“1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages,
that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 2 I thought
it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought
toward me. 3 How great [are] his signs! and how mighty [are] his
wonders! his kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion [is]
from generation to generation.”
“4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my
palace: 5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my
bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 6 Therefore made I a decree
to bring in all the wise [men] of Babylon before me, that they might
make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then came in the
magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I
told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the
interpretation thereof. 8 But at the last Daniel came in before me,
whose name [was] Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in
whom [is] the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream,
[saying], 9 O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that
the spirit of the holy gods [is] in thee, and no secret troubleth thee,
tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation
thereof. 10 Thus [were] the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and
behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof [was]
great. 11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached
unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth: 12 The
leaves thereof [were] fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it [was]
meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls
of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher
and an holy one came down from heaven; 14 He cried aloud, and said thus,
Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and
scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls
from his branches: 15 Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the
earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the
field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and [let] his portion
[be] with the beasts in the grass of the earth: 16 Let his heart be
changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let
seven times pass over him. 17 This matter [is] by the decree of the
watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent
that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of
men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the
basest of men. 18 This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou,
O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the
wise [men] of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the
interpretation: but thou [art] able; for the spirit of the holy gods
[is] in thee.”
“19 Then Daniel, whose name [was] Belteshazzar, was astonied for one
hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said,
Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble
thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream [be] to them
that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies. 20 The
tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached
unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 21 Whose leaves
[were] fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it [was] meat for all;
under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the
fowls of the heaven had their habitation: 22 It [is] thou, O king, that
art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth
unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. 23 And whereas
the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and
saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the
roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the
tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and
[let] his portion [be] with the beasts of the field, till seven times
pass over him; 24 This [is] the interpretation, O king, and this [is]
the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: 25
That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the
beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and
they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass
over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of
men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 26 And whereas they commanded
to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto
thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. 27
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off
thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the
poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.”
“28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of
twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 30 The
king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for
the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of
my majesty? 31 While the word [was] in the king’s mouth, there fell a
voice from heaven, [saying], O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is
spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. 32 And they shall drive thee
from men, and thy dwelling [shall be] with the beasts of the field: they
shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over
thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men,
and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 33 The same hour was the thing
fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat
grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his
hairs were grown like eagles’ [feathers], and his nails like birds’
[claws].”
“34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes
unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the
most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose
dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom [is] from
generation to generation: 35 And all the inhabitants of the earth [are]
reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of
heaven, and [among] the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his
hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? 36 At the same time my reason
returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and
brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto
me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added
unto me. 37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of
heaven, all whose works [are] truth, and his ways judgment: and those
that walk in pride he is able to abase.” (Daniel 4:1-37 AV)
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