Book of Daniel, Chapter 4
Daniel 4 NASB - New American Standard BibleChapter 4 of Daniel—New American Standard Bible (NASB)
- ¶ [a]Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every [b]language that live in all the earth: “May your [c]1peace abound!
- It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the 2Most High God has done for me.
- ¶ “How great are His 3signs
And how mighty are His wonders!
His 4kingdom is an everlasting kingdom
And His dominion is from generation to generation. - ¶ “[d]I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and 5flourishing in my palace.
- I saw a 6dream and it made me fearful; and these fantasies as I lay on my bed and the 7visions [e]in my mind kept alarming me.
- So I gave orders to 8bring into my presence all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.
- Then the [f]9magicians, the conjurers, the [g]Chaldeans and the diviners came in and I related the dream [h]to them, but they could not make its 10interpretation known to me.
- But finally Daniel came in before me, whose name is 11Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is [i]12a spirit of the holy gods; and I related the dream [j]to him, saying,
- ‘O Belteshazzar, 13chief of the magicians, since I know that 14a spirit of the holy gods is in you and 15no mystery baffles you, 16tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, along with its interpretation.
- ¶ ‘Now these were the 17visions [k]in my mind as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, there was a 18tree in the midst of the [l]earth and its height was great.
- ¶ ‘The tree grew large and became strong
And its height 19reached to the sky,
And it was visible to the end of the whole earth. - ‘Its foliage was 20beautiful and its fruit abundant,
And in it was food for all.
The 21beasts of the field found 22shade under it,
And the 23birds of the sky dwelt in its branches,
And all [m]living creatures fed themselves from it. - ¶ ‘I was looking in the 24visions [n]in my mind as I lay on my bed, and behold, 25an angelic watcher, a 26holy one, descended from heaven.
- ¶ ‘He shouted out and spoke as follows:
27Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,
Strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit;
Let the 28beasts flee from under it
And the birds from its branches. - “Yet 29leave the stump [o]with its roots in the ground,
But with a band of iron and bronze around it
In the new grass of the field;
And let him be drenched with the dew of heaven,
And let [p]him share with the beasts in the grass of the earth. - “Let his [q]mind be changed from that of a man
And let a beast’s [r]mind be given to him,
And let 30seven [s]periods of time pass over him. - “This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers
And the decision is a command of the holy ones,
In order that the living may 31know
That the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind,
And 32bestows it on whom He wishes
And sets over it the 33lowliest of men.” - ¶ This is the dream which I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me its interpretation, inasmuch as none of the 34wise men of my kingdom is able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for a 35spirit of the holy gods is in you.’
- ¶ “Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while as his 36thoughts alarmed him. The king responded and said, ‘Belteshazzar, do not 37let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.’ Belteshazzar replied, ‘38My lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you and its interpretation to 39your adversaries!
- The 40tree that you saw, which became large and grew strong, whose height reached to the sky and was visible to all the earth
- and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt and in whose branches the birds of the sky lodged—
- it is 41you, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your [t]majesty has become great and reached to the sky and your 42dominion to the end of the earth.
- In that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, “43Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump [u]with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let [v]him share with the beasts of the field until 44seven [w]periods of time pass over him,”
- this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has 45come upon my lord the king:
- that you be 46driven away from mankind and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven [x]periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the 47Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and 48bestows it on whomever He wishes.
- And in that it was commanded to 49leave the stump [y]with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will be [z]assured to you after you recognize that it is 50Heaven that rules.
- Therefore, O king, may my 51advice be pleasing to you: [aa]52break away now from your sins by doing righteousness and from your iniquities by 53showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a 54prolonging of your prosperity.’
- ¶ “All this 55happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king.
- 56Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon.
- The king [ab]reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the 57great, which I myself have built as a royal [ac]residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’
- While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice [ad]came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: [ae]sovereignty has been removed from you,
- and 58you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and 59seven [af]periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the 60Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’
- Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was 61driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
- ¶ “But at the end of [ag]that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my [ah]reason returned to me, and I blessed the 62Most High and praised and honored 63Him who lives forever;
¶ For His dominion is an 64everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom endures from generation to generation. - “65All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
But 66He does according to His will in the host of heaven
And among the inhabitants of earth;
And 67no one can [ai]ward off His hand
Or say to Him, ‘68What have You done?’ - ¶ At that time my [aj]69reason returned to me. And my majesty and 70splendor were [ak]restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my [al]sovereignty, and surpassing 71greatness was added to me.
- Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of 72heaven, for 73all His works are [am]true and His ways [an]just, and He is able to humble those who 74walk in pride.”
FOOTNOTES
- ^ Ch 3:31 in Aram
- ^ Lit tongue
- ^ Or welfare or prosperity
- ^ Ch 4:1 in Aram
- ^ Lit of my head
- ^ Or soothsayer priests, and so throughout the ch
- ^ Or master astrologers
- ^ Lit before
- ^ Or possibly the Spirit of the holy God, and so throughout the ch
- ^ Lit before
- ^ Lit of my head
- ^ Or land, and so throughout the ch
- ^ Lit flesh
- ^ Lit of my head
- ^ Lit of
- ^ Lit his portion be with
- ^ Lit heart
- ^ Lit heart
- ^ I.e. years
- ^ Lit greatness
- ^ Lit of
- ^ Lit his portion be with
- ^ I.e. years
- ^ I.e. years
- ^ Lit of
- ^ Lit enduring
- ^ Or redeem now your sins
- ^ Lit answered
- ^ Lit house
- ^ Lit fell
- ^ Or kingdom
- ^ I.e. years
- ^ Lit the days
- ^ Lit knowledge
- ^ Lit strike against
- ^ Lit knowledge
- ^ Lit returning
- ^ Or kingdom
- ^ Lit truth
- ^ Lit justice
REFERENCES
- ^ Ezr 4:17; Da 6:25
- ^ Da 3:26; 4:17, 24, 25, 32, 34
- ^ Ps 77:19; 105:27; Is 25:1; Da 6:27
- ^ Da 2:44; 4:34; 6:26
- ^ Ps 30:6; Is 47:7, 8
- ^ Da 2:3
- ^ Da 2:1, 28; 4:10, 13
- ^ Ge 41:8; Da 2:2
- ^ Ge 41:8; Da 2:10, 27; 5:7
- ^ Is 44:25; Je 27:9, 10; Da 2:7
- ^ Da 1:7; 2:26; 5:12
- ^ Da 4:9, 18; 5:11, 14
- ^ Da 1:20; 2:48; 5:11
- ^ Ge 41:38; Da 4:8
- ^ Eze 28:3; Da 2:47
- ^ Ge 41:15; Da 2:4, 5
- ^ Da 4:5
- ^ Eze 31:3, 6
- ^ De 9:1; Da 4:21, 22
- ^ Eze 31:7
- ^ Je 27:6; Eze 31:6
- ^ La 4:20
- ^ Eze 17:23; Mt 13:32; Lu 13:19
- ^ Da 7:1
- ^ Da 4:17, 23
- ^ De 33:2; Ps 89:7; Da 8:13
- ^ Eze 31:10-14; Da 4:23; Mt 3:10; 7:19; Lu 13:7-9
- ^ Eze 31:12, 13; Da 4:12
- ^ Jb 14:7-9
- ^ Da 4:23, 25, 32
- ^ Ps 9:16; 83:18; Da 2:21; 5:21
- ^ Je 27:5-7; Da 4:25; 5:18, 19
- ^ 1Sa 2:8; Da 11:21
- ^ Ge 41:8, 15; Da 4:7; 5:8, 15
- ^ Da 4:8, 9
- ^ Je 4:19; Da 7:15, 28; 8:27; 10:16, 17
- ^ 1Sa 3:17; Da 4:4, 5
- ^ 2Sa 18:31; Da 4:24; 10:16
- ^ 2Sa 18:32
- ^ Da 4:10-12
- ^ 2Sa 12:7; Da 2:37, 38
- ^ Je 27:6, 7
- ^ Da 4:14, 15
- ^ Da 4:16
- ^ Jb 40:11, 12; Ps 107:40
- ^ Da 4:33; 5:21
- ^ Ps 83:18; Je 27:5; Da 4:2, 17
- ^ Da 2:37; 4:17; 5:21
- ^ Da 4:15, 23
- ^ Da 2:18, 19, 28, 37, 44; 4:31
- ^ Ge 41:33-37
- ^ Pr 28:13; Is 55:6, 7; Eze 18:7, 21, 22; Ac 8:22
- ^ Ps 41:1-3; Is 58:6, 7, 10
- ^ 1Ki 21:29; Jon 3:9
- ^ Nu 23:19; Zc 1:6
- ^ 2Pe 3:9
- ^ Hab 2:4
- ^ Da 4:25
- ^ Da 4:16
- ^ Da 4:17
- ^ Da 4:25; 5:21
- ^ Da 4:2; 5:18, 21
- ^ Ps 102:24-27; Da 6:26; 12:7; Re 4:10
- ^ Ps 145:13; Je 10:10; Da 4:3; Mc 4:7; Lu 1:33
- ^ Ps 39:5; Is 40:15, 17
- ^ Ps 33:11; 115:3; 135:6; Da 6:27
- ^ Jb 42:2; Is 43:13
- ^ Jb 9:12; Is 45:9; Ro 9:20
- ^ 2Ch 33:12, 13; Da 4:34
- ^ Da 2:31
- ^ Pr 22:4; Da 4:22
- ^ Da 4:26; 5:23
- ^ De 32:4; Ps 33:4, 5; Is 5:16
- ^ Ex 18:11; Jb 40:11, 12; Da 5:20
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