The Daily Audio Bible

Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream

4 King Nebuchadnezzar sent this letter to all the people of every nation and language who live in all the world: “May you have much peace! ² I am pleased to tell you about the wonderful things which the Most High God has done for me. ³ How great are the special things He shows us! How powerful are His wonderful works! His nation lasts forever, and His rule is for all people for all time.

⁴ “I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house. Everything was going well for me there. ⁵ But I had a dream that made me afraid. As I lay on my bed the pictures that passed through my mind filled me with fear. ⁶ So I called for all the wise men of Babylon to come and tell me the meaning of my dream. ⁷ Then the wonder-workers, those who learn from stars, and those who use their secret ways, came in. I told them about the dream, but they could not tell me what it meant. ⁸ At last Daniel came to me, who was given the name Belteshazzar after the name of my god. A spirit of the holy gods is in him, and I told him about my dream. I said, ⁹ ‘O Belteshazzar, head of the wonder-workers, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no secret is hidden from you. So tell me what dream I had, and what it means. ¹⁰ This is what I saw in my mind as I lay on my bed: I saw a tree in the center of the land. It was very tall. ¹¹ The tree grew and became strong. Its top went up to the sky, and it could be seen to the end of the whole earth. ¹² Its leaves were beautiful and it had much fruit. It had enough food for everyone. The wild animals of the field rested in its shadow. The birds of the air lived in its branches. And every living thing was fed from it.

¹³ ‘In the dreams I had as I lay on my bed, I looked and saw an angel who kept watch. He was a holy one who came down from heaven. ¹⁴ He said in a loud voice, “Cut down the tree and cut off its branches. Tear off its leaves and throw away its fruit. Let the animals run from under it and the birds fly from its branches. ¹⁵ Yet leave the base of the tree with its roots in the ground, and tie a chain of iron and brass around it. Leave it there in the new grass of the field. Let him be wet with the water from heaven on the grass in the early morning. Let him share with the wild animals in the grass of the earth. ¹⁶ Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and for seven years let him have the mind of an animal. ¹⁷ This penalty is by the law of the angels who keep watch. This is what the holy ones have decided, so that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the nation of all people. He gives it to whomever He wants, and lets the least important of men rule over it.” ¹⁸ This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means. None of the wise men in my nation can tell me what it means, but you can. For the spirit of the holy gods is in you.’

Daniel Tells the Meaning of the Second Dream

¹⁹ “Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was afraid for a while. His thoughts filled him with fear. The king said, ‘Belteshazzar, do not be afraid of the dream or its meaning.’ Belteshazzar answered, ‘My lord, if only the dream and its meaning had to do with those who hate you and fight against you! ²⁰ You saw the tree which grew large and strong, whose top went up to the sky and could be seen over all the earth. ²¹ Its leaves were beautiful and it had much fruit, enough food for all. Wild animals of the field rested under it, and birds of the air lived in its branches. ²² This tree is you, O king! For you have become great and strong. Your power has become great and has gone up to the sky, and your rule has gone to the end of the earth. ²³ The king saw an angel who kept watch, a holy one coming down from heaven and saying, “Cut down the tree and destroy it. Yet leave its base with its roots in the ground. Put a chain of iron and brass around it and leave it in the new grass of the field. And let him be wet with the water from heaven on the grass in the early morning. Let him share with the wild animals of the field for seven years.” ²⁴ This is what it means, O king. This is what the Most High said would happen to my lord the king: ²⁵ You will be driven away from all people and will live with the wild animals of the field. You will eat grass like cattle and become wet with the water from heaven. Seven years will pass until you understand that the Most High is ruler over the nations of men, and gives them to whomever He wants. ²⁶ It was said that the base of the tree and its roots must be left. This means that your nation will be returned to you after you understand that it is Heaven that rules. ²⁷ So, O king, may my words be pleasing to you. Turn away from your sins by doing what is right and good. Turn away from your wrong-doing by being kind to the poor. Then it may be that things will keep going well for you.’

The King Loses Everything

²⁸ “All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. ²⁹ Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of his beautiful house in Babylon. ³⁰ And he said, ‘Is not this the great Babylon which I have built as a beautiful place for the king? I have built it by my great strength and for the greatness of my power.’ ³¹ Before the king was finished speaking, a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is said: Your power over the nation has been taken from you. ³² You will be driven away from all people and will live with the wild animals of the field. You will eat grass like cattle. And seven years will pass until you understand that the Most High is ruler over the nations of men, and gives them to whomever He wants.’ ³³ At once these words about Nebuchadnezzar came true. He was driven away from all people and began eating grass like cattle. His body became wet with the water from heaven, until his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails like those of birds.

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

³⁴ “But at the end of that time I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up toward heaven and my understanding returned to me. And I gave thanks to the Most High and praised and honored Him Who lives forever. For His nation lasts forever, and His rule is for all people for all time. ³⁵ All the people of the earth are thought of as nothing. He does as He pleases with the angels of heaven and the people of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’ ³⁶ At that time my understanding returned to me. And my honor and power were returned to me for the greatness of my nation. My wise men and my leaders began looking for me, and I was made king again, with even more greatness added to me. ³⁷ Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and honor the King of heaven. For all His works are true and His ways are right. And He is able to bring down those who walk in pride.”

1 This letter is from Simon Peter. I am a missionary of Jesus Christ and a servant owned by Him. I am writing to those who have received the same faith as ours which is of great worth and which no amount of money can buy. This faith comes from our God and Jesus Christ, the One Who saves. ² May you have more and more of His loving-favor and peace as you come to know God and our Lord Jesus Christ better.

Christians Are to Grow

³ He gives us everything we need for life and for holy living. He gives it through His great power. As we come to know Him better, we learn that He called us to share His own shining-greatness and perfect life. ⁴ Through His shining-greatness and perfect life, He has given us promises. These promises are of great worth and no amount of money can buy them. Through these promises you can have God’s own life in you now that you have gotten away from the sinful things of the world which came from wrong desires of the flesh.

⁵ Do your best to add holy living to your faith. Then add to this a better understanding. ⁶ As you have a better understanding, be able to say no when you need to. Do not give up. And as you wait and do not give up, live God-like. ⁷ As you live God-like, be kind to Christian brothers and love them. ⁸ If you have all these things and keep growing in them, they will keep you from being of no use and from having no fruit when it comes to knowing our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ But if you do not have these things, you are blind and cannot see far. You forget God saved you from your old life of sin. ¹⁰ Christian brothers, make sure you are among those He has chosen and called out for His own. As long as you do these things, you will never trip and fall. ¹¹ In this way, the road will be made wide open for you. And you will go into the holy nation that lasts forever of our Lord Jesus Christ, the One Who saves.

¹² You already know about these things but I want to keep telling you about them. You are strong in the faith now. ¹³ I think it is right as long as I am alive to keep you thinking about these things. ¹⁴ I know that I will soon be leaving this body. Our Lord Jesus Christ has told me this. ¹⁵ I will try to make a way for you to remember these things after I am gone.

¹⁶ We had nothing to do with man-made stories when we told you about the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and of His coming again. We have seen His great power with our own eyes. ¹⁷ When He received honor and shining-greatness from God the Father, a voice came to Him from the All-powerful God, saying, “This is My much-loved Son. I am very happy with Him.” ¹⁸ We heard this voice come from heaven when we were with Christ on the holy mountain.

¹⁹ All this helps us know that what the early preachers said was true. You will do well to listen to what they have said. Their words are as lights that shine in a dark place. Listen until you understand what they have said. Then it will be like the morning light which takes away the darkness. And the Morning Star (Christ) will rise to shine in your hearts.

²⁰ Understand this first: No part of the Holy Writings was ever made up by any man. ²¹ No part of the Holy Writings came long ago because of what man wanted to write. But holy men who belonged to God spoke what the Holy Spirit told them.

⁹⁷ O, how I love Your Law! It is what I think about all through the day. ⁹⁸ Your Word makes me wiser than those who hate me, for it is always with me. ⁹⁹ I have better understanding than all my teachers because I think about Your Law. ¹⁰⁰ I have a better understanding than those who are old because I obey Your Word. ¹⁰¹ I have kept my feet from every sinful way so that I may keep Your Word. ¹⁰² I have not turned away from Your Law, for You Yourself have taught me. ¹⁰³ How sweet is Your Word to my taste! It is sweeter than honey to my mouth! ¹⁰⁴ I get understanding from Your Law and so I hate every false way.

¹⁰⁵ Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. ¹⁰⁶ I have promised that I will keep Your Law. And I will add strength to this promise. ¹⁰⁷ I am in much suffering. O Lord, give me life again by Your Word. ¹⁰⁸ Take my willing gift of thanks, O Lord, and teach me Your Law. ¹⁰⁹ My life is always in my hand, yet I do not forget Your Law. ¹¹⁰ The sinful have set a trap for me, yet I have not turned from Your Law. ¹¹¹ I have been given Your Law forever. It is the joy of my heart. ¹¹² I have set my heart on obeying Your Law forever, even to the end.

¹⁷ A man who is loaded down with the guilt of human blood will run in fear until death. Let no one help him.

¹⁸ He who walks without blame will be kept safe, but he who is sinful will fall all at once.