1 N ow in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him.

In the second year that Nebuchadnezzar was king, he had a dream. His spirit was troubled and he could not sleep.

2 T hen the king gave orders to call in the magicians, the conjurers, the sorcerers and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.

Then the king called for the wonder-workers, those who used secret ways, those who learned from stars, to tell the king what he had dreamed. So they came in and stood in front of the king.

3 T he king said to them, “I had a dream and my spirit is anxious to understand the dream.”

The king said to them, “I had a dream that troubles me, and I want to know what the dream means.”

4 T hen the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic: “ O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants, and we will declare the interpretation.”

Then those who learn from stars said to the king in the Aramaic language, “O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants, and we will tell you what it means.”

5 T he king replied to the Chaldeans, “ The command from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb and your houses will be made a rubbish heap.

The king answered, saying, “My word is sure. If you do not tell me what my dream was and what it means, you will be torn apart and your houses will be laid waste.

6 B ut if you declare the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts and a reward and great honor; therefore declare to me the dream and its interpretation.”

But if you tell me the dream and what it means, I will give you gifts and riches and great honor. So tell me the dream and what it means.”

7 T hey answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will declare the interpretation.”

They answered the king a second time, saying, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will tell you what it means.”

8 T he king replied, “I know for certain that you are bargaining for time, inasmuch as you have seen that the command from me is firm,

The king said, “I am sure that you are trying to get more time, because you see that my word is sure.

9 t hat if you do not make the dream known to me, there is only one decree for you. For you have agreed together to speak lying and corrupt words before me until the situation is changed; therefore tell me the dream, that I may know that you can declare to me its interpretation.”

You know that if you do not tell me what I dreamed, there is only one penalty for you. You have agreed among yourselves to keep telling me lies until things change. So tell me the dream. Then I will know that you can tell me what it means.”

10 T he Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who could declare the matter for the king, inasmuch as no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any magician, conjurer or Chaldean.

Those who learn from stars answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who can do this for the king. For no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any wonder-worker or one who learns from stars.

11 M oreover, the thing which the king demands is difficult, and there is no one else who could declare it to the king except gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh.”

What the king asks is too hard. No one can do it for you except the gods, who do not live among men.”

12 B ecause of this the king became indignant and very furious and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

Because of this the king became very angry and said that all the wise men of Babylon must be destroyed.

13 S o the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they looked for Daniel and his friends to kill them.

So the law was sent out that the wise men must be killed. They looked for Daniel and his friends, to kill them also. God Shows Daniel the Meaning of the Dream

14 T hen Daniel replied with discretion and discernment to Arioch, the captain of the king’s bodyguard, who had gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon;

Then Daniel spoke with wisdom and understanding to Arioch, the captain of the soldiers who watched over the king, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon.

15 h e said to Arioch, the king’s commander, “For what reason is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter.

He said to Arioch, the king’s captain, “Why is the king’s law so hard?” Then Arioch told him what had happened.

16 S o Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him time, in order that he might declare the interpretation to the king.

So Daniel went in and asked the king for time, so that he could tell the king what the dream meant.

17 T hen Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, about the matter,

Then Daniel went to his house and told his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, what had happened.

18 s o that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. The Secret Is Revealed to Daniel

He told them to ask for loving-pity from the God of heaven about this secret, so that Daniel and his friends might not be killed with the other wise men of Babylon.

19 T hen the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven;

Then the secret was made known to Daniel in a special dream during the night. He gave honor and thanks to the God of heaven.

20 D aniel said, “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him.

Daniel said, “Let the name of God be honored forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him.

21 “ It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding.

He changes the times and the years. He takes kings away, and puts kings in power. He gives wisdom to wise men and much learning to men of understanding.

22 “ It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him.

He makes known secret and hidden things. He knows what is in the darkness. Light is with Him.

23 “ To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, For You have given me wisdom and power; Even now You have made known to me what we requested of You, For You have made known to us the king’s matter.”

I give thanks and praise to You, O God of my fathers. For You have given me wisdom and power. Even now You have made known what we asked of You. You have made the king’s dream known to us.” Daniel Tells the Meaning to the King

24 T herefore, Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and spoke to him as follows: “ Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon! Take me into the king’s presence, and I will declare the interpretation to the king.”

So Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had told to kill the wise men of Babylon. He went and said to him, “Do not kill the wise men of Babylon! Take me to the king, and I will tell him what his dream means.”

25 T hen Arioch hurriedly brought Daniel into the king’s presence and spoke to him as follows: “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can make the interpretation known to the king!”

Then Arioch brought Daniel to the king in a hurry, and said to him, “I have found a man among those brought out of Judah who can tell the king the meaning of his dream!”

26 T he king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?”

The king said to Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), “Are you able to tell me the dream I had, and what it means?”

27 D aniel answered before the king and said, “As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians nor diviners are able to declare it to the king.

Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, wonder-workers, or men who use secret ways can make this dream known to the king.

28 H owever, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days. This was your dream and the visions in your mind while on your bed.

But there is a God in heaven who makes secrets known. And He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. This was the special dream you had while you were on your bed.

29 A s for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts turned to what would take place in the future; and He who reveals mysteries has made known to you what will take place.

O king, while on your bed your thoughts turned to what would happen in the future. And He Who makes secrets known has let you know what will happen.

30 B ut as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me for any wisdom residing in me more than in any other living man, but for the purpose of making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind. The King’s Dream

But this secret has not been made known to me because I am wiser than any other living man. It was made known to me so that I can make it known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.

31 “ You, O king, were looking and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome.

“O king, you were looking and saw a great object. The object was large and very bright, and it was standing in front of you. It filled you with fear and wonder as you looked at it.

32 T he head of that statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze,

The object’s head was made of fine gold. Its breast and arms were made of silver. Its stomach and thighs were made of brass.

33 i ts legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.

Its legs were made of iron, and its feet were part iron and part clay.

34 Y ou continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them.

While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It fell and hit the large object on its feet of iron and clay, and crushed them.

35 T hen the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. The Interpretation—Babylon the First Kingdom

Then the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like dust on the grain-floor in the summer. The wind carried the dust away so nothing was to be found. But the stone that hit the large object became a large mountain and filled the whole earth.

36 “ This was the dream; now we will tell its interpretation before the king.

“This was the dream. Now we will tell the king what it means.

37 Y ou, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength and the glory;

You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you the nation, the power, the strength, and the honor.

38 a nd wherever the sons of men dwell, or the beasts of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has given them into your hand and has caused you to rule over them all. You are the head of gold. Medo-Persia and Greece

In every place where people live, or the animals of the field, or the birds of the air, He has given them to you and has caused you to rule over them all. You are the head of gold.

39 A fter you there will arise another kingdom inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth. Rome

After you there will be another nation that is not as great as yours. A third nation of brass will come, which will rule over all the earth.

40 T hen there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces.

Then there will be a fourth nation, as strong as iron. Iron crushes and breaks all things. So, like iron breaks things to pieces, this nation will crush and break all the others.

41 I n that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with common clay.

Just as you saw the feet and toes made of part clay and part iron, it will be a divided nation. But it will have some of the strength of iron, just as you saw the iron mixed with the clay.

42 A s the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle.

As the toes of the feet were made of part iron and part clay, so some of the nation will be strong and part of it will be weak.

43 A nd in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery. The Divine Kingdom

As you saw the iron mixed with clay, they will try to join with one another. But they will not stay together any more than iron mixes with clay.

44 I n the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.

In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a nation which will never be destroyed. And it will never be taken by another people. It will crush and put an end to all these nations, but it will last forever.

45 I nasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.” Daniel Promoted

You saw how a stone was cut out of the mountain by no human hands, and how it crushed the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold. The great God has shown the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true. And I have given you its true meaning.” Daniel Becomes Ruler of Babylon

46 T hen King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and did homage to Daniel, and gave orders to present to him an offering and fragrant incense.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and gave honor to Daniel. He had a gift and special perfume brought to him.

47 T he king answered Daniel and said, “Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery.”

The king said to Daniel, “For sure your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and He makes hidden things known. For you have been able to make known this secret.”

48 T hen the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.

Then the king gave Daniel much power and gave him many great gifts. He made him ruler over the whole land of Babylon and the head of all the wise men of Babylon.

49 A nd Daniel made request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego over the administration of the province of Babylon, while Daniel was at the king’s court.

And Daniel asked the king to put Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego as leaders over the land of Babylon, while Daniel stayed near the king.