Daniel 4:11-21

Nebuchadnezzar's Second Dream

11 c The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 d Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. e The beasts of the field found shade under it, and e the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

13 "I saw in s the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, f a watcher, g a holy one, came down from heaven. 14 He h proclaimed aloud and said thus: i 'Chop down the tree and j lop off its branches, j strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. j Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from a man's, and let a beast's mind be given to him; k and let seven periods of time l pass over him. 17 The sentence is by the decree of f the watchers, the decision by the word of g the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High m rules the kingdom of men n and gives it to whom he will and o sets over it the lowliest of men.' 18 This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O p Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because q all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for r the spirit of the holy gods is in you."

Daniel Interprets the Second Dream

19 Then Daniel, whose name was p Belteshazzar, was s dismayed for a while, and t his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, "Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you." Belteshazzar answered and said, "My lord, u may the dream be for those who hate you u and its interpretation for your enemies! 20 v The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, 21 w whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived -

  1. Cross References
    Psalms 37:35
    I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
  2. Cross References
    Ezekiel 31:7
    It was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches; for its roots went down to abundant waters.
  3. Cross References
    Ezekiel 31:6
    All the birds of the heavens made their nests in its boughs; under its branches all the beasts of the field gave birth to their young, and under its shadow lived all great nations.
  4. Cross References
    Ezekiel 31:6
    All the birds of the heavens made their nests in its boughs; under its branches all the beasts of the field gave birth to their young, and under its shadow lived all great nations.
  5. Cross References
    Daniel 4:5
    I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me.
  6. Cross References
    Daniel 4:23
    And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him.
  7. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 33:2
    He said, "The Lord came from Sinai and dawned from Seir upon us; he shone forth from Mount Paran; he came from the ten thousands of holy ones, with flaming fire at his right hand.
    Zechariah 14:5
    And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.
    Jude 1:14
    It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones.
  8. Cross References
    Daniel 3:4
    And the herald proclaimed aloud, "You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages.
  9. Cross References
    Daniel 4:23
    And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him.
    Matthew 3:10
    Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
    Luke 3:9
    Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
  10. Cross References
    Ezekiel 31:12
    Foreigners, the most ruthless of nations, have cut it down and left it. On the mountains and in all the valleys its branches have fallen, and its boughs have been broken in all the ravines of the land, and all the peoples of the earth have gone away from its shadow and left it.
  11. Cross References
    Ezekiel 31:12
    Foreigners, the most ruthless of nations, have cut it down and left it. On the mountains and in all the valleys its branches have fallen, and its boughs have been broken in all the ravines of the land, and all the peoples of the earth have gone away from its shadow and left it.
  12. Cross References
    Ezekiel 31:12
    Foreigners, the most ruthless of nations, have cut it down and left it. On the mountains and in all the valleys its branches have fallen, and its boughs have been broken in all the ravines of the land, and all the peoples of the earth have gone away from its shadow and left it.
  13. Cross References
    Daniel 4:23
    And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him.
    Daniel 4:25
    That you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.
  14. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 29:30
    With accounts of all his rule and his might and of the circumstances that came upon him and upon Israel and upon all the kingdoms of the countries.
  15. Cross References
    Daniel 4:13
    I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven.
  16. Cross References
    Daniel 4:13
    I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven.
  17. Cross References
    Daniel 4:25
    That you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.
    Daniel 4:32
    And you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.
    Daniel 5:21
    He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will.
  18. Cross References
    Jeremiah 27:5
    It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it seems right to me.
  19. Cross References
    1 Samuel 2:8
    He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord 's, and on them he has set the world.
  20. Cross References
    Daniel 1:7
    And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.
  21. Cross References
    Daniel 4:7
    Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation.
    Daniel 5:8
    Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation.
    Daniel 5:15
    Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter.
    Genesis 41:8
    So in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
  22. Cross References
    Daniel 4:8
    At last Daniel came in before me - he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods - and I told him the dream, saying.
  23. Cross References
    Daniel 4:18
    This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.
  24. Cross References
    Daniel 3:24
    Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king.
  25. Cross References
    Daniel 5:6
    Then the king's color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.
  26. Cross References
    1 Samuel 25:26
    Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal.
    2 Samuel 18:32
    The king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And the Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man.
  27. Cross References
    1 Samuel 25:26
    Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal.
    2 Samuel 18:32
    The king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And the Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man.
  28. Cross References
    Daniel 4:10 - 11
    The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great.
  29. Cross References
    Daniel 4:12
    Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.