Nebuchadnezzar Declares the Most High God

1[†]Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every tongue that inhabit all the earth: “May your [†]peace abound! 2It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me.

3How great are His signs,

And how strong are His wonders!

His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

And His [†]dominion is from generation to generation.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of a Great Tree

4“[†]I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. 5I saw a dream, and it made me fearful; and these fantasies as I lay on my bed and the visions in my head kept alarming me. 6So I gave a decree to bring into my presence all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7Then the [†]magicians, the conjurers, the [†]Chaldeans, and the diviners came in, and I said the dream [†]to them, but they could not make its interpretation known to me. 8But at last Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is [†]a spirit of the holy gods; and I said the dream [†]to him: 9‘O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is difficult for you, say to me the visions of my dream which I have seen, along with its interpretation.

10‘Now these were the visions in my head as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the [†]earth, and its height was great.

11The tree grew large and became strong,

And its height reached to the sky,

And it was visible to the end of the whole earth.

12Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant,

And in it was food for all.

The beasts of the field found shade under it,

And the birds of the sky inhabited its branches,

And all flesh fed itself from it.

13‘I was looking in the visions in my head as I lay on my bed, and behold, a [†]watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven.

14He called out loudly and said thus:

“Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,

Strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit;

Let the beasts flee from under it

And the birds from its branches.

15Yet leave the stump [†]with its roots in the earth,

But with a band of iron and bronze around it

In the new grass of the field;

And let him be drenched with the dew of heaven,

And let [†]him share with the beasts in the grass of the earth.

16Let his heart be changed from that of a man,

And let the heart of a beast be given to him,

And let seven [†]periods of time pass over him.

17This edict is by the resolution of the watchers,

And the decision is a command of the holy ones,

In order that the living may know

That the Most High is the powerful ruler over the kingdom of mankind

And gives it to whom He wishes

And sets up over it the lowliest of men.”

18This is the dream which I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, say to me its interpretation, inasmuch as none of the wise men of my kingdom is able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.’

Daniel Interprets the Dream

19“Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while as his thoughts were alarming him. The king answered and said, ‘Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.’ Belteshazzar answered and said, ‘My lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you and its interpretation to your adversaries! 20The tree that you saw, which became large and grew strong, whose height reached to the sky and was visible to all the earth, 21and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field inhabited, and in whose branches the birds of the sky dwelt— 22it is you, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your greatness has become even greater and reached to the sky and your [†]dominion to the end of the earth. 23But in that the king saw a watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, “Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump [†]with its roots in the earth, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let [†]him share with the beasts of the field until seven [†]periods of time pass over him,” 24this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the resolution of the Most High, which has reached my lord the king: 25that you be driven away from mankind and your place of habitation be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven [†]periods of time will pass over you, until you know that the Most High is the powerful ruler over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whomever He wishes. 26And in that they said to leave the stump [†]with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will endure for you after you know that it is Heaven that rules with power. 27Therefore, O king, may my advice seem good to you: [†]break away now from your sins by doing righteousness and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.’

The Dream Is Accomplished

28“All this reached Nebuchadnezzar the king. 29At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. 30The king answered and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal house by the strength of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’ 31While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice [†]came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is said: the kingdom has been removed from you, 32and you will be driven away from mankind, and your place of habitation will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven [†]periods of time will pass over you until you know that the Most High is the powerful ruler over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whomever He wishes.’ 33Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was accomplished; and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.

34“But at the end of those days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes toward heaven, and my knowledge returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever;

For His [†]dominion is an everlasting [†]dominion,

And His kingdom endures from generation to generation.

35And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,

But He does according to His will in the host of heaven

And among the inhabitants of earth;

And no one can strike against His hand

Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’

36At that time my knowledge returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my high officials and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my kingdom, and extraordinary greatness was added to me. 37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are [†]true and His ways [†]just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”