DA-4:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and
languages, that
dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
DA-4:2 I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the
high God hath
wrought toward me.
DA-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.
DA-4:4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and
flourishing in my
palace:
DA-4:5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts
upon my bed and
the visions of my head troubled me.
DA-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.
DA-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.
DA-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],
DA-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.
DA-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.
DA-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:
DA-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.
DA-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;
DA-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:
DA-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:
DA-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.
DA-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.
DA-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.
DA-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.
DA-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;
DA-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:
DA-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.
DA-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;
DA-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:
DA-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.
DA-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.
DA-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.
DA-4:28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
DA-4:29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of
the kingdom of
Babylon.
DA-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?
DA-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.
DA-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.
DA-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].
DA-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:
DA-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?
DA-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.
DA-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.
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