Daniel 4
New King James Version

Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream

4 Nebuchadnezzar the king,

^(A)To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:

Peace be multiplied to you.

²I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders^(B)that the Most High God has worked for me.

³^(C)How greatareHis signs,
And how mighty His wonders!
His kingdomis^(D)an everlasting kingdom,
And His dominionisfrom generation to generation.

⁴I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.⁵I saw a dream which made me afraid,^(E)and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head^(F)troubled me.⁶Therefore I issued a decree to bring in all the wisemenof Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.⁷^(G)Then the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told them the dream; but they did not make known to me its interpretation.⁸But at last Daniel came before me^(H)(his nameisBelteshazzar, according to the name of my god;^(I)in himisthe Spirit of the Holy God), and I told the dream before him,saying:⁹“Belteshazzar,^(J)chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy Godisin you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.

¹⁰“Thesewerethe visions of my headwhileon my bed:

I was looking, and behold,
^(K)A tree in the midst of the earth,
And its height was great.
¹¹The tree grew and became strong;
Its height reached to the heavens,
And it could be seen to the ends of all the earth.
¹²Its leaveswerelovely,
Its fruit abundant,
And in itwasfood for all.
^(L)The beasts of the field found shade under it,
The birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches,
And all flesh was fed from it.

¹³“I saw in the visions of my headwhileon my bed, and there was^(M)a watcher,^(N)a holy one, coming down from heaven.¹⁴He cried^[a]aloud and said thus:

^(O)‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,
Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.
^(P)Let the beasts get out from under it,
And the birds from its branches.
¹⁵Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth,
Boundwith a band of iron and bronze,
In the tender grass of the field.
Let it be wet with the dew of heaven,
Andlethim graze with the beasts
On the grass of the earth.
¹⁶Let his heart be changed fromthat ofa man,
Let him be given the heart of a beast,
And let seven^(Q)times^[b]pass over him.

¹⁷‘This decisionisby the decree of the watchers,
And the sentence by the word of the holy ones,
In order^(R)that the living may know
^(S)That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men,
^(T)Gives it to whomever He will,
And sets over it the^(U)lowest of men.’

¹⁸“This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation,^(V)since all the wisemenof my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but youareable,^(W)for the Spirit of the Holy Godisin you.”

Daniel Explains the Second Dream

¹⁹Then Daniel,^(X)whose namewasBelteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts^(Y)troubled him.Sothe king spoke, and said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you.”

Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord,may^(Z)the dream^[c]concern those who hate you, and its interpretation^[d]concern your enemies!

²⁰^(AA)“The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and whichcould beseen by all the earth,²¹whose leaveswerelovely and its fruit abundant, in whichwasfood for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home—²²^(AB)itisyou, O king, who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens,^(AC)and your dominion to the end of the earth.

²³^(AD)“And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth,boundwith a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven,^(AE)and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven^[e]times pass over him’;²⁴this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king:²⁵They shall^(AF)drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you^(AG)eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven^[f]times shall pass over you,^(AH)till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and^(AI)gives it to whomever He chooses.

²⁶“And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stumpandroots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that^(AJ)Heaven^[g]rules.²⁷Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you;^(AK)break off your sins bybeingrighteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy tothepoor.^(AL)Perhaps there may be^(AM)a^[h]lengthening of your prosperity.”

Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation

²⁸Allthiscame upon King Nebuchadnezzar.²⁹At the end of the twelve months he was walking^[i]about the royal palace of Babylon.³⁰The king^(AN)spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?”

³¹^(AO)While the wordwas stillin the king’s mouth,^(AP)a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you!³²And^(AQ)they shall drive you from men, and your dwellingshall bewith the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven^[j]times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.”

³³That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’feathersand his nails like birds’claws.

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

³⁴And^(AR)at the end of the^[k]time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him^(AS)who lives forever:

For His dominionis^(AT)an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdomisfrom generation to generation.
³⁵^(AU)All the inhabitants of the eartharereputed as nothing;
^(AV)He does according to His will in the army of heaven
Andamongthe inhabitants of the earth.
^(AW)No one can restrain His hand
Or say to Him,^(AX)“What have You done?”

³⁶At the same time my reason returned to me,^(AY)and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was^(AZ)restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was^(BA)added to me.³⁷Now I, Nebuchadnezzar,^(BB)praise and extol and honor the King of heaven,^(BC)all of whose worksaretruth, and His ways justice.^(BD)And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.