Daniel 4:1-15

King Nebuchadnezzar sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: "Peace and prosperity to you! [see Daniel 6:25]

 

"I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and wonders the Most High God has performed for me. [see Daniel 3:25-27, 4:17, 24-25, 34]

 

    How great are his signs, 

        how powerful his wonders! [see Deuteronomy 4:34, Psalm 77:19-20, 

        Isaiah 25:1]

    His kingdom will last forever, 

         his rule through all generations. [see Daniel 2:44-45, 6:26]

 

"I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace in comfort and prosperity. [see Psalm 30:6, Isaiah 47:7] But one night I had a dream that frightened me; I saw visions that terrified me as I lay in my bed. So I issued an order calling in all the wise men of Babylon, so they could tell me what my dream meant. [see Genesis 41:8, Daniel 2:2-3] When all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers came in, I told them the dream, but they could not tell me what it meant. [see Isaiah 44:24-25, Jeremiah 27:9-10, Daniel 2:7] At last Daniel came in before me, and I told him the dream. (He was named Belteshazzar after my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.) [see Daniel 1:7]

 

"I said to him, 'Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too great for you to solve. Now tell me what my dream means. [see Genesis 41:38, Ezekiel 28:3, Daniel 1:20, 2:47-48, 5:11]

 

" 'While I was lying in my bed, this is what I dreamed. I saw a large tree in the middle of the earth. [see Ezekiel 31:3-4] The tree grew very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see. It had fresh green leaves, and it was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. All the world was fed from this tree. [see Jeremiah 27:6-7, Ezekiel 31:5-7, Matthew 13:32, Luke 13:19]

 

" 'Then as I lay there dreaming, I saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven. [see Deuteronomy 33:2, Psalm 89:7, Daniel 8:13] The messenger shouted, [see Revelation 10:3, 18:2]

     

    "Cut down the tree and lop off its branches! 

        Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! 

    Chase the wild animals from its shade 

        and the birds from its branches. [see Jeremiah 51:5-6, 

        Ezekiel 31:10-14, Matthew 3:10, 7:19]

    But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, 

        bound with a band of iron and bronze 

        and surrounded by tender grass. 

    Now let him be drenched with dew of heaven, 

        and let him live with the wild animals among the plants of the field." ' " 

        [see Job 14:7-9]

 

[brackets are mine]

 

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Limited to 15 verses per post.