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DANIEL ยท Chapter 4
4:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages,
that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
4:2 I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the high God
has wrought toward me.
4:3 How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom
is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
4:4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in
my palace:
4:5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed
and the visions of my head troubled me.
4:6 Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon
before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the
dream.
4:7 Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and
the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make
known unto me the interpretation thereof.
4:8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar,
according to the name of my God, and in whom is the spirit of the holy
gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,
4:9 O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the
spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret troubles you, tell me
the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
4:10 Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold
a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.
4:11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached
unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:
4:12 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and
in it was food for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and
the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was
fed of it.
4:13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher
and an holy one came down from heaven;
4:14 He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off
his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts
get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:
4:15 Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with
a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it
be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in
the grass of the earth:
4:16 Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be
given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.
4:17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by
the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that
the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he
will, and sets up over it the base of men.
4:18 This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now you, O Belteshazzar,
declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my
kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but you
are able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.
4:19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for one
hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spoke, and said, Belteshazzar,
let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble you. Belteshazzar
answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate you, and the
interpretation thereof to your enemies.
4:20 The tree that you saw, which grew, and was strong, whose height
reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;
4:21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it
was food for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose
branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:
4:22 It is you, O king, that are grown and become strong: for your
greatness is grown, and reachs unto heaven, and your dominion to the end
of the earth.
4:23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down
from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the
stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass,
in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven,
and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass
over him;
4:24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of
the most High, which has come upon my lord the king:
4:25 That they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be
with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you to eat grass as oxen,
and they shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass
over you, till you know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men,
and gives it to whomsoever he will.
4:26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots;
your kingdom shall be sure unto you, after that you shall have known that
the heavens do rule.
4:27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto you, and
break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy
to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of your tranquillity.
4:28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
4:29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom
of Babylon.
4:30 The king spoke, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have
built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the
honour of my majesty?
4:31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from
heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken; The kingdom
is departed from you.
4:32 And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be
with the beasts of the field: they shall make you to eat grass as oxen,
and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the most High
rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will.
4:33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and
he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet
with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers,
and his nails like birds' claws.
4:34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes
unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the
most High, and I praised and honoured him that lives for ever, whose dominion
is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and
he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants
of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What do you?
4:36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory
of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors
and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent
majesty was added unto me.
4:37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven,
all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in
pride he is able to bring low.
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