OET-RV G DAN Chapter 2

2 In the second year of Nevukadnetsar’s reign, Nevukadnetsar dreamt dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep went from him. 2 Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Kasdim be called to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 The king said to them, “I have dreamt a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.”

4 Then the Kasdim (Chaldeans) spoke to the king in the Arami (Syrian) language, “Oh king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we’ll show the interpretation.”

5 The king answered the Kasdim, “The thing has gone from me. If you don’t make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you’ll be cut in pieces, and your houses will be made a dunghill. 6 But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you’ll receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honour. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.”

7 They answered the second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we’ll show the interpretation.”

8 The king answered, “I know of a certainty that you’re trying to gain time, because you see the thing has gone from me. 9 But if you don’t make known to me the dream, there’s but one law for you; for you’ve prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, until the situation changes. Therefore tell me the dream, and I’ll know that you can show me its interpretation.”

10 The Kasdim answered before the king, and said, “There isn’t a man on the earth who can show the king’s matter, because no king, lord, or ruler, has asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or Chaldean. 11 It’s a rare thing that the king requires, and there’s no one else who can show it before the king, except the gods and they don’t live here with people.”

12 Because of this, the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Bavel (Babylon) be destroyed. 13 So the decree went out, and the wise men were to be slain. They searched for Daniyel and his companions to be slain.

14 Then Daniyel returned answer with counsel and prudence to Areyok the captain of the king’s guard, who’d gone out to kill the wise men of Bavel. 15 He answered Areyok the king’s captain, “Why is the decree so urgent from the king?” Then Areyok made the thing known to Daniyel. 16 Daniyel went in, and desired of the king that he’d appoint him a time, and he’d show the king the interpretation.

17 Then Daniyel went to his house and made the thing known to Hananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah, his companions, 18 that they’d desire mercies of the god of heaven about this secret, and that Daniyel and his companions wouldn’t perish with the rest of the wise men of Bavel. 19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniyel in a vision of the night. Then Daniyel blessed the god of heaven. 20 Daniyel answered,

“Blessed be God’s name forever and ever;

for wisdom and might are his.

21 He changes the times and the seasons.

He removes kings and sets up kings.

He gives wisdom to the wise,

and knowledge to those who have understanding.

22 He reveals the deep and secret things.

He knows what’s in the darkness,

and the light lives with him.

23 I thank you and praise you,

Oh God of my fathers,

who’ve given me wisdom and might,

and have now made known to me what we desired of you;

for you’ve made known to us the king’s matter.”

24 Therefore Daniyel went in to Areyok, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Bavel (Babylon). He went and said this to him: “Don’t destroy the wise men of Bavel. Bring me in before the king, and I’ll show to the king the interpretation.”

25 Then Areyok brought in Daniyel before the king in haste, and said this to him: “I’ve found a man of the children of the captivity of Yehudah (Judah) who’ll make known to the king the interpretation.”

26 The king answered Daniyel, whose name was Belteshatsar (Belteshazzar), “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I’ve seen, and its interpretation?”

27 Daniyel answered before the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded can’t be shown to the king by wise men, enchanters, magicians, or soothsayers; 28 but there’s a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he’s made known to King Nevukadnetsar (Nebuchadnezzar) what’ll be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head on your bed, are these:

29 “As for you, Oh king, your thoughts came on your bed, what should happen in the future; and he who reveals secrets has made known to you what’ll happen. 30 But as for me, this secret isn’t revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but to the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.

31 “You, Oh king, saw, and[fn] a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and its appearance was terrifying. 32 As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay. 34 You saw until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. The stone that struck the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

36 “This is the dream; and we’ll tell its interpretation before the king. 37 You, Oh king, are king of kings, to whom the god of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory. 38 Wherever the children of men live, he’s given the animals of the field and the birds of the sky into your hand, and has made you rule over them all. You’re the head of gold.

39 “After you, another kingdom will arise that’s inferior to you; and a third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth. 40 The fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, because iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things; and as iron that crushes all these, it’ll break in pieces and crush. 41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, it’ll be a divided kingdom; but there’ll be in it of the strength of the iron, because you saw the iron mixed with miry clay. 42 As the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong, and partly brittle. 43 Whereas you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, they’ll mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they won’t cling to one another, even as iron doesn’t mix with clay.

44 “In the days of those kings the god of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left to another people; but it’ll break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it’ll stand forever. 45 Because you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. The great God has made known to the king what’ll happen in the future. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”

46 Then King Nevukadnetsar (Nebuchadnezzar) fell on his face, worshipped Daniyel, and commanded that they should offer an offering and sweet odours to him. 47 The king answered to Daniyel, and said, “Of a truth your god is the god of gods, and the master of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you’ve been able to reveal this secret.”

48 Then the king made Daniyel great, and gave him many great gifts, and made him rule over the whole province of Bavel (Babylon), and to be chief governor over all the wise men of Bavel. 49 Daniyel requested of the king, and he appointed Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved-Nego over the affairs of the province of Bavel; but Daniyel was in the king’s gate.