Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
1 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamt of things that troubled his spirit, and he was unable to sleep. 2 Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be called to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 The king said to them, “I have dreamt a dream, and I am deeply troubled to know the meaning of the dream.”
4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in the Syrian language, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.”
5 The king answered the Chaldeans, “This is my final word: If you don’t make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be cut in pieces, and your houses will be turned to rubble. 6 But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me, gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.”
7 They answered the second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.”
8 The king answered, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see my word is final. 9 But if you don’t make known to me the dream, there is but one decree for you, for you have prepared false and corrupt words to speak before me, until the situation changes. Therefore tell me the dream, and I will know that you can show me its interpretation.”
10 The Chaldeans answered before the king and said, “There is not a man on the earth who can fulfill this demand of the king, because no king, lord, or ruler, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean. 11 It is a difficult thing that the king requires, and there is no other who can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortal flesh.”
12 Because of this, the king was fiercely enraged and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. 13 So the decree went out, and the wise men were to be slain. Daniel and his companions were sought for execution.
The Dream Revealed to Daniel
14 Then, with counsel and prudence, Daniel returned an answer to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. 15 He answered Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree so urgent from the king?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. 16 Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him time, and he would show the king the interpretation.
17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 so that they would seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this secret, that Daniel and his companions would not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision during the night, and Daniel praised the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered,
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
for wisdom and might are his.
21 He changes the times and the seasons.
He removes kings and sets up kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise,
and knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 He reveals deep and secret things.
He knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with him.
23 I thank you, and praise you,
God of my fathers,
who has given me wisdom and might,
and have now made known to me what we desired of you;
for you have made known to us the king’s dream.”
Daniel Interprets the Dream
24 Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said this to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon. Bring me before the king, and I will show to the king the interpretation.”
25 Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king and said this to him, “I have found a man from among the exiles of Judah who will reveal to the king the interpretation.”
26 The king answered Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to reveal to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?”
27 Daniel answered before the king and said, “The secret which the king has demanded cannot be shown to the king by wise men, enchanters, magicians, or soothsayers, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions in your head as you lay on your bed, are these:
29 “As for you, O king, your thoughts came to you while on your bed, what should happen in the future; and he who reveals secrets has made known to you what will happen. 30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me through any wisdom that I have above anyone alive, but for this purpose, the interpretation may be made known to the king, that you may know the thoughts of your heart.
31 You, O king, looked and saw a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and its appearance was terrifying. 32 As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay. 34 You looked until a stone was cut out, not by human hands, and the stone struck the image on its feet that were made of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. The stone that struck the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
36 This is the dream, and we will tell its interpretation before the king. 37 You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, and its power, the strength, and the glory. 38 Wherever mankind dwells, he has given the animals of the field and the birds of the sky into your hand and has made you rule over them all. You are the head of gold.
39 After you, another kingdom will arise that is inferior to you and another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth. 40 The fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, because iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things, and as iron that crushes all these, it will break in pieces and crush. 41 Just as you saw the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, so it will be a divided kingdom, but there will be in it, the strength of the iron because you saw the iron mixed with miry clay. 42 As the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong, and partly broken. 43 Just as you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, so they will mingle themselves with the seed of men, but they will not cling to one another, as iron does not mix with clay.
44 In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left to another people; but it will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever. 45 Because you saw that a stone was cut from the mountain without hands, and that it broke the iron in pieces, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, so the great God has made known to the king what will happen in the future. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”
Nebuchadnezzar Promotes Daniel
46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, worshiped Daniel, and commanded that they should make an offering and present sweet incense to him. 47 The king responded to Daniel, and said, “Truly your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you have been able to reveal this secret.”
48 Then the king made Daniel great and gave him many great gifts and made him rule over the whole province of Babylon and to be chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon, but Daniel remained within the king’s gate.