Daniel 4
Nebuchadnezzar's
Madness |
1 |
Nebuchadnez'zar the king, unto all
people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace
be multiplied unto you.
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2 |
I thought it good to show the signs and
wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.
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3 |
How great are his signs! and how
mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to
generation.
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4 |
I Nebuchadnez'zar was at rest in mine
house, and flourishing in my palace:
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5 |
I saw a dream which made me afraid, and
the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled
me.
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6 |
Therefore made I a decree to bring in all
the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known
unto me the interpretation of the dream.
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7 |
Then came in the magicians, the
astrologers, the Chalde'ans, and the soothsayers: and I told the
dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the
interpretation thereof.
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8 |
But at the last Daniel came in before me,
whose name was Belteshaz'zar, according to the name of my
god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before
him I told the dream, saying,
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9 |
O Belteshaz'zar, master of the magicians,
because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee,
and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I
have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
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10 |
Thus were the visions of mine head
in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and
the height thereof was great.
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11 |
The tree grew, and was strong, and the
height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end
of all the earth:
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12 |
the leaves thereof were fair, and
the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the
beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven
dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
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13 |
I saw in the visions of my head upon my
bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from
heaven;
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14 |
he cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down
the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and
scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the
fowls from his branches:
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15 |
nevertheless, leave the stump of his
roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the
tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven,
and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of
the earth:
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16 |
let his heart be changed from man's, and
let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over
him.
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17 |
This matter is by the decree of
the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the
intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the
kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up
over it the basest of men.
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18 |
This dream I king Nebuchadnez'zar have
seen. Now thou, O Belteshaz'zar, declare the interpretation thereof,
forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to
make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for
the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.
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19 |
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshaz'zar, was astonished for one hour, and his thoughts
troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshaz'zar, let not the
dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshaz'zar
answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate
thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.
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20 |
The tree that thou sawest, which grew,
and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight
thereof to all the earth;
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21 |
whose leaves were fair, and the
fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which
the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of
the heaven had their habitation:
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22 |
it is thou, O king, that art grown
and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto
heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.
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23 |
And whereas the king saw a watcher and a
holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and
destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth,
even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the
field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his
portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times
pass over him;
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24 |
this is the interpretation, O
king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which is come
upon my lord the king:
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25 |
that they shall drive thee from men, and
thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall
make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew
of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that
the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to
whomsoever he will.
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26 |
And whereas they commanded to leave the
stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after
that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.
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27 |
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be
acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and
thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if it may be a
lengthening of thy tranquillity.
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28 |
All this came upon the king
Nebuchadnez'zar.
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29 |
At the end of twelve months he walked in
the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
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30 |
The king spake, and said, Is not this
great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the
might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?
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31 |
While the word was in the king's
mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king
Nebuchadnez'zar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from
thee.
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32 |
And they shall drive thee from men, and
thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they
shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass
over thee, until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom
of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
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33 |
The same hour was the thing fulfilled
upon Nebuchadnez'zar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass
as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs
were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.
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34 |
And at the end of the days I
Nebuchadnez'zar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine
understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I
praised and honored him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from
generation to generation:
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35 |
and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in
the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth:
and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest
thou?
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36 |
At the same time my reason returned unto
me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honor and brightness
returned unto me; and my counselors and my lords sought unto me; and
I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added
unto me.
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37 |
Now I Nebuchadnez'zar praise and extol
and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and
his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to
abase.
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