Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream and Daniel’s Challenge

¹In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled his spirit, and sleep escaped him. ²So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers to explain his dreams. When they came and stood before the king, ³he said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to understand it.” ⁴Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, “O king, may you live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.” ⁵The king replied to the astrologers, “My word is final: If you do not tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will be cut into pieces and your houses will be reduced to rubble. ⁶But if you tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and its interpretation.” ⁷They answered a second time, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will give the interpretation.” ⁸The king replied, “I know for sure that you are stalling for time because you see that my word is final. ⁹If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one decree for you. You have conspired to speak before me false and fraudulent words, hoping the situation will change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I will know that you can give me its interpretation.” ¹⁰The astrologers answered the king, “No one on earth can do what the king requests! No king, however great and powerful, has ever asked anything like this of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer. ¹¹What the king requests is so difficult that no one can tell it to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.” ¹²This response made the king so angry and furious that he gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. ¹³So the decree went out that the wise men were to be executed, and men went to look for Daniel and his friends to execute them.