Daniel
4:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and
languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
4:2 I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the high God hath
wrought toward me.
4:3 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.
4:4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:
4:5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the
visions of my head troubled me.
4:6 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.
4:7 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.
4:8 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],
4:9 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.
4:10 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.
4:11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven,
and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:
4:12 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.
4:13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an
holy one came down from heaven;
4:14 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:
4:15 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:
4:16 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.
4:17 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.
4:18 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.
4:19 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.
4:20 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached
unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;
4:21 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:
4:22 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.
4:23 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;
4:24 This [is] the interpretation, O king, and this [is] the decree of the most
High, which is come upon my lord the king:
4:25 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.
4:26 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.
4:27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off
thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if
it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
4:28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
4:29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of
Babylon.
4:30 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?
4:31 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.
4:32 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.
4:33 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].
4:34 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:
4:35 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?
4:36 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.
4:37 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.