Daniel 2:1-23 - The King's Troubling Dream
1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams. And his spirit was troubled, and his sleep went from him. 2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the enchanters, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.
4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in the Syrian language, O king, live forever. Tell thy servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.
5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me. If ye do not make the dream and the interpretation of it known to me, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. 6 But if ye show the dream and the interpretation of it, ye shall receive gifts and rewards and great honor from me. Therefore show the dream and the interpretation of it to me.
7 They answered the second time and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.
8 The king answered and said, I know of a certainty that ye would gain time, because ye see the thing has gone from me. 9 But if ye do not make known to me the dream, there is but one law for you, for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me till the time is changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can show me
10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth who can show the king's matter. Inasmuch as no king, lord, or ruler, has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. 11 And it is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is no other who can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. 12 For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree went forth, and the wise men were to be slain. And they sought Daniel and his companions to be slain.
14 Then Daniel returned answer with counsel and prudence to Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who went forth to kill the wise men of Babylon. 15 He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so urgent from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. 16 And Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would appoint him a time, and he would show the king the interpretation.
17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret, that Daniel and his companions should nor perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the secret was shown to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are his. 21 And 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 is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. 23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who has given me wisdom and might, and has now made known to me what we desired of thee, for thou have made known to us the king's matter.