Nebuchadnezzar Confesses God’s Kingdom 1 ULT King Nebuchadnezzar, to all of the peoples, nations, and languages that are dwelling in all of the earth. May your peace abound. BSB BSB: King Nebuchadnezzar, To the people of every nation and language who dwell in all the earth: May your prosperity be multiplied.
2 ULT It has seemed good before me to make known the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done with me. BSB BSB: I am pleased to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
3 ULT How great{ are} his signs, and how mighty{ are} his wonders! His kingdom{ is} a kingdom of eternity, and his dominion{ is} with generation and generation. BSB BSB: How great are His signs, how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; His dominion endures from generation to generation.
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of a Great Tree 4 ULT I, Nebuchadnezzar, was being secure in my house and prosperous in my palace. BSB BSB: I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace.
5 ULT I saw a dream and it frightened me. And the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head alarmed me. BSB BSB: I had a dream, and it frightened me; while I was in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me.
6 ULT And a decree was set from me to bring before me all of the wise men of Babylon, that they might make me know the interpretation of the dream. BSB BSB: So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me.
7 ULT Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners were coming in, and I was telling the dream before them, but they were not making me know its interpretation. BSB BSB: When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me.
8 ULT And until another came in before me, Daniel, whose name{ is} Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom{ is} the spirit of the holy gods, and I told the dream before him. BSB BSB: But at last, into my presence came Daniel (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods). And I told him the dream:
9 ULT “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I am knowing that the spirit of the holy gods{ is} in you and every mystery is not constraining you, tell{ me} the visions of my dream that I have seen and its interpretation. BSB BSB: “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery baffles you. So explain to me the visions I saw in my dream, and their interpretation.
10 ULT And the visions of my head upon my bed: I was looking, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height{ was} great. BSB BSB: In these visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this come to pass: There was a tree in the midst of the land, and its height was great.
11 ULT The tree became great, and it became strong, and its height reached to the heavens, and its sight, to the end of all of the earth. BSB BSB: The tree grew large and strong; its top reached the sky, and it was visible to the ends of the earth.
12 ULT Its foliage{ was} beautiful, and its fruit{ was} great, and food for all{ was} in it. The beast of the field had shade beneath it, and the birds of the heavens dwelled in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it. BSB BSB: Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and upon it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, in its branches the birds of the air nested, and from it every creature was fed.
13 ULT I was looking in the visions of my head upon my bed, and behold, a watcher and a holy{ one} was coming down from the heavens. BSB BSB: As I lay on my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven.
14 ULT He called out in strength, and thus he was saying,‘Cut down the tree and cut off its branches, shake off its foliage, and scatter its fruit. Let the beast flee from beneath it, and the birds, from its branches. BSB BSB: He called out in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.
15 ULT But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and with a band of iron and bronze, in the grass of the field. And let it be wet with the dew of the heavens, and{ let} its portion{ be} with the beast in the grass of the earth. BSB BSB: But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven and graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth.
16 ULT Let his heart be changed from a man, and let the heart of a beast be given to him, and let seven times pass over him. BSB BSB: Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and let him be given the mind of a beast till seven times pass him by.
17 ULT The matter{ is} by a decree of the watchers, and the decision{ is} from a command of the holy ones, for the purpose that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the kingdom of man, and to whom that he wishes, he gives it, and he sets up over it the lowest of men.’ BSB BSB: This decision is the decree of the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones, so that the living will know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes, setting over it the lowliest of men.’
18 ULT I saw this dream, I, King Nebuchadnezzar. And you, Belteshazzar, tell the interpretation, all before that all of the wise men of my kingdom are not being able to make me know the interpretation. But you are being able because the spirit of the holy gods{ is} in you.” BSB BSB: This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you are able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
Daniel Interprets the Second Dream 19 ULT Then Daniel, whose name{ was} Belteshazzar, was appalled for a moment, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and was saying,“Belteshazzar, may the dream and the interpretation not alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and was saying,“My lord,{ may} the dream{ be} for the ones hating you and its interpretation, for your enemies. BSB BSB: For a time, Daniel, who was also known as Belteshazzar, was perplexed, and his thoughts alarmed him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.” “My lord,” replied Belteshazzar, “may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies!
20 ULT The tree that you saw, which became great and became strong, and its height reached to the heavens and its sight, to all of the earth, BSB BSB: The tree you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached the sky and was visible to all the earth,
21 ULT and its foliage{ was} beautiful, and its fruit{ was} great, and food for all{ was} in it; under it the beast of the field dwelled, and in its branches the birds of the heavens resided, BSB BSB: whose foliage was beautiful and whose fruit was abundant, providing food for all, under which the beasts of the field lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air nested—
22 ULT it{ is} you, O king, who have become great and have become strong. And your greatness has become great and has reached to the heavens, and your dominion, to the end of the earth. BSB BSB: you, O king, are that tree! For you have become great and strong; your greatness has grown to reach the sky, and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth.
23 ULT And that the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from the heavens and saying,‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and with a band of iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of the heavens, and let its portion be with the beast of the field until that seven times pass over him,’ BSB BSB: And you, O king, saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying: ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and graze with the beasts of the field till seven times pass him by.’
24 ULT this{ is} the interpretation, O king, and it{ is} the decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king, BSB BSB: This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree that the Most High has issued against my lord the king:
25 ULT that they will be driving you from man, and your dwelling will be with the beast of the field. And they will feed you grass like oxen, and they will be wetting you with the dew of the heavens. And seven times will pass over you until that you know that the Most High{ is} ruler over the kingdom of man and to whom that he wishes, he gives it. BSB BSB: You will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. You will feed on grass like an ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.
26 ULT And that they said to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom{ will be} enduring for you from that you know that the heavens{ are} ruler. BSB BSB: As for the command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be restored to you as soon as you acknowledge that Heaven rules.
27 ULT Therefore, O king, may my counsel seem good to you, and may you break off your sin in righteousness and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, if there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.” BSB BSB: Therefore, may my advice be pleasing to you, O king. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed. Perhaps there will be an extension of your prosperity.”
The Second Dream Fulfilled 28 ULT The whole came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. BSB BSB: All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.
29 ULT At the end of 12 months, he was walking upon the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. BSB BSB: Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,
31 ULT The word{ was} still in the mouth of the king; a voice fell from the heavens:“To you they are saying, O King Nebuchadnezzar,‘The kingdom has passed from you. BSB BSB: While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “It is decreed to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that the kingdom has departed from you.
32 ULT And they will be driving you from man, and your dwelling will be with the beast of the field. They will feed you grass like oxen, and seven times will pass over you until that you know that the Most High{ is} ruler over the kingdom of man, and to whom that he wishes, he gives it.’” BSB BSB: You will be driven away from mankind to live with the beasts of the field, and you will feed on grass like an ox. And seven times will pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.”
33 ULT In that moment, the word finished against Nebuchadnezzar. And he was driven from man, and he ate grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the heavens until that his hair had become great like eagles and his nails, like birds. BSB BSB: At that moment the sentence against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from mankind. He ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
Nebuchadnezzar Restored 34 ULT But at the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward the heavens, and my reason returned to me. And I blessed the Most High, and I praised and glorified the one living forever. For his dominion is a dominion of eternity, and his kingdom{ is} with generation and generation. BSB BSB: But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives forever: “For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35 ULT And all of the dwellers of the earth are being regarded{ as} nothing, and as he wishes, he is doing among the army of the heavens and the dwellers of the earth. And there is none who strikes his hand or says to him,“What are you doing?” BSB BSB: All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”
36 ULT At that time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and my splendor returned to me. And my counselors and my nobles sought me, and my kingdom was established to me, and exceeding greatness was added to me. BSB BSB: At the same time my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne, and surpassing greatness was added to me.
37 ULT Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, am praising and exalting and glorifying the King of the heavens, for all of his deeds are truth and his ways are justice, and{ those} who are walking about in pride, he is able to humble. BSB BSB: Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride.
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