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1During the second year that Nebuchadnezzar was king, he had such horrible nightmares that he could not sleep.
2So he called in his counselors, advisors, magicians, and wise men,
3and said, “I am disturbed by a dream that I don't understand, and I want you to explain it.”
4They answered in Aramaic, “Your Majesty, we hope you live forever! We are your servants. Please tell us your dream, and we will explain what it means.”[#2.4 Chapter 2.4—7.28 is written in Aramaic, a language closely related to Hebrew.]
5But the king replied, “No! I have made up my mind. If you don't tell me both the dream and its meaning, you will be chopped to pieces and your houses will be torn down.
6However, if you do tell me both the dream and its meaning, you will be greatly rewarded and highly honored. Now tell me the dream and explain what it means.”
7“Your Majesty,” they said, “if you will only tell us your dream, we will interpret it for you.”
8The king replied, “You're just stalling for time,
9because you know what's going to happen if you don't come up with the answer. You've decided to make up a bunch of lies, hoping I might change my mind. Now tell me the dream, and that will prove that you can interpret it.”
10His advisors explained, “Your Majesty, you are demanding the impossible! No king, not even the most famous and powerful, has ever ordered his advisors, magicians, or wise men to do such a thing.
11It can't be done, except by the gods, and they don't live here on earth.”
12-13This made the king so angry that he gave orders for every wise man in Babylonia to be put to death, including Daniel and his three friends.
14Arioch was the king's official in charge of putting the wise men to death. He was on his way to have it done, when Daniel very wisely went to him
15and asked, “Why did the king give such cruel orders?” After Arioch explained what had happened,[#2.15 Or “urgent.”]
16Daniel rushed off and said to the king, “If you will just give me some time, I'll explain your dream.”
17Daniel returned home and told his three friends.
18Then he said, “Pray that the God who rules from heaven will be merciful and explain this mystery, so that we and the others won't be put to death.”
19In a vision one night, Daniel was shown the dream and its meaning. Then he praised the God who rules from heaven:
20“Our God, your name
will be praised
forever and forever.
You are all-powerful,
and you know everything.
21You control human events—
you give rulers their power
and take it away,
and you are the source
of wisdom and knowledge.
22“You explain deep mysteries,
because even the dark
is light to you.
23You are the God
who was worshiped
by my ancestors.
Now I thank you and praise you
for making me wise
and telling me the king's dream,
together with its meaning.”
24Daniel went back to Arioch, the official in charge of executing the wise men. Daniel said, “Don't kill those men! Take me to the king, and I will explain the meaning of his dream.”
25Arioch rushed Daniel to the king and announced, “Your Majesty, I have found out that one of the men brought here from Judah can explain your dream.”
26The king asked Daniel, “Can you tell me my dream and what it means?”[#2.26 Aramaic “Daniel whose name was Belteshazzar” (see 1.7).]
27Daniel answered:
46King Nebuchadnezzar bowed low to the ground and worshiped Daniel. Then he gave orders for incense to be burned and a sacrifice of grain to be offered in honor of Daniel.
47The king said, “Now I know that your God is above all other gods and kings, because he gave you the power to explain this mystery.”
48The king then presented Daniel with a lot of gifts; he promoted him to governor of Babylon Province and put him in charge of the other wise men.
49At Daniel's request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to high positions in Babylon Province, and he let Daniel stay on as a palace official.