﻿Daniel.
Chapter 4.
King Nebuchadnezzar, to all peoples, nations, and languages dwelling throughout the earth: May peace abound to you! 
I am pleased to tell of the signs and wonders the Most High God has done for me. 
How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation. 
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. 
I had a dream that frightened me. As I lay on my bed, the thoughts and visions in my mind alarmed me. 
So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me to tell me the interpretation of the dream. 
Then the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners came in. I told them the dream, but they did not tell me its interpretation. 
At last Daniel came before me. His name was Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods was in him. I told him the dream: 
“Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you. Tell me the visions of the dream I saw and its interpretation. 
These were the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed: I looked, and there was a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. 
The tree grew tall and strong. Its top reached the heavens, and it could be seen to the ends of the whole earth. 
Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and there was food on it for all. The beasts of the field found shade beneath it, the birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches, and all living creatures were fed from it. 
As I watched the visions in my mind while lying on my bed, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. 
He called out loudly, ‘Cut down the tree and lop off its branches. Strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from beneath it and the birds from its branches. 
But leave its stump and roots in the ground, bound with iron and bronze, among the grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 
Let his human mind be changed and the mind of a beast be given to him, and let seven periods of time pass over him. 
This sentence is by decree of the watchers, and this decision by the word of the holy ones, so that the living may know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind. He gives it to whomever he wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men.’ 
This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me its interpretation, for none of the wise men of my kingdom can tell me its interpretation. But you can, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.” 
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stunned for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you, and its interpretation for your enemies! 
The tree you saw, which grew tall and strong, whose top reached the heavens and which could be seen throughout the earth, 
whose foliage was beautiful and whose fruit was abundant, which had food for all, beneath which the beasts of the field lived and in whose branches the birds of the heavens nested— 
it is you, O king! You have grown great and strong. Your greatness has grown and reached the heavens, and your dominion reaches the ends of the earth. 
The king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the ground, bound with iron and bronze, among the grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field until seven periods of time pass over him.’ 
This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king: 
You will be driven away from people, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. You will be made to eat grass like oxen and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whomever he wishes. 
The command to leave the tree’s stump and roots means that your kingdom will be kept for you after you recognize that heaven rules. 
Therefore, O king, may my counsel be acceptable to you: break with your sins by practicing righteousness, and with your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps your prosperity may be prolonged.” 
All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 
At the end of twelve months, he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon. 
The king said, “Is this not great Babylon, which I have built as a royal residence by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” 
While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “It is declared to you, King Nebuchadnezzar: the kingdom has departed from you. 
You will be driven away from people, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. You will be made to eat grass like oxen, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whomever he wishes.” 
Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven away from people and ate grass like oxen. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws. 
At the end of those days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me. I blessed the Most High and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation. 
All the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing. He does according to his will among the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” 
At that time my reason returned to me, and my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom. My counselors and nobles sought me out. I was reestablished in my kingdom, and still greater majesty was added to me. 
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven. All his works are true and his ways are just, and he is able to humble those who walk in pride. 
