Daniel 2:1-23 - The King's Troubling Dream
1 It was the second year of his reign. He was troubled and could not sleep. Nebuchadnezzar had dreams and was disturbed by them. 2 The king summoned the magicians, enchanters (conjurers), sorcerers, and the Chaldeans and commanded them to tell the king about his dreams. They came in and stood before the king. 3 The king said: I had a dream that troubles me and I want to understand what the dream means.
4 The Chaldeans spoke in the Syrian language: O king, may you live for a very long time. Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.
5 The king answered: I have decided. If you do not make the dream known to me and it's interpretation you will be cut in pieces, and your houses will be made a dunghill (foul smelling pile of rubbish). 6 But if you tell me the dream and what it means you will receive gifts and rewards and great honor from me. Therefore tell me the dream and the interpretation of it.
7 They answered the second time. They said: Let the king tell his servants the dream. Then we will tell the interpretation.
8 The king responded: I am certain that you bargain for time, because you see my command is firm. 9 If you do not tell me my dream, the law will apply to you. You are stalling by speaking lies to me until I change my requirements. Tell me the dream, and I will know that you can show me the interpretation of it.
10 The Chaldeans answered: There is no man on earth who can do what the king requires. No king, lord, or ruler, has asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean. 11 It is a rare thing that the king requires. There is no other person who can show it to the king, except the gods, and they do not live with humans. 12 This caused the king to be angry. In fact he became furious! He commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. 13 So the decree was delivered. The wise men were to be executed. They searched for Daniel and his companions to execute them.
14 Daniel sent an answer tempered with counsel and prudence to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, who was ordered to execute the wise men of Babylon. 15 He asked Arioch the king's captain: Why is the decree so urgent from the king? Then Arioch explained it to Daniel. 16 Daniel made an appointment with the king so he could show the king the interpretation.
17 Then Daniel went back to his house, and explained everything to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 18 that they would request mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret. And they would request that Daniel and his companions would not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 The secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Daniel praised the God of heaven. 20 Daniel said: Praise be the name of God 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 the discerning. 22 He reveals the deep and hidden things. He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. 23 I thank you, and praise you, O God of my fathers. You have given me wisdom and might. You have made known to me what we desired from you. For you have made known to us the king's situation.