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have seen, and the interpretation thereof.” After relating the dream,
Nebuchadnezzar said: “O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation
thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able
to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the
spirit of the holy gods is in thee.”
To Daniel the meaning of the dream was plain, and its significance
startled him. He “was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled
him.” Seeing Daniel’s hesitation and distress, the king expressed sym-
pathy for his servant. “Belteshazzar,” he said, “let not the dream, or
the interpretation thereof, trouble thee.”
“My lord,” Daniel answered, “the dream be to them that hate
thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.” The prophet
realized that upon him God had laid the solemn duty of revealing to
Nebuchadnezzar the judgment that was about to fall upon him because
of his pride and arrogance. Daniel must interpret the dream in language
the king could understand; and although its dreadful import had made
him hesitate in dumb amazement, yet he must state the truth, whatever
the consequences to himself.
Then Daniel made known the mandate of the Almighty. “The tree
that thou sawest,” he said, “which grew, and was strong, whose height
reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; whose
leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all;
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under which the beast of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the
fowls of the heaven had their habitation: it is thou, O king, that art
grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth
unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.
“And whereas the king saw a Watcher and an Holy One coming
down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it;
yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band
of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet
with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the
field, till seven times pass over him; this is the interpretation, O king,
and this is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord
the king: that they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall
be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass
as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven
times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the Most High ruleth
in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will. And