4King Nebuchadnezzar sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: “Peace and prosperity to you!H5020H4430H3606H5972H524H3961H1753H3606H772H8001H76802“I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and wonders the Most High God has performed for me.H6925H8232H2324H852H8540H5943H426H5648H59743How great are his signs, how powerful his wonders! His kingdom will last forever, his rule through all generations.H4101H7260H852H4101H8624H8540H4437H5957H4437H7985H5974H1859H18594“I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace in comfort and prosperity.H576H5020H1934H7954H1005H7487H19655But one night I had a dream that frightened me; I saw visions that terrified me as I lay in my bed.H2370H2493H1763H2031H5922H4903H2376H7217H9276So I issued an order calling in all the wise men of Babylon, so they could tell me what my dream meant.H4481H7761H4481H2942H5954H3606H2445H895H6925H3046H6591H24937When all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers came in, I told them the dream, but they could not tell me what it meant.H116H5954H2749H826H3779H1505H576H560H2493H6925H3809H3046H65918At 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.)H5705H318H1841H5922H6925H8036H1096H8036H426H7308H6922H426H6925H560H24939“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.H1096H7229H2749H576H3046H7308H6922H426H3606H3809H7328H598H560H2376H2493H2370H659110“‘While I was lying in my bed, this is what I dreamed. I saw a large tree in the middle of the earth.H2376H7217H5922H4903H1934H2370H431H363H1459H772H7314H769011The tree grew very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see.H363H7236H8631H7314H4291H8065H2379H5491H3606H77212It 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.H6074H8209H4H7690H4203H3606H2423H1251H2927H8460H6853H8065H1753H6056H3606H1321H2110H448113“‘Then as I lay there dreaming, I saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven.H1934H2370H2376H7217H5922H4903H431H5894H6922H5182H4481H806514The messenger shouted, “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.H7123H2429H560H3652H1414H363H7113H6056H5426H6074H921H4H2423H5111H4481H8479H6853H4481H605615But 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 the dew of heaven, and let him live with the wild animals among the plants of the field.H1297H7662H6136H8330H772H613H6523H5174H1883H1251H6647H2920H8065H2508H5974H2423H6211H77216For seven periods of time, let him have the mind of a wild animal instead of the mind of a human.H3825H8133H4481H606H2423H3825H3052H7655H5732H2499H592217For this has been decreed by the messengers; it is commanded by the holy ones, so that everyone may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world. He gives them to anyone he chooses—even to the lowliest of people.”H6600H1510H5894H7595H3983H6922H5705H1701H2417H3046H5943H7990H4437H606H5415H4479H6634H6966H5922H8215H60618“‘Belteshazzar, that was the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now tell me what it means, for none of the wise men of my kingdom can do so. But you can tell me because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.’H1836H2493H576H4430H5020H2370H607H1096H560H6591H6903H3606H2445H4437H3809H3202H3046H6591H607H3546H7308H6922H42619“Upon hearing this, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) was overcome for a time, frightened by the meaning of the dream. Then the king said to him, ‘Belteshazzar, don’t be alarmed by the dream and what it means.’ “Belteshazzar replied, ‘I wish the events foreshadowed in this dream would happen to your enemies, my lord, and not to you!H116H1841H8036H1096H8075H2298H8160H7476H927H4430H6032H560H1096H409H2493H6591H927H1096H6032H560H4756H2493H8131H6591H614620The tree you saw was growing very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see.H363H2370H7236H8631H7314H4291H8065H2379H3606H77221It had fresh green leaves and was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches.H6074H8209H4H7690H4203H3606H8460H2423H1251H1753H6056H6853H8065H793222That tree, Your Majesty, is you. For you have grown strong and great; your greatness reaches up to heaven, and your rule to the ends of the earth.H607H4430H7236H8631H7238H7236H4291H8065H7985H5491H77223“‘Then you saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, “Cut down the tree and destroy it. But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and bronze and surrounded by tender grass. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven. Let him live with the animals of the field for seven periods of time.”H4430H2370H5894H6922H5182H4481H8065H560H1414H363H1414H2255H1297H7662H6136H8330H772H613H6523H5174H1883H1251H6647H2920H8065H2508H5974H2423H1251H5705H7655H5732H2499H592224“‘This is what the dream means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has declared will happen to my lord the king.H1836H6591H4430H1932H1510H5943H4291H5922H4756H443025You will be driven from human society, and you will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like a cow, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.H2957H4481H606H4070H1934H5974H2423H1251H2939H6211H8450H6647H2920H8065H7655H5732H2499H5922H5705H3046H5943H7990H4437H606H5415H4479H663426But the stump and roots of the tree were left in the ground. This means that you will receive your kingdom back again when you have learned that heaven rules.H560H7662H6136H363H8330H4437H7011H4481H3046H8065H799027“‘King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.’H3861H4430H4431H8232H5922H6562H2408H6665H5758H2604H6033H2006H1934H754H796328“But all these things did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar.H3606H4291H5922H4430H502029Twelve months later he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon.H7118H8648H6236H3393H1934H1981H5922H1965H4437H89530As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’H4430H6032H560H3809H1932H1668H7229H895H576H1124H1005H4437H8632H2632H3367H192331“While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom.H5751H4406H4430H6433H5308H7032H4481H8065H4430H5020H560H4437H5709H448132You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.’H2957H4481H606H4070H5974H2423H1251H2939H6211H8450H7655H5732H2499H5922H5705H3046H5943H7990H4437H606H5415H4479H663433“That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws.H8160H4406H5487H5922H5020H2957H4481H606H399H6211H8450H1655H6647H2920H8065H5705H8177H7236H5403H2953H685334“After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal.H7118H3118H576H5020H5191H5870H8065H4486H8421H5922H1289H5943H7624H1922H2417H5957H7985H5957H7985H4437H5974H1859H185935All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’H3606H1753H772H2804H3809H5648H6634H2429H8065H1753H772H3809H383H4223H3028H560H4101H564836“When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored as head of my kingdom, with even greater honor than before.H2166H4486H8421H5922H3367H4437H1923H2122H8421H5922H1907H7261H1156H5922H8627H4437H3493H7238H325537“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.”H3705H576H5020H7624H7313H1922H4430H8065H3606H4567H7187H735H1780H1981H1467H3202H8214
Dublin, OH
King Nebuchadnezzar sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: “Peace and prosperity to you!H5020
