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
5Many years later King Belshazzar gave a great feast for 1,000 of his nobles, and he drank wine with them.H1113H4430H5648H7229H3900H506H7261H8355H2562H6903H506 2While Belshazzar was drinking the wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver cups that his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem. He wanted to drink from them with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.H1113H2942H2562H560H858H1722H3702H3984H2H5020H5312H4481H1965H3390H4430H7261H7695H3904H8355 3So they brought these gold cups taken from the Temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines drank from them.H116H858H1722H3984H5312H4481H1965H1005H426H3390H4430H7261H7695H3904H8355 4While they drank from them they praised their idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.H8355H2562H7624H426H1722H3702H5174H6523H636H69 5Suddenly, they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, near the lampstand. The king himself saw the hand as it wrote,H8160H5312H677H606H3028H3790H6903H5043H5922H1528H3797H4430H1965H4430H2370H6447H3028H3790 6and his face turned pale with fright. His knees knocked together in fear and his legs gave way beneath him.H116H4430H2122H8133H7476H927H7001H2783H8271H755H5368H1668H1668 7The king shouted for the enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers to be brought before him. He said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever can read this writing and tell me what it means will be dressed in purple robes of royal honor and will have a gold chain placed around his neck. He will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom!”H4430H7123H2429H5954H826H3779H1505H4430H6032H560H2445H895H606H3606H7123H1836H3792H2324H6591H3848H711H2002H1722H5922H6676H8523H7981H4437 8But when all the king’s wise men had come in, none of them could read the writing or tell him what it meant.H116H5954H3606H4430H2445H3546H3809H7123H3792H3046H4430H6591 9So the king grew even more alarmed, and his face turned pale. His nobles, too, were shaken.H116H4430H1113H7690H927H2122H8133H5922H7261H7672 10But when the queen mother heard what was happening, she hurried to the banquet hall. She said to Belshazzar, “Long live the king! Don’t be so pale and frightened.H4433H6903H4406H4430H7261H5954H4961H1005H4433H6032H560H4430H2418H5957H409H7476H927H2122H8133 11There is a man in your kingdom who has within him the spirit of the holy gods. During Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, this man was found to have insight, understanding, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your predecessor, the king—your predecessor King Nebuchadnezzar—made him chief over all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers of Babylon.H383H1400H4437H7308H6922H426H3118H2H5094H7924H2452H2452H426H7912H4430H5020H2H4430H2H6966H7229H2749H826H3779H1505 12This man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has exceptional ability and is filled with divine knowledge and understanding. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.”H6903H3606H3493H7308H4486H7924H6590H2493H263H280H8271H7001H7912H1841H4430H7761H8036H1096H3705H1841H7123H2324H6591 13So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles brought from Judah by my predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar?H116H1841H5954H6925H4430H4430H6032H560H1841H607H1841H4481H1123H1547H3061H4430H2H858H4481H3061 14I have heard that you have the spirit of the gods within you and that you are filled with insight, understanding, and wisdom.H8086H7308H426H5922H5094H7924H3493H2452H7912 15My wise men and enchanters have tried to read the words on the wall and tell me their meaning, but they cannot do it.H3705H2445H826H5954H6925H7123H1836H3792H3046H6591H3546H3809H2324H6591H4406 16I am told that you can give interpretations and solve difficult problems. If you can read these words and tell me their meaning, you will be clothed in purple robes of royal honor, and you will have a gold chain placed around your neck. You will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”H576H8086H5922H3202H6590H6591H8271H7001H3705H2006H3202H7123H3792H3046H6591H3848H711H2002H1722H5922H6676H8531H7981H4437 17Daniel answered the king, “Keep your gifts or give them to someone else, but I will tell you what the writing means.H116H1841H6032H560H6925H4430H4978H1934H3052H5023H321H1297H7123H3792H4430H3046H6591 18Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor to your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar.H607H4430H5943H426H3052H5020H2H4437H7238H3367H1923 19He made him so great that people of all races and nations and languages trembled before him in fear. He killed those he wanted to kill and spared those he wanted to spare. He honored those he wanted to honor and disgraced those he wanted to disgrace.H4481H7238H3052H3606H5972H524H3961H1934H2112H1763H4481H6925H1934H6634H1934H6992H1934H6634H1934H2418H1934H6634H1934H7313H1934H6634H1934H8214 20But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.H3825H7313H7308H8631H2103H5182H4481H4437H3764H5709H3367H4481 21He was driven from human society. He was given the mind of a wild animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them.H2957H4481H1123H606H3825H7739H5974H2423H4070H6167H2939H6211H8450H1655H6647H2920H8065H5705H3046H5943H426H7990H4437H606H6966H5922H4479H6634 22“You are his successor, O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself.H607H1247H1113H3809H8214H3825H6903H3046H3606H1836 23For you have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny!H7313H5922H4756H8065H858H3984H1005H6925H607H7261H7695H3904H8355H2562H7624H426H3702H1722H5174H6523H636H69H2370H3809H3809H8086H3809H3046H426H3028H5396H3606H735H3809H1922 24So God has sent this hand to write this message.H116H6447H3028H7972H4481H6925H1836H3792H7560 25“This is the message that was written: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin.H1836H3792H7560H4484H4484H8625H6537 26This is what these words mean: Mene means ‘numbered’—God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end.H1836H6591H4406H4484H426H4483H4437H8000 27Tekel means ‘weighed’—you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up.H8625H8625H3977H7912H2627 28Parsin means ‘divided’—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”H6537H4437H6537H3052H4076H6540 29Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was dressed in purple robes, a gold chain was hung around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.H116H560H1113H3848H1841H711H2002H1722H5922H6676H3745H5922H1934H8531H7990H4437 30That very night Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was killed.H3916H1113H4430H3779H6992 31And Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.H1868H4077H6902H4437H8361H8648H8140H1247
6Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province.H6925H8232H1868H6966H5922H4437H3969H6243H324H1934H3606H4437 2The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the king’s interests.H5924H4481H8532H5632H4481H1841H2298H459H324H1934H3052H2941H4430H1934H3809H5142 3Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.H116H1836H1841H1934H5330H5922H5632H324H3606H6903H3493H7308H4430H6246H6966H5922H3606H4437 4Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.H116H5632H324H1934H1156H7912H5931H1841H6655H4437H3606H3202H7912H3809H5931H3809H7844H6903H540H3809H3606H7960H7844H7912H5922 5So they concluded, “Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.”H116H560H479H1400H3809H7912H3606H5931H5922H1836H1841H3861H7912H1882H426 6So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, “Long live King Darius!H116H459H5632H324H7284H4430H560H3652H5922H4430H1868H2418H5957 7We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions.H3606H5632H4437H5460H324H1907H6347H3272H6966H4430H7010H8631H633H1156H1159H4481H3606H426H606H5705H8533H3118H3861H4481H4430H7412H1358H744 8And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”H3705H4430H6966H633H7560H3792H3809H8133H1882H4076H6540H5709H3809 9So King Darius signed the law.H3606H1836H6903H4430H1868H7560H3792H633 10But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.H1841H3046H3792H7560H5954H1005H3551H6606H5952H5049H3390H1289H5922H1291H8532H2166H3118H6739H3029H6925H426H6903H3606H1934H5648H4481H1836H6928 11Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help.H116H479H1400H7284H7912H1841H1156H2604H6925H426 12So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. “Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions?” “Yes,” the king replied, “that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”H116H7127H560H6925H4430H5922H4430H633H3809H7560H633H3606H606H1156H4481H3606H426H606H5705H8533H3118H3861H4481H4430H7412H1358H744H4430H6032H560H4406H3330H1882H4076H6540H5709H3809 13Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.”H116H6032H560H6925H4430H1841H4481H1123H1547H3061H7761H2942H3809H5922H4430H633H7560H1156H1159H8532H2166H3118 14Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament.H116H4430H8086H4406H7690H888H7761H1079H5922H1841H7804H1934H7712H5705H4606H8122H5338 15In the evening the men went together to the king and said, “Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed.”H116H479H1400H7284H5922H4430H560H4430H3046H4430H1882H4076H6540H3606H633H7010H4430H6966H8133 16So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.”H116H4430H560H858H1841H7412H1358H744H4430H6032H560H1841H426H607H6399H8411H7804 17A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel.H2298H69H858H7761H5922H6433H1358H4430H2857H5824H5824H7261H6640H3809H8133H1841 18Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night.H116H4430H236H1965H956H2908H3809H1761H5954H6925H8139H5075H5922 19Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den.H116H4430H6966H8238H5053H236H927H1358H744 20When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”H7127H1358H2200H6088H7032H1841H4430H6032H560H1841H1841H5649H2417H426H426H6399H8411H3202H7804H4481H744 21Daniel answered, “Long live the king!H116H4449H1841H5974H4430H4430H2418H5957 22My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”H426H7972H4398H5463H744H6433H3809H2255H3606H6903H6925H2136H7912H638H6925H4430H5648H3809H2248 23The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.H116H4430H7690H2868H5922H560H5267H1841H5267H4481H1358H1841H5267H4481H1358H3809H3606H2257H7912H540H426 24Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.H4430H560H858H479H1400H399H7170H1841H7412H1358H744H581H1123H5389H744H5705H7981H1855H3606H1635H1855H3809H4291H773H1358 25Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: “Peace and prosperity to you!H116H4430H1868H3790H3606H5972H524H3961H1753H3606H772H8001H7680 26“I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end.H4481H6925H7761H2942H3606H7985H4437H1934H2112H1763H4481H6925H426H1841H2417H426H7011H5957H4437H3809H2255H7985H5705H5491 27He rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”H7804H5338H5648H852H8540H8065H772H7804H1841H4481H3028H744 28So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.H1836H1841H6744H4437H1868H4437H3567H6543
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
