4:1 1 “King Nebuchadnezzar, to all peoples, nations, and language groups that live in all the land: Best wishes!2 4:2 I am delighted to tell you about the signs and wonders that the most high God has done for me.
4:3 “How great are his signs!
How mighty are his wonders!
His kingdom is one that will last forever,
and his authority continues from generation to generation.”
Nebuchadnezzar Dreams of a Tree Chopped Down
4:4 3 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my home,4 living luxuriously in my palace. 4:5 I saw a dream that scared me. The things I imagined while lying on my bed—these visions of my mind—were terrifying me. 4:6 So I issued an order5 for all the wise men of Babylon to be brought6 before me so that they could disclose to me the interpretation of the dream. 4:7 When the magicians, conjurers, Chaldeans, and astrologers entered, I recounted the dream for them. But they were unable to disclose its interpretation to me. 4:8 Later Daniel entered (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god,7 and in whom there is a spirit of the holy gods). I recounted the dream for him as well, 4:9 saying, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, in whom I know there to be a spirit of the holy gods and whom no mystery baffles, consider8 my dream that I saw and set forth its interpretation! 4:10 Here are the visions of my mind9 while I was on my bed. While I was watching,
there was a tree in the middle of the land.10
It was enormously tall.
4:11 The tree grew large and strong.
Its top reached far into the sky;
it could be seen11 from the borders of all the land.12
4:12 Its foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful;
on it there was food enough for all.
Under it the wild animals13 used to seek shade,
and in its branches the birds of the sky used to nest.
All creatures14 used to feed themselves from it.
4:13 While I was watching in my mind’s visions on my bed,
a holy watcher15 came down from heaven.
4:14 He called out loudly16 as follows:17
‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches!
Strip off its foliage
and scatter its fruit!
Let the animals flee from under it
and the birds from its branches!
4:15 But leave the stump and its taproot18
in the ground,
with a band of iron and bronze around it19
surrounded by the grass of the field.
Let him become damp with the dew of the sky,
and let his lot be with the animals in the grass of the land.
4:16 Let his mind20 be altered from that of a human being,
and let an animal’s mind be given to him,
and let seven periods of time21 go by for22 him.
4:17 This announcement is by the decree of the watchers;
this decision is by the pronouncement of the holy ones,
so that those who are alive may understand
that the Most High has authority over human kingdoms,
and he bestows them on whomever he wishes.
He establishes over them even the lowliest of human beings.’
4:18 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its23 interpretation, for none of the wise men in my kingdom are able to declare to me the interpretation. But you can do so, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
4:19 Then Daniel (whose name is also Belteshazzar) was briefly24 appalled; his thoughts were alarming him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream and its interpretation alarm you.” But Belteshazzar replied, “Sir,25 if only the dream were for your enemies and its interpretation applied to your adversaries! 4:20 The tree that you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached to the sky, and which could be seen in all the land, 4:21 whose foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful, and from which there was food available for all, under whose branches wild animals26 used to live, and in whose branches birds of the sky used to nest— 4:22 it is you,27 O king! For you have become great and strong. Your greatness is such that it reaches to heaven, your authority to the ends of the earth. 4:23 As for the king seeing a holy watcher28 coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it. But leave the stump and its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, surrounded by the grass of the field. Let him become damp with the dew of the sky, and let his lot be with the wild animals, until seven times go by for him’—
Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
4:24 “This is the interpretation, O king. It is the decision of the Most High that this has happened to my lord the king. 4:25 You will be driven29 from human society,30 and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed31 grass like oxen,32 and you will become damp with the dew of the sky. Seven times will pass by for you, before33 you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes. 4:26 Now in that they said to leave a taproot of the tree, your kingdom will be restored to you when you come to understand that heaven34 rules. 4:27 Therefore, O king, may my advice35 be pleasing to you. Break away from your sins by doing acts of righteousness, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps your prosperity will be prolonged.”
4:28 Now all of this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 4:29 After twelve months, he happened to be walking around on top of the walls36 of the royal palace of Babylon. 4:30 The king uttered these words: “Is this not the great Babylon that I have built for a royal residence37 by my own mighty strength38 and for my majestic honor?” 4:31 While these words were still on the king’s lips,39 a voice came down from heaven: “It is hereby announced to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that your kingdom has been removed from you! 4:32 You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and seven times will pass by for you before40 you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.”
4:33 Now in that very moment41 this pronouncement came true42 with Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from human society, he ate grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until his hair became long like an eagle’s feathers, and his nails like a bird’s claws.
4:34 But at the end of the appointed time43 I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up44 toward heaven, and my sanity returned to me.
I blessed the Most High,
and I praised and glorified the one who lives forever.
For his rule is an everlasting rule,
and his kingdom extends from one generation to the next.
4:35 All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing.45
He does as he wishes with the army of heaven
and with those who inhabit the earth.
No one slaps46 his hand
and says to him, ‘What have you done?’
4:36 At that time my sanity returned to me. I was restored47 to the honor of my kingdom, and my splendor returned to me. My ministers and my magistrates were seeking me out, and I was reinstated48 over my kingdom. Tremendous greatness was restored to me, greater than before. 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all his deeds are right and his ways are just. He is able to bring low those who live49 in pride.