1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
2 I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.
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.
4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:
5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.
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.
7 Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.
8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, 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,
9 O Belteshazzar, 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.
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.
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:
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.
13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;
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:
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:
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.
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.
18 This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, 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.
19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.
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;
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:
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.
23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and an 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;
24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
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.
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.
27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
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 honour of my majesty?
31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.
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.
33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: 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.
34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
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?
36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.
37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
<html><b>was tranquil in my house</b> [as translated,] was tranquil in my house.</html>
<html><b>and it frightened me</b> It brought upon me fear and fright.</html>
<html><b>Until, at last,</b> until, at last, Daniel was brought in before me. <b>like the name of my god</b> The deity of Babylon was named Bel. Teshazzar is the name of an expression of wisdom in Aramaic.</html>
<html><b>and no secret is hidden from you</b> No mystery is robbed [from you] or denied you.</html>
<html><b>The tree grew and became strong</b> The tree grew and became stronger and stronger. <b>reached the sky</b> [as translated,] reached the sky.</html>
<html><b>its branches were beautiful</b> [as translated,] its branches were beautiful. <b>and its fruit was plentiful</b> [as translated,] and its fruit was plentiful. <b>and on it was sustenance for all</b> On it was enough sustenance for all <b>took shade</b> Aram. תַּטְלֵל, an expression of shade. <b>dwelt</b> Aram. יְדֻרָן, an expression of dwelling and lodging. <b>was nourished</b> Aram. יִתְּזִין, an expression of food.</html>
<html><b>I saw</b> lit. I was seeing. <b>and behold a wakeful holy one</b> i.e., an angel who is forever awake and holy.</html>
<html><b>Crying out loudly</b> crying with might. <b>Cut down the tree…shake off its branches</b> shake off and cause its branches to fall. <b>shake off its branches</b> shake off and cause its branches to fall. <b>and scatter its fruit</b> [as translated,] and scatter its fruit. <b>the beasts shall wander away from beneath it</b> [as translated,] the beasts shall wander away from beneath it.</html>
<html><b>But leave its main roots in the ground</b> but its main roots leave over. <b>and in fetters of iron and copper</b> i.e., place his feet in iron fetters as is done to a horse that is left in the meadow; so shall you chain him with fetters. <b>in the grass</b> Aram. בְדִתְאָא in the grass of the field, i.e., in the meadow, so that he should not move from there. <b>it shall be drenched</b> Aram. <b>its lot</b> [as translated,] its lot. יִצְטַבַּע, it shall always be drenched, an expression of immersion.</html>
<html><b>and seven periods</b> seven years. <b>will pass over him</b> will pass over him with this decree.</html>
<html><b>the edict</b> a decree, but since they take counsel from the Holy One, blessed be He, before they issue the decree, he calls it a question. <b>in order that</b> Aram. עַד דִּבְרַת, like לְמַעַן. <b>that the living should know</b> in order that all the living should know. <b>and to whom He wishes</b> [as translated,] and to whom He wishes.</html>
<html><b>its interpretation</b> [as translated,] its interpretation. <b>but you can</b> [as translated,] but you can.</html>
<html><b>Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was bewildered</b> He was silent. <b>and his thoughts</b> [as translated,] and his thoughts. <b>alarmed him</b> for he was afraid to interpret the dream for him. <b>My lord</b> Aram. מָרִאי. Our Rabbis said (Shevu. 35b): “My Lord, may the dream be for Your enemies,” refers to God. He raised his eyes to the Holy One, blessed be He, and said, “May this dream be fulfilled upon this enemy of Yours.” But if you say that he said it to Nebuchadnezzar, was not Israel his enemy? Is it possible that he would curse them? <b>for your foes</b> Aram. לְעָרָךְ, like (Sam. 28:16): “and has become [the supporter of] your foes (עָרֶךָ).”</html>
<html><b>which befalls my lord, the king</b> [as translated,] which befalls my lord, the king.</html>
<html><b>And they will banish you from mankind</b> [as translated,] and they will banish you from mankind. <b>and with the dew of the heavens you shall be drenched</b> They will immerse you. <b>and seven periods shall pass over you</b> We may say that this is the recompense for the Temple, which he destroyed, which was built in seven years.</html>
<html><b>And what they said, etc.</b> What they said—to leave the roots of the tree—this is the interpretation: מַלְכוּתָךְ, your kingdom—will remain yours. Your kingdom will ultimately be restored to you. <b>as soon as you know that Heaven rules</b> as soon as you know that the heavenly beings rule over the world.</html>
<html><b>Indeed, O king</b> Indeed, O king, hearken to my counsel. <b>my counsel</b> Aram. מִלְכִּי, my counsel, like (Num. 24:14): “I shall advise you (אִיעָצְךָ),” which is translated: אֲמַלְּכִינָךְ. <b>please you</b> May my counsel please you that you hearken to my words. <b>and with charity you will remove your sin</b> With charity, break your sin off your neck. <b>and your iniquity by showing mercy to poor</b> and remove your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. <b>perhaps your tranquility will last</b> Perhaps there will be time for your tranquility, that the evil should not come swiftly. Now what did Daniel see to give Nebuchadnezzar good advice? He saw the Jews poor and humbled by the exile, going from door to door begging for alms, and he gave him advice to deal mercifully with them. He said to him, “These poor people whom you exiled are hungry; nourish them.” And so he did. He opened his storehouses and fed them for a full twelve months.</html>
<html><b>All this befell</b> The entire interpretation befell Nebuchadnezzar.</html>
<html><b>he was walking</b> [as translated,] he was walking.</html>
<html><b>Is this not</b> He heard poor people coming to the door and crying out. He said, “What is the sound of this multitude in my ears?” His servants said to him, “These are the poor for whom you arranged a time to feed.” He said, “Is this not the great Babylon, etc. If I had squandered my storehouses, from where would I have built all these palaces? From now on, I shall not feed them.” Rabbi Tanhuma (Mishpatim 4) explained it in this manner. <b>and for the honor of my glory</b> [as translated,] and for the honor of my glory.</html>
<html><b>has turned away from you</b> [as translated,] has turned away from you.</html>
<html><b>they will banish</b> Aram. טָרְדִין. an expression of driving away.</html>
<html><b>was fulfilled</b> The decree was executed upon him.<b>his hair grew like [the feathers of] eagles</b> His hair grew over his entire body like eagles’ feathers. <b>and his nails like birds</b> and his nails were like a bird’s [talons].</html>
<html><b>And at the end of the days</b> at the end of the days that were set for him; at the end of the seven years. <b>raised</b> [as translated,] raised. <b>and my understanding was restored to me</b> [as translated,] and my understanding was restored to me. <b>and I blessed the Most High</b> [as translated,] and I blessed the Most High.</html>
<html><b>are reckoned as nothing</b> Aram. כְּלָה. Our Rabbis said (Yoma 20b): The dust of the sun is called לָא i.e., the dust that appears in the sun. <b>and according to His will, He does with the host of heaven</b> [as translated,] and according to His will, He does with the host of heaven. <b>and no one can stop His hand</b> Aram. וְלָא אִיתַי דִּי יְמַחֵא בִידֵהּ. And there is none who will stop His hand.</html>
<html><b>At that time</b> [as translated,] at that time. <b>and I returned to the glory of my kingdom</b> [as translated,] and I returned to the glory of my kingdom. <b>and my splendor</b> the features of my face. <b>my leaders and my dignitaries were seeking me</b> and My advisers and my princes were seeking me and hoping for my return. <b>and I was established</b> [as translated,] and I was established. <b>and excessive greatness was added to me</b> and more greatness than the earlier [kings] was added to me. Our Rabbis said (Shab. 150a) that he rode astride a lion and tied a serpent to its head.</html>
<html><b>and Whose ways are just</b> His ways are just. <b>who walk with arrogance</b> Those who walk with arrogance He can humble.</html>