Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
1 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams;
1his spirit was troubled, and
2his sleep left him.
2
Then the king commanded that
3the magicians,
4the enchanters, the
5sorcerers, and
6the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and
7stood before the king.
3
And the king said to them, "I had a dream, and
8my spirit is troubled to know the dream."
4
Then
9the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic,
10"O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation."
5
The king answered and said to
11the Chaldeans, "The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be
12torn limb from limb,
13and your
14houses shall be laid in ruins.
6
But if you show the dream and its interpretation,
15you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor.
16Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation."
7
They answered a second time and said, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation."
8
The king answered and said, "I know with certainty that you are trying to
17gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm--
9
if you do not make the dream known to me,
18there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till
19the times change.
20Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation."
10
21The Chaldeans answered the king and said, "There is not a man on earth who can meet the king's demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or
22Chaldean.
11
The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except
23the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh."
12
Because of this the king was angry and
24very furious, and
25commanded that all
26the wise men of Babylon be destroyed.
13
So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought
27Daniel and his companions, to kill them.