Daniel 2:1-23 - The King's Troubling Dream
1 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, had Nebuchadnezzar a dream, wherethrough his spirit was vexed, and his sleep brake from him. 2 Then the king commanded to call together all the soothsayers, charmers, witches and Chaldeans, for to show the king his dream. So they came, and stood before the king. 3 And the king said unto them, "I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was so troubled therewith, that I have clean forgotten what I dreamed."
4 Upon this the Chaldeans answered the king in the Syrians' speech, "O king, God save thy life forever. Show thy servants the dream, and we shall show thee, what it meaneth."
5 The king gave the Chaldeans their answer, and said, "It is gone from me: If ye will not make me understand the dream with the interpretation thereof, ye shall die, and your houses shall be prised. 6 But if ye tell me the dream and the meaning thereof, ye shall have of me gifts, rewards and great honour. Only, show me the dream, and the signification of it."
7 They answered again, and said, "The king must show his servants the dream, and so shall we declare what it meaneth."
8 Then the king answered, saying, "I perceive of a truth, that ye do but prolong the time: forsomuch as ye see, that the thing is gone from me. 9 Therefore, if ye will not tell me the dream, ye shall all have one judgment: But ye feign and dissemble with vain words which ye speak before me, to put off the time. Therefore tell me the dream, and so shall I know - if ye can show me - what it meaneth."
10 Upon this, the Chaldeans gave answer before the king, and said, "There is no man upon earth that can tell the thing, which the king speaketh of: Yea, there is neither king, prince, nor lord that ever asked such things at a soothsayer, charmer, or Chaldean: 11 for it is a very hard matter, that the king requireth. Neither is there any that can certify the king thereof, except the gods: whose dwelling is not among the creatures." 12 For the which cause the king was wroth with great indignation, and commanded to destroy all the wise men at Babylon: 13 and the proclamation went forth that the wise men should be slain. They sought also to slay Daniel with his companions.
14 Then Daniel enquired Arioch the king's steward, of the judgment and sentence that was gone forth already to kill such as were wise at Babylon. 15 He answered, and said to Arioch, being then the king's deputy, "Why hath the king proclaimed so cruel a sentence?" So Arioch told Daniel the matter. 16 Upon this, went Daniel up, and desired the king, that he might have leisure to show the king the interpretation:
17 and then came he home again and showed the thing unto Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 18 that they should beseech the God of heaven for grace in this secret, that Daniel and his fellows with others such as were wise in Babylon, perished not. 19 Then was the mystery showed unto Daniel in a vision by night. And Daniel praised the God of heaven. 20 Daniel also cried aloud, and said, "O that the name of God might be praised for ever and ever, for wisdom and strength are his own! 21 He changeth the times and ages; he putteth down kings, he setteth up kings; he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and understanding to those that understand; 22 he openeth the deep secrets; he knoweth the thing that lieth in darkness, for the light dwelleth with him. 23 I thank thee, and pray thee, O thou God of my fathers, that thou hast lent me wisdom and strength, and hast showed me the thing that we desired of thee, for thou hast opened the king's matter unto me."