Thematic Bible
Daniel 4:1 (show verse)
Nebuchadnezzar the king to all of the nations, the peoples and languages that live in the whole earth: "May your prosperity increase!
Daniel 4:2 (show verse)
It is pleasing to me to recount the signs and wonders that the Most High God worked for me.
Daniel 4:3 (show verse)
How great [are] his signs and wonders, how strong [is] his kingdom, {an everlasting kingdom}; and his sovereignty is from generation to generation.
Daniel 4:4 (show verse)
"I, Nebuchadnezzar, was content in my house and prospering in my palace.
Daniel 4:5 (show verse)
And I saw a dream and a revelation on my bed and it frightened me, and the visions of my head terrified me.
Daniel 4:6 (show verse)
And a decree was {sent out}, [ordering that] all [the] wise men of Babylon [were] to be brought in before me [so] that they may make known to me [the] explanation of the dream.
Daniel 4:7 (show verse)
Then the magicians, the conjurers, the {astrologers} and the diviners came in and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its explanation.
Daniel 4:8 (show verse)
Then {at last} Daniel came before me {whose name was} Belteshazzar, {according to} the name of my god, [and] {in whom was the spirit of the holy gods}, {and I related the dream to him}.
Daniel 4:9 (show verse)
" ' Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I myself know that [the] spirit of [the] holy gods [is] in you, and {no mystery is too difficult} for you. [Now] tell [me] [the] visions of my dream that I saw, and its explanation.
Daniel 4:10 (show verse)
Now [these were] the visions of my head [as I was lying] on my bed: I was {gazing} and, look, a tree [was] in the midst of the earth, and its height [was] exalted.
Daniel 4:11 (show verse)
The tree grew and it became strong, and its height reached to heaven, and {it was visible to the end of the whole earth}.
Daniel 4:12 (show verse)
Its foliage [was] beautiful, and its fruit abundant, and in it [was] provision for all. Under it the animals of the field sought shade, and in its branches the birds of heaven nested, and from it all the living beings were fed.
Daniel 4:13 (show verse)
" 'I was looking in the vision of my head [as I lay] on my bed, and look, a watcher, and holy [one], came down from heaven.
Daniel 4:14 (show verse)
He cried {aloud} and so he said: "Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; shake off its foliage and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.
Daniel 4:15 (show verse)
But the stump of its roots leave in the earth, {along with} a band of iron and bronze; [leave it] in the grass of the field. And in the dew of heaven let it be watered, and with the animals let his lot [be] in [the] grass of the earth.
Daniel 4:16 (show verse)
Let his mind be changed from [that of a] human, and let [the] mind of an animal be given to him, and let seven times pass over him.
Daniel 4:17 (show verse)
The sentence [is] by [the] decree of [the] watchers, and the decision [by] [the] command of [the] holy [ones], {in order that} the living will know that the Most High [is] sovereign over [the] kingdom of humankind, and {to whomever} he wills he gives it, and he [even] sets [the] humblest of men over it."
Daniel 4:18 (show verse)
" 'This [is] the dream [that] I, Nebuchadnezzar the king, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its explanation, {for} all of [the] wise men of my kingdom were not able to make the explanation known to me, but you are able because [the] spirit of holy gods [is] in you.'
Daniel 4:19 (show verse)
"Then Daniel, whose name [was] Belteshazzar, was distressed {for some time}, and his thoughts disturbed him. The king answered and he said, 'Belteshazzar, let the dream and its explanation not disturb you.' Belteshazzar answered and said, 'My lord, [may] the dream and its explanation [be] for [those who] hate you and for your enemies.
Daniel 4:20 (show verse)
The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong and its height reached to heaven and {it was visible to the end of the whole earth},
Daniel 4:21 (show verse)
and its foliage [was] beautiful and its fruit abundant, and [so there was] provision for all in it, [and] the animals of the field lived under it and in its branches nest [the] birds of heaven,
Daniel 4:22 (show verse)
--it is you, O king, who have grown [great] and you have grown strong, and [so] your greatness has increased and it has reached to heaven and your sovereignty to the end of the earth.
Daniel 4:23 (show verse)
And [inasmuch] that the king saw [the] watcher, a holy [one] coming down from heaven and he said, "Cut down the tree and destroy it, but the stump of its root in the earth leave with a band of iron and bronze in the grass of the field, and let it be watered with the dew of heaven and [let] his lot [be] with [the] animals of the field {until seven times have passed over him}."
Daniel 4:24 (show verse)
This [is] the explanation, O king, and it [is] a decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king:
Daniel 4:25 (show verse)
you will be driven away {from human society} and {you will dwell} with the animals of the field, and you will be caused to graze grass like the oxen {yourself}, and you will be watered with the dew of heaven, and seven [periods of] time will pass over you until that you have acknowledged that the Most High [is] sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and {to whom he wills} he gives it.
Daniel 4:26 (show verse)
{And in that} they said to leave alone the stump of the tree's root, so your kingdom [will be] restored for you {when} you acknowledge that heaven [is] sovereign.
Daniel 4:27 (show verse)
Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable [to you] and your sin remove with righteousness and your iniquity with having mercy on [the] oppressed, {in case there might be a prolongation of your prosperity}.'"
Daniel 4:28 (show verse)
{All this happened} to Nebuchadnezzar the king.
Daniel 4:29 (show verse)
At the end of twelve months he was walking on the [roof of] {the royal palace} of Babylon.
Daniel 4:30 (show verse)
And the king answered and said, "Is this not the great Babylon which I have built as a royal palace by the strength of my own power, and for the glory of my own majesty?"
Daniel 4:31 (show verse)
[While] the words [were] still in the mouth of the king, a voice from heaven came, [saying], 'To you, King Nebuchadnezzar, [it] is declared that the kingdom has departed from you,
Daniel 4:32 (show verse)
and you will be driven away from {human society} and your dwelling [will be] with the animals of the field and they will cause you to graze [the] grass like oxen, and seven times will pass over you, until you acknowledge that the Most High [is] sovereign over the kingdom of humankind and that he gives it to whom he wills.'
Daniel 4:33 (show verse)
{Immediately} the word was fulfilled {concerning} Nebuchadnezzar, and he was expelled from {human society} and he ate grass like oxen, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven until his hair [was] like [the hair of] an eagle and his nails grew like bird's [claws].
Daniel 4:34 (show verse)
"But at the end of {that period}, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and [then] my reason returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and {the one who lives forever} I praised and I honored. "For his sovereignty [is] [an] everlasting sovereignty, and his kingdom [continues] from generation to generation.
Daniel 4:35 (show verse)
And all the dwellers of the earth are regarded as nothing, and he does {according to} his desire in the host of heaven and [among] the dwellers of earth, and there is not [one] who can hold back his hand, or {ask him}, 'What are you doing?'
Daniel 4:36 (show verse)
"{At that time} my reason returned to me, and [also] the glory of my kingdom and my majesty and splendor returned to me, and my advisers and my lords searched [me] out, and I was established over my kingdom and abundant greatness was added to me.
Daniel 4:37 (show verse)
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and honor the king of heaven, for all his works [are] truth, and his ways [are] justice and that he is able to humble those who walk in pride."