Nebuchadnezzar Confesses God’s Kingdom 1 UST I, King Nebuchadnezzar, am writing to all of you people who live in my empire. You come from many different nations and groups, and you speak many different languages. I hope that all is well with you. BSB BSB: King Nebuchadnezzar, To the people of every nation and language who dwell in all the earth: May your prosperity be multiplied.
2 UST I want you to know the wonderful things that the Supreme God has done for me. BSB BSB: I am pleased to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
3 UST He performs great miracles; yes, he does very wonderful things. His kingdom will last forever; indeed, he will rule over every generation of people. 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 UST I, Nebuchadnezzar, was reigning firmly over my kingdom, and I was living comfortably in my palace. BSB BSB: I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace.
5 UST But one night I had a dream that scared me. What I saw in my dream as I was asleep in bed distressed me greatly. 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 UST So I sent an order to all the wise men in Babylon to come and tell me what my dream meant. 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 UST And various magicians, enchanters, advisors, and fortunetellers came to me. I told them what I had dreamed, but they could not tell me what it meant. 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 UST But finally a certain man, Daniel, came to me. One of my officials had given him the name Belteshazzar, which includes the name of one of my gods{, Bel}. The spirit of the holy gods is in him. I told him what I had dreamed. 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 UST I said,“Belteshazzar, you are the leader of my advisors. I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, so no mystery is too hard for you to explain. So I will tell you the dream that I saw, and you tell me what it means. 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 UST This is what I dreamed as I was lying in bed. In my dream, I saw a tree in the middle of the land. It was very tall. 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 UST It grew very big, and it became strong. It seemed that its top reached up to the sky, so that everyone in the world could see it. BSB BSB: The tree grew large and strong; its top reached the sky, and it was visible to the ends of the earth.
12 UST It had beautiful leaves, and it produced much fruit for people to eat. Wild animals rested in the shade of that tree, and birds built nests in its branches. Many creatures came and got food from that tree. 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 UST But while I was still asleep and dreaming, I saw a holy angel coming down from heaven. 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 UST The angel shouted loudly,‘Cut down that tree, and cut off its branches! Shake it until its leaves fall off, and throw away its fruit. Chase away the animals that are lying in its shade and the birds that are in 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 UST But leave the stump of the tree with its roots in the ground where grass grows. Fasten a band of iron and bronze around the stump{ to protect it from splitting}. Let the dew that forms from the air keep it damp.’{ That tree seemed to represent a person, since the angel then said,}‘Make him eat grass from the ground as animals do. 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 UST For seven years, make him have the mind of an animal instead of the mind of a human being. 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 UST The holy angels have decided that this will be his punishment. They want people to know that the Supreme God rules over human kingdoms. He chooses who will be their kings. He even makes people who were not important into kings.’ 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 UST That is what I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw in my dream. Now I want you, Belteshazzar, to tell me what it means. I am asking you because none of my other wise men could tell me what it meant. But I believe you can tell me 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 UST But Daniel, whom we called Belteshazzar, did not say anything for a while. That was because he knew what the dream meant, and it distressed him. Finally I said to him,“Belteshazzar, do not let the dream and its meaning distress you.” He replied,“Sir, I hope that what your dream shows will happen to your enemies, who hate you{, and not to you}. 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 UST In your dream you saw a very tall, strong tree. It seemed that its top reached up to the sky, so that everyone in the world could see it. BSB BSB: The tree you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached the sky and was visible to all the earth,
21 UST It had beautiful leaves, and it produced much fruit for people to eat. Wild animals rested in the shade of that tree, and birds built nests in its branches. 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 UST Your Majesty, that tree represents you! You have become great and strong. It is as if you rule everything from the ground up to the sky, all throughout the world. 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 UST But in your dream, you saw a holy angel coming down from heaven. That angel said,‘Cut down that tree so that it does not keep growing! But leave the stump of the tree with its roots in the ground where grass grows. Fasten a band of iron and bronze around the stump{ to protect it from splitting}. Let the dew that forms from the air keep it damp. Make the person{ whom that tree represents} eat what wild animals do for seven years.’ 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 UST This is what your dream means, Your Majesty. It shows what the Supreme God has decided will happen to you. 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 UST { You will no longer have a human mind, and so} you will no longer live among people. Instead, you will live with wild animals. This will require you to eat grass as oxen do. The dew that forms from the air will make your body damp. You will live that way for seven years, until you recognize that the Supreme God rules over human kingdoms. He chooses who will be their kings. 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 UST However, the angel said to leave the stump of the tree in the ground with its roots. That means that you will rule your kingdom again when you recognize that God rules over human kingdoms. 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 UST So that this does not happen to you, Your Majesty, please do what I advise. Stop sinning and do what is right. Stop doing oppressive things and help poor people. If you do that, perhaps you will continue to reign comfortably.” 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 UST But everything that the dream depicted happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. BSB BSB: All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.
29 UST A year later, he was walking around on the flat roof of his royal palace in Babylon. BSB BSB: Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,
31 UST While he was still saying that, someone spoke to him from heaven. He said,“King Nebuchadnezzar, this decree is about you: you are no longer the ruler of this kingdom! 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 UST You will no longer live among people. Instead, you will live with wild animals. This will require you to eat grass as oxen do. You will live that way for seven years, until you recognize that the Supreme God rules over human kingdoms. He chooses who will be their kings.” 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 UST Immediately what this person had said happened to me, Nebuchadnezzar. I no longer lived among people. Instead, I ate grass as oxen do. The dew that forms from the air made my body damp. I lived like that until my hair became as long as eagles’ feathers. My fingernails became like birds’ claws. 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 UST But at the end of those seven years, I, Nebuchadnezzar, prayed to God, and he gave me a human mind again. Then I worshiped the Supreme God, and I praised and honored him, who lives forever. He will rule forever; indeed, he will be the king of every generation of people. 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 UST Compared with him, all the people in the world are insignificant. He does whatever he wants with the angels in heaven and with us people who live on the earth. No one can stop him from doing what he wants or tell him,“You may not do that.” 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 UST Then I was able to think reasonably again. I became the very powerful ruler of a glorious kingdom once more. My advisors and my nobles treated me respectfully again. Once more I ruled my kingdom firmly, and I became much more powerful than I had been before. 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 UST Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, greatly praise and honor God, the king who rules in heaven. Everything that he does is right, and he always treats people fairly. When people become too proud, he is able to humble them. 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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