Daniel 4:6-16

6 So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me.
7 When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers[a] and diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me.
8 Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)
9 I said, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me.
10 These are the visions I saw while lying in bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous.
11 The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth.
12 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.
13 “In the visions I saw while lying in bed, I looked, and there before me was a holy one, a messenger,[b] coming down from heaven.
14 He called in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
15 But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field. “ ‘Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth.
16 Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times[c] pass by for him.

Cross References 17

  • 1. Daniel 2:2
  • 2. S Genesis 41:8
  • 3. S Isaiah 44:25; S Daniel 2:2
  • 4. S Daniel 2:10
  • 5. S Daniel 1:7
  • 6. S Genesis 41:38; Daniel 5:11,14
  • 7. Daniel 2:48
  • 8. Daniel 5:11-12
  • 9. S ver 5; Psalms 4:4
  • 10. Ezekiel 31:3-4
  • 11. S Ezekiel 19:11; Ezekiel 31:5
  • 12. S Ezekiel 17:23; S Matthew 13:32
  • 13. ver 10; Daniel 7:1
  • 14. S ver 23; S Deuteronomy 33:2; Daniel 8:13
  • 15. S Job 24:20
  • 16. S Ezekiel 31:12; S Matthew 3:10
  • 17. ver 23,32

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Or "Chaldeans"
  • [b]. Or "watchman" ; also in verses 17 and 23
  • [c]. Or "years" ; also in verses 23, 25 and 32
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