1 King Nebuchadnezzar sent this letter to the many peoples, nations and languages living around the world: “Greetings: 2 I’m very happy to tell you about the signs and wonders that the Most High Alahim has worked for me. 3 O’ how great are his signs and mighty are His wonders. His kingdom continues forever and His ruleship will continue for all generations.
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, happy and successful in my palace. 5 Then I had a dream that freaked me right out. The thoughts I had while lying on my bed, and the visions in my head, completely alarmed me. 6 So I gave an order that all the wise men of Babylon be brought to me to tell me what my dream meant. 7 When the astrologers, magicians and the Chaldeans came, I told them about the dream, but they couldn’t tell me what it meant.
8 So finally, Daniel came to me. (I gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar to honor my deity). The Spirit of the set-apart Alahim is in Daniel, so I told him about my dream. 9 I said, “Belteshazzar, you are the most important of all the men of magic. I know that the Spirit of the set-apart Alahim is in you and that there is no secret that is too hard for you to understand. This was what I dreamed. Now please tell me what it means.
10 These are the visions I saw while I was lying in my bed: I looked, and in front of me there was a tree standing very tall and mighty in the middle of the earth, 11 and the top of the tree touched the Heavens. (BABYLONIANS THOUGHT THE EARTH WAS FLAT AND ROUND LIKE A PLATE OR A WHEEL AND THEY THOUGHT THE SKY WAS LIKE A GLASS BOWL TURNED UPSIDE DOWN ON THE EARTH. This tree could be seen from anywhere on earth. 12 The leaves of the tree were beautiful. It had much good fruit on it. And there was plenty of food for everyone on the tree. The wild animals found shelter under the tree, and the birds lived in its branches. Every animal ate from the tree.
13 I was looking at those things in the vision while lying on my bed. And then I saw a set-apart watcher (ANGEL) coming down from Heaven. 14 He spoke very loud and said, ‘Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches. Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit around. The animals that are under the tree will run away and the birds that are in its branches will fly off. 15 But let the stump and roots stay in the ground. Put a band of iron and bronze around it, for the stump and roots will stay in the field with the grass all around it. It will live among the wild animals and plants in the fields. It will become wet with dew. 16 Let his heart be changed from a man’s to the heart of a beast. That’s right, he will not think like a man any longer, but will have the mind of a beast. And seven times (YEARS) will pass while he is like this.’
17 “Set apart watchers announced this punishment so that all the people on earth may know that Alahim Most High rules over human kingdoms. Alahim gives those kingdoms to whoever He wants, and He chooses the lowest of men (HUMBLEST BASE PEOPLE) to rule them.
18 That is what I, King Nebuchadnezzar, dreamed. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means. None of the wise men in my kingdom can tell me what that dream means. But Belteshazzar, you can interpret the dream because the spirit of the set-apart Alahim is in you.” 19 Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) became very quiet for a while, for what he was thinking bothered him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream or its meaning alarm you.”
Then Belteshazzar answered the king, “My Master, I wish the dream were about your enemies, and the meaning of the dream were about those against you. 20-21 You saw a tree in your dream. The tree grew large and strong. Its top touched the Heavens, and it could be seen from all over the earth. Its leaves were beautiful, and it had plenty of fruit. The fruit gave plenty of food for everyone. It was a home for the wild animals, and its branches were nesting places for the birds. You saw that tree. 22 O’King, you are that tree! You have become great and powerful. You are like the tall tree that touched the Heavens and your power reaches to the farest parts of the earth.
23 King, you saw a set-apart watcher coming down from Heaven, saying, ‘Cut the tree down and destroy it. Put a band of iron and bronze around the stump and leave the stump and its roots in the ground. Leave it in the grass in the field. It will become wet with dew. He will live like a wild animal. Seven times (YEARS) will pass while he’s like this.’
24 “King, this is the meaning of the dream: The Most High has commanded these things to happen to my Master the King: 25 Nebuchadnezzar, you will be driven away from people and forced to live among the wild animals. You will eat grass like cattle, and you will become wet with dew of the sky. Seven times (YEARS) will pass, and then you will learn learn that the Most High rules over human kingdoms and gives them to whoever He wants.
26 The command to leave the stump of the tree and its roots in the ground means this: Your kingdom will be given back to you. This will happen when you learn that Most High rules your kingdom. 27 So, King, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and be obedient - stop your lawlessness and be kind to the poor people. Then you might continue to be successful and favoured".
28 And all these things did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29-30 Twelve months after the dream, King Nebuchadnezzar was walking on the flat roof of his palace in Babylon, and the king said, “Look at Babylon! I built this great city. It is my palace. I built this great place by my power. I built this place to show how great I am.” 31 And these words were still in the King’s mouth when a voice came from the Heaven, saying, “King Nebuchadnezzar, these things will happen to you: Your power as King has been taken away from you. 32 You will be forced to go away from people and live with the wild animals and eat grass like an ox. Seven times (YEARS) will pass, then you will learn that the Most High rules over human kingdoms and gives them to whoever he wants.
33 "And these things happened immediately. Nebuchadnezzar was forced to go away from people. He began eating grass like an ox. He became wet from dew. His hair grew long like the feathers of an eagle, and his nails grew long like the claws of a bird. 34 Then at the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up toward Heaven, and I was in my right mind again and my understanding returned. Then I gave praise to the Most High and gave honor and esteem to Him who lives forever, and Whose kingdom and rule continues for all generations.
35 People on earth are not really important, for He does what He wants with the powers of Heaven and the people on earth. No one can stop His powerful hand or question what He does. No one can accuse Him saying `What have You done?’
36 And at that time my understanding returned to me again, and He gave back my great honor and power as King. My advisors and the royal people began to ask my advice again. I became the King, even greater and more powerful than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, give praise, honor, and esteem to the King of Heaven. Everything He does is right. He is always fair, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride!"
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