Daniel 4
4
Nebuchadnezzar’s testimony
1 # 4.1 3:31 in Aram King Nebuchadnezzar’s message to all the peoples, nations, and languages inhabiting the entire earth: “I wish you much peace. 2I’m delighted to share the signs and miracles that the Most High God has worked in my life.
3His signs are superb!
His miracles so powerful!
His kingdom is everlasting.
His rule is for all time.
4 # 4.4 4:1 in Aram “While I, Nebuchadnezzar, was safe in my house, content in my palace, 5I had a terrifying dream. My thoughts while I was lying in bed and the vision in my mind overwhelmed me. 6I ordered all Babylon’s sages to come before me, so they might tell me the dream’s meaning. 7So the dream interpreters, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners came. I told them the dream, but they couldn’t interpret it for me. 8Daniel, who is called Belteshazzar after the name of my god, was the last to come before me. In him is the breath#4.8 Or spirit; also in 4:9, 18 of the holy gods! I told Daniel the dream:
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream
9“Belteshazzar, chief of the dream interpreters, I know the breath of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Tell me the meaning of the visions I had in my dream. 10In my mind, as I lay in bed, I saw a vision:
At the center of the earth was a towering tree.
11The tree grew in size and strength;
it was as high as the sky;
it could be seen from every corner of the earth.
12Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant;
it had enough food for everyone.
Wild animals took shade under it;
birds nested in its branches.
All living things lived off that tree.
13“In my mind, as I lay in bed, I saw another vision: A holy watcher came down from heaven. 14He proclaimed loudly:
‘Cut down the tree and shear off its branches!
Strip its leaves and scatter its fruit!
The creatures should flee from its shelter;
the birds should take flight from its branches.
15But leave its deepest root in the earth,
bound with iron and bronze in the field grass.
Dew from heaven is to wash it,
and it must live with the animals in the earth’s vegetation.
16Its#4.16 Throughout 4:15-16 and later in this chap, it and its could also be translated he and his. human mind is to be changed:
it will be given the mind of an animal.
Seven periods of time will pass over it.
17This sentence is by the watchers’ decree;
this decision is the holy ones’ word
so that all who live might know
that the Most High dominates human kingship.
The Most High gives kingship to anyone he wants
and sets over it the lowest of people.’
18“This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. So now Belteshazzar, tell me the meaning because all the sages in my kingdom were unable to interpret it for me. But you are able to do it because the breath of the holy gods is in you.”
Daniel interprets the visions
19Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar, was shocked for a bit. What he thought about frightened him.
The king declared, “Don’t let the dream and its meaning scare you, Belteshazzar.”
Then Belteshazzar answered, “Sir, I wish the dream to be for those who hate you and its meaning to be for your enemies! 20The tree you saw that grew in size and strength, that was as high as the sky, that could be seen from every corner of the earth, 21with its beautiful leaves and its abundant fruit, and that had enough food for everyone, with wild animals living under it and birds nesting in its branches— 22Your Majesty, that tree is you! You have grown large and become powerful. Your greatness is as high as the sky; your rule extends to the edge of the earth!
23“Your Majesty, the holy watcher you saw coming down from heaven, who said, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave its deepest root in the earth, bound with iron and bronze in the field grass, dew from heaven is to wash it, and it must live with the wild animals until seven periods of time pass over it’— 24Your Majesty, this is the dream’s meaning: It is the sentence of the Most High, delivered to my master the king. 25You will be driven away from other humans and will live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like cattle and will be washed by dew from heaven. Seven periods of time will pass over you, until you acknowledge that the Most High dominates human kingship, giving it to anyone he wants. 26And when he said to leave the deepest root of the tree—that means your kingship will again be yours, once you acknowledge that heaven rules all. 27Therefore, Your Majesty, please accept my advice: remove your sins by doing what is right; remove your wrongdoing by showing mercy to the poor. Then your safety will be long lasting.”
Visions come true
28All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29Twelve months later, he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon. 30The king declared, “Isn’t this Babylon, the magnificent city that I built as the royal house by my own mighty strength and for my own majestic glory?”
31These words hadn’t even left the king’s mouth when a voice came from heaven: “You, King Nebuchadnezzar, are now informed: Kingship is taken away from you. 32You will be driven away from other humans and will live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you acknowledge that the Most High dominates human kingship, giving it to anyone he wants.”
33Nebuchadnezzar’s sentence was immediately carried out. He was driven away from other humans and ate grass like cattle. Dew from heaven washed his body until he grew hair like eagles’ feathers and claws like a bird.
Nebuchadnezzar is restored
34“At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes to heaven. My reason returned to me, and I praised the Most High. I worshipped and glorified the one who lives forever because his rule is everlasting; his kingdom is for all time. 35All of earth’s inhabitants are nothing in comparison. The Most High does whatever he wants with heaven’s forces and with earth’s inhabitants. No one can contain his power or say to him, ‘What do you think you are doing?’ 36So at that moment my reason returned to me. My honor and splendor came back to me for the glory of my kingdom. My associates and my princes wanted to be with me again. Not only was I reinstated over my kingdom, I received more power than ever before.
37“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, worship, magnify, and glorify the king of heaven. All his works are truth, all his paths are justice, and he is able to humble all who walk in pride.”
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Daniel 4: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Dani’ĕl (Daniel) 4
4
1Neḇuḵaḏnetstsar the sovereign, to all peoples, nations and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be increased to you.
2I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High Elah has worked for me.
3How great are His signs, and how mighty His wonders! His reign is an everlasting reign, and His rulership is from generation to generation.
4I, Neḇuḵaḏnetstsar, was at rest in my house, and prospering in my palace.
5I saw a dream and it frightened me, and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head alarmed me.
6So I issued a decree to bring in all the wise ones of Baḇel before me, to make known to me the interpretation of the dream.
7So the magicians, the astrologers, the Kasdim, and the diviners came in, and I related the dream to them, but its interpretation they did not make known to me.
8And at last Dani’ĕl, whose name is Bĕlteshatstsar, according to the name of my elah, came before me. In him is the Spirit of the Set-apart Elahin. So I related the dream to him, saying,
9“Bĕlteshatstsar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Set-apart Elahin is in you, and no secret is too difficult for you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.
10“Now the visions of my head on my bed were these: I looked, and saw a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height great.
11“The tree became great and strong, and its height reached to the heavens, and it was visible to the ends of all the earth.
12“Its leaves were lovely, and its fruit plenty, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.
13“In the visions of my head on my bed, I looked and saw a Watcher, even a set-apart one, coming down from the heavens.
14“He cried aloud and said this, ‘Hew down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.
15But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field. And let it be wet with the dew of the heavens, and let his portion be with the beasts on the grass of the earth.
16Let his heart be changed from man’s, let him be given the heart of a beast, and seven times pass over him.
17This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the command by the word of the set-apart ones, so that the living know that the Most High is ruler in the reign of men, and gives it to whomever He wishes, and sets over it the lowest of men.’
18“This dream have I seen, I, Sovereign Neḇuḵaḏnetstsar. And you, Bĕlteshatstsar, reveal its interpretation, since all the wise ones of my reign are unable to make known to me the interpretation. But you are able, for the Spirit of the Set-apart Elahin is in you.”
19Then Dani’ĕl, whose name was Bĕlteshatstsar, was stunned for a short time, and his thoughts alarmed him. The sovereign responded and said, “Bĕlteshatstsar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.” Bĕlteshatstsar answered and said, “My master, the dream is to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies!
20“The tree you saw, which became great and strong, whose height reached to the heavens and was visible to all the earth,
21whose leaves were lovely and its fruit plenty, and in it was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and on whose branches the birds of the heavens sat –
22it is you, O sovereign, for you have become great and strong. And your greatness has grown, and has reached to the heavens and your rulership to the end of the earth.
23“And as the sovereign saw a Watcher, even a set-apart one, coming down from the heavens, and he said, ‘Hew down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field. And let it be wet with the dew of the heavens, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him’ –
24this is the interpretation, O sovereign, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my master the sovereign:
25“That you are going to be driven away from men, and your dwelling be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like oxen, and you be wetted with the dew of the heavens, and seven times pass over you, till you know that the Most High is ruler in the reign of men, and that He gives it to whomever He wishes.
26“And they that gave the command to leave the stump of its roots of the tree: your reign remains yours, from the time you come to know that the heavens are ruling.
27“Therefore, O sovereign, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your crookednesses by showing favour to the poor – your prosperity might be extended.”
28All this came upon Sovereign Neḇuḵaḏnetstsar.
29At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the palace of the reign of Baḇel.
30The sovereign spoke and said, “Is not this great Baḇel, which I myself have built, for the house of the reign, by the might of my power and for the esteem of my splendour?”
31The word was still in the sovereign’s mouth, when a voice fell from the heavens, “Sovereign Neḇuḵaḏnetstsar, to you it is spoken: the reign has been taken away from you,
32and you are driven away from men, and your dwelling is to be with the beasts of the field. You are given grass to eat like oxen, and seven seasons shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High is ruler in the reign of men, and He gives it to whomever He wishes.”
33In that hour the word was executed on Neḇuḵaḏnetstsar, and he was driven from men and he ate grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the heavens till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
34And at the end of the days I, Neḇuḵaḏnetstsar, lifted my eyes to the heavens, and my understanding returned to me. And I blessed the Most High and praised and made Him great who lives forever, whose rule is an everlasting rule, and His reign is from generation to generation.
35And all the inhabitants of the earth are of no account, and He does as He wishes with the host of the heavens and among the inhabitants of the earth. And there is none to strike against His hand or say to Him, “What have You done?”
36At the same time my understanding returned to me, and for the preciousness of my reign, my esteem and splendour were returning to me. And my counsellors and nobles sought me out, and I was re-established to my reign, and excellent greatness was added to me.
37Now I, Neḇuḵaḏnetstsar, am praising and exalting and esteeming the Sovereign of the heavens, for all His works are truth, and His ways right. And those who walk in pride He is able to humble.
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