat I have seen,and the interpretationthereof.
10Thus [were] the visionsof mine headinmy bed;I saw,and beholda treein the midstof the earth,and the heightthereof [was] great.
11The treegrew,and was strong,and the heightthereof reachedunto heaven,and the sightthereof to the endof allthe earth:
12The leavesthereof [were] fair,and the fruitthereof much,and in it [was] meatfor all:the beastsof the fieldhad shadowunderit, and the fowlsof the heavendweltin the boughsthereof, and allfleshwas fedof it.
13I sawin the visionsof my headuponmy bed,and, behold,a watcherand an holy onecame downfromheaven;
14He criedaloud,and saidthus,Hew downthe tree,and cut offhis branches,shake offhis leaves,and scatterhis fruit:let the beastsget awayfromunder it,and the fowlsfromhis branches:
15Neverthelessleavethe stumpof his rootsin the earth,even with a bandof ironand brass,in the tender grassof the field;and let it be wetwith the dewof heaven,and [let] his portion[be] withthe beastsin the grassof the earth:
16Let his heartbe changedfromman's,and let a beast'sheartbe givenunto him; and let seventimespassoverhim.
17This matter[is] by the decreeof the watchers,and the demandby the wordof the holy ones:tothe intentthat the livingmay knowthat the most Highrulethin the kingdomof men,and givethit to whomsoeverhe will,and setteth upoverit the basestof men.
18ThisdreamIkingNebuchadnezzarhave seen.Now thou,O Belteshazzar,declarethe interpretationthereof, forasmuch asallthe wise[men] of my kingdomare notableto make knownunto me the interpretation:but thou[art] able;for the spiritof the holygods[is] in thee.
Daniel Interprets the Second Dream
19ThenDaniel,whose name[was] Belteshazzar,was astoniedfor onehour,and his thoughtstroubledhim. The kingspake,and said,Belteshazzar,let notthe dream,or the interpretationthereof, troublethee. Belteshazzaransweredand said,My lord,the dream[be] to them that hatethee, and the interpretationthereof to thine enemies.20The treethat thou sawest,which grew,and was strong,whose heightreachedunto the heaven,and the sightthereof to allthe earth;21Whose leaves[were] fair,and the fruitthereof much,and in it [was] meatfor all;underwhich the beastsof the fielddwelt,and upon whose branchesthe fowlsof the heavenhad their habitation:22It [is] thou,O king,that art grownand become strong:for thy greatnessis grown,and reachethunto heaven,and thy dominionto the endof the earth.23And whereas the kingsawa watcherand an holy onecoming downfromheaven,and saying,Hewthe treedown,and destroyit; yetleavethe stumpof the rootsthereof in the earth,even with a bandof ironand brass,in the tender grassof the field;and let it be wetwith the dewof heaven,and [let] his portion[be] withthe beastsof the field,tillseventimespassoverhim;24This[is] the interpretation,O king,and this[is] the decreeof the most High,which is comeuponmy lordthe king:25That they shall drivethee frommen,and thy dwellingshall bewiththe beastsof the field,and they shall make thee to eatgrassas oxen,and they shall wetthee with the dewof heaven,and seventimesshall passoverthee, tillthou knowthat the most Highrulethin the kingdomof men,and givethit to whomsoeverhe will.26And whereas they commandedto leavethe stumpof the treeroots;thy kingdomshall be sureunto thee, afterthat thou shalt have knownthat the heavensdo rule.27Wherefore,O king,let my counselbe acceptableunto thee,and break offthy sinsby righteousness,and thine iniquitiesby shewing mercyto the poor;ifit may bea lengtheningof thy tranquillity.
The Second Dream Fulfilled
28Allthis cameuponthe kingNebuchadnezzar.29At the endof twelvemonthshe walkedinthe palaceof the kingdomof Babylon.30The kingspake,and said,Is notthisgreatBabylon,that Ihave builtfor the houseof the kingdomby the mightof my power,and for the honourof my majesty?31Whilethe word[was] in the king'smouth,there fella voicefromheaven,[saying], O kingNebuchadnezzar,to thee it is spoken;The kingdomis departedfromthee.32And they shall drivethee frommen,and thy dwelling[shall be] withthe beastsof the field:they shall make thee to eatgrassas oxen,and seventimesshall passoverthee, untilthou knowthat the most Highrulethin the kingdomof men,and givethit to whomsoeverhe will.33The same hourwas the thingfulfilleduponNebuchadnezzar:and he was drivenfrommen,and did eatgrassas oxen,and his bodywas wetwith the dewof heaven,tillhis hairswere grownlike eagles'[feathers], and his nailslike birds'[claws].
Nebuchadnezzar's Restoration
34And at the endof the daysINebuchadnezzarlifted upmine eyesunto heaven,and mine understandingreturnedunto me,and I blessedthe most High,and I praisedand honouredhim that livethfor ever,whose dominion[is] an everlastingdominion,and his kingdom[is] fromgenerationto generation:
35And allthe inhabitantsof the earth[are] reputedas nothing:and he doethaccording to his willin the armyof heaven,and [among] the inhabitantsof the earth:and nonecanstayhis hand,or sayunto him, Whatdoestthou?
36At the same timemy reasonreturnedunto me;and for the gloryof my kingdom,mine honourand brightnessreturnedunto me;and my counsellorsand my lordssoughtunto me;and I was establishedin my kingdom,and excellentmajestywas addedunto me.37NowINebuchadnezzarpraiseand extoland honourthe Kingof heaven,allwhose works[are] truth,and his waysjudgment:and those that walkin pridehe is ableto abase.
