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Daniel 4
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.
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