Daniel 2 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Daniel 2 (WEBP)

[1] In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep went from him.
[2] Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be called to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.
[3] The king said to them, “I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.”
[4] Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in the Syrian language, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.”
[5] The king answered the Chaldeans, “The thing has gone from me. If you don’t make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be cut in pieces, and your houses will be made a dunghill.
[6] But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.”
[7] They answered the second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.”
[8] The king answered, “I know of a certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see the thing has gone from me.
[9] But if you don’t make known to me the dream, there is but one law for you; for you have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, until the situation changes. Therefore tell me the dream, and I will know that you can show me its interpretation.”
[10] The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on the earth who can show the king’s matter, because no king, lord, or ruler has asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or Chaldean.
[11] It is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is no other who can show it before the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
[12] Because of this, the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed.
[13] So the decree went out, and the wise men were to be slain. They sought Daniel and his companions to be slain.
[14] Then Daniel returned answer with counsel and prudence to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon.
[15] He answered Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree so urgent from the king?” Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
[16] Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would appoint him a time, and he would show the king the interpretation.
[17] Then Daniel went to his house and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
[18] that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret, that Daniel and his companions would not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
[19] Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
[20] Daniel answered, “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever; for wisdom and might are his.
[21] He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings and sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding.
[22] He reveals the deep and secret things. He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.
[23] I thank you and praise you, O God of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we desired of you; for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”
[24] Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said this to him: “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon. Bring me in before the king, and I will show to the king the interpretation.”
[25] Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said this to him: “I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Judah who will make known to the king the interpretation.”
[26] The king answered Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?”
[27] Daniel answered before the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded can’t be shown to the king by wise men, enchanters, magicians, or soothsayers;
[28] but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head on your bed are these:
[29] “As for you, O king, your thoughts came on your bed, what should happen hereafter; and he who reveals secrets has made known to you what will happen.
[30] But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but to the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.
[31] “You, O king, saw, and behold, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and its appearance was terrifying.
[32] As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze,
[33] its legs of iron, its feet part of iron and part of clay.
[34] You saw until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.
[35] Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. The stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
[36] “This is the dream; and we will tell its interpretation before the king.
[37] You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory.
[38] Wherever the children of men dwell, he has given the animals of the field and the birds of the sky into your hand, and has made you rule over them all. You are the head of gold.
[39] “After you, another kingdom will arise that is inferior to you; and another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth.
[40] The fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, because iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things; and as iron that crushes all these, it will break in pieces and crush.
[41] Whereas you saw the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay and part of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but there will be in it of the strength of the iron, because you saw the iron mixed with miry clay.
[42] As the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.
[43] Whereas you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, they will mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they won’t cling to one another, even as iron does not mix with clay.
[44] “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left to another people; but it will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever.
[45] Because you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will happen hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”
[46] Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, worshiped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an offering and sweet odors to him.
[47] The king answered to Daniel, and said, “Of a truth your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you have been able to reveal this secret.”
[48] Then the king made Daniel great and gave him many great gifts, and made him rule over the whole province of Babylon and to be chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon.
[49] Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon, but Daniel was in the king’s gate.

Daniel 2:31 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Daniel 2 (KJVS)

[1] And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed () dreams , wherewith his spirit was troubled (), and his sleep brake () from him.
[2] Then the king commanded () to call () the magicians , and the astrologers , and the sorcerers (), and the Chaldeans , for to shew () the king his dreams . So they came () and stood () before the king .
[3] And the king said () unto them, I have dreamed () a dream , and my spirit was troubled () to know () the dream .
[4] Then spake () the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack , O king , live () for ever : tell () thy servants the dream , and we will shew () the interpretation .
[5] The king answered () and said () to the Chaldeans , The thing is gone () from me : if ye will not make known () unto me the dream , with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut () in pieces , and your houses shall be made () a dunghill .
[6] But if ye shew () the dream , and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive () of me gifts and rewards and great honour : therefore shew () me the dream , and the interpretation thereof.
[7] They answered () again and said (), Let the king tell () his servants the dream , and we will shew () the interpretation of it.
[8] The king answered () and said (), I know () of certainty that ye would gain () the time , because ye see () the thing is gone () from me.
[9] But if ye will not make known () unto me the dream , [there is but] one decree for you: for ye have prepared () lying and corrupt () words to speak () before me, till the time be changed (): therefore tell () me the dream , and I shall know () that ye can shew () me the interpretation thereof.
[10] The Chaldeans answered () before the king , and said (), There is not a man upon the earth that can () shew () the king’s matter : therefore [there is] no king , lord , nor ruler , [that] asked () such things at any magician , or astrologer , or Chaldean .
[11] And [it is] a rare thing that the king requireth (), and there is none other that can shew () it before the king , except the gods , whose dwelling is not with flesh .
[12] For this cause the king was angry () and very furious (), and commanded () to destroy () all the wise [men] of Babylon .
[13] And the decree went forth () that the wise [men] should be slain (); and they sought () Daniel and his fellows to be slain ().
[14] Then Daniel answered () with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard , which was gone forth () to slay () the wise [men] of Babylon :
[15] He answered () and said () to Arioch the king’s captain , Why [is] the decree [so] hasty () from the king ? Then Arioch made the thing known () to Daniel .
[16] Then Daniel went in (), and desired () of the king that he would give () him time , and that he would shew () the king the interpretation .
[17] Then Daniel went () to his house , and made the thing known () to Hananiah , Mishael , and Azariah , his companions :
[18] That they would desire () mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret ; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish () with the rest of the wise [men] of Babylon .
[19] Then was the secret revealed () unto Daniel in a night vision . Then Daniel blessed () the God of heaven .
[20] Daniel answered () and said (), Blessed () be () the name of God for ever and ever : for wisdom and might are his:
[21] And he changeth () the times and the seasons : he removeth () kings , and setteth up () kings : he giveth () wisdom unto the wise , and knowledge to them that know () understanding :
[22] He revealeth () the deep and secret things (): he knoweth () what [is] in the darkness , and the light dwelleth () with him .
[23] I thank () thee, and praise () thee, O thou God of my fathers , who hast given () me wisdom and might , and hast made known () unto me now what we desired () of thee : for thou hast [now] made known () unto us the king’s matter .
[24] Therefore Daniel went in () unto Arioch , whom the king had ordained () to destroy () the wise [men] of Babylon : he went () and said () thus unto him; Destroy () not the wise [men] of Babylon : bring me in () before the king , and I will shew () unto the king the interpretation .
[25] Then Arioch brought in () Daniel before the king in haste (), and said () thus unto him, I have found () a man of the captives of Judah , that will make known () unto the king the interpretation .
[26] The king answered () and said () to Daniel , whose name [was] Belteshazzar , Art thou able () to make known () unto me the dream which I have seen (), and the interpretation thereof?
[27] Daniel answered () in the presence of the king , and said (), The secret which the king hath demanded () cannot () the wise [men], the astrologers , the magicians , the soothsayers (), shew () unto the king ;
[28] But there is a God in heaven that revealeth () secrets , and maketh known () to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be () in the latter days . Thy dream , and the visions of thy head upon thy bed , are these ;
[29] As for thee , O king , thy thoughts came () [into thy mind] upon thy bed , what should come to pass () hereafter : and he that revealeth () secrets maketh known () to thee what shall come to pass ().
[30] But as for me , this secret is not revealed () to me for [any] wisdom that I have more than any living , but for [their] sakes that shall make known () the interpretation to the king , and that thou mightest know () the thoughts of thy heart .
[31] Thou , O king , sawest () (), and behold a great image . This great image , whose brightness [was] excellent , stood () before thee; and the form thereof [was] terrible ().
[32] This image’s head [was] of fine gold , his breast and his arms of silver , his belly and his thighs of brass ,
[33] His legs of iron , his feet part of iron and part of clay .
[34] Thou sawest () () till that a stone was cut out () without hands , which smote () the image upon his feet [that were] of iron and clay , and brake them to pieces ().
[35] Then was the iron , the clay , the brass , the silver , and the gold , broken to pieces () (8676) () together , and became () like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors ; and the wind carried them away (), that no place was found () for them: and the stone that smote () the image became () a great mountain , and filled () the whole earth .
[36] This [is] the dream ; and we will tell () the interpretation thereof before the king .
[37] Thou , O king , [art] a king of kings : for the God of heaven hath given () thee a kingdom , power , and strength , and glory .
[38] And wheresoever the children of men dwell (), the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given () into thine hand , and hath made thee ruler () over them all . Thou [art] this head of gold .
[39] And after thee shall arise () another kingdom inferior to thee , and another third kingdom of brass , which shall bear rule () over all the earth .
[40] And the fourth kingdom shall be () strong as iron : forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces () and subdueth () all [things]: and as iron that breaketh () all these , shall it break in pieces () and bruise ().
[41] And whereas thou sawest () the feet and toes , part of potters ’ clay , and part of iron , the kingdom shall be () divided (); but there shall be () in it of the strength of the iron , forasmuch as thou sawest () the iron mixed () with miry clay .
[42] And [as] the toes of the feet [were] part of iron , and part of clay , [so] the kingdom shall be () partly strong , and partly broken ().
[43] And whereas thou sawest () iron mixed () with miry clay , they shall mingle themselves () () with the seed of men : but they shall () not cleave () one to another , even as iron is not mixed () with clay .
[44] And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up () a kingdom , which shall never be destroyed (): and the kingdom shall not be left () to other people , [but] it shall break in pieces () and consume () all these kingdoms , and it shall stand () for ever .
[45] Forasmuch as thou sawest () that the stone was cut out () of the mountain without hands , and that it brake in pieces () the iron , the brass , the clay , the silver , and the gold ; the great God hath made known () to the king what shall come to pass () hereafter : and the dream [is] certain , and the interpretation thereof sure ().
[46] Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell () upon his face , and worshipped () Daniel , and commanded () that they should offer () an oblation and sweet odours unto him.
[47] The king answered () unto Daniel , and said (), Of a truth [it is], that your God [is] a God of gods , and a Lord of kings , and a revealer () of secrets , seeing thou couldest () reveal () this secret .
[48] Then the king made Daniel a great man (), and gave () him many great gifts , and made him ruler () over the whole province of Babylon , and chief of the governors over all the wise [men] of Babylon .
[49] Then Daniel requested () of the king , and he set () Shadrach , Meshach , and Abednego , over the affairs of the province of Babylon : but Daniel [sat] in the gate of the king .

Young’s Literal Translation

Daniel 2 (YLT)

[1] And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, dreamed hath Nebuchadnezzar dreams, and his spirit doth move itself, and his sleep hath been against him;
[2] and the king saith to call for scribes, and for enchanters, and for sorcerers, and for Chaldeans, to declare to the king his dreams. And they come in and stand before the king;
[3] and the king saith to them, ‘A dream I have dreamed, and moved is my spirit to know the dream.’
[4] And the Chaldeans speak to the king in Aramaean, ‘O king, to the ages live, tell the dream to thy servants, and the interpretation we do shew.’
[5] The king hath answered and said to the Chaldeans, ‘The thing from me is gone; if ye do not cause me to know the dream and its interpretation, pieces ye are made, and your houses are made dunghills;
[6] and if the dream and its interpretation ye do shew, gifts, and fee, and great glory ye receive from before me, therefore the dream and its interpretation shew ye me.’
[7] They have answered a second time, and are saying, ‘Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and the interpretation we do shew.
[8] The king hath answered and said, ‘Of a truth I know that time ye are gaining, because that ye have seen that the thing is gone from me,
[9] so that, if the dream ye do not cause me to know-one is your sentence, seeing a word lying and corrupt ye have prepared to speak before me, till that the time is changed, therefore the dream tell ye to me, then do I know that its interpretation ye do shew me.’
[10] The Chaldeans have answered before the king, and are saying, ‘There is not a man on the earth who is able to shew the king’s matter; therefore, no king, chief, and ruler, hath asked such a thing as this of any scribe, and enchanter, and Chaldean;
[11] and the thing that the king is asking is precious, and others are there not that do shew it before the king, save the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.’
[12] Therefore the king hath been angry and very wroth, and hath said to destroy all the wise men of Babylon;
[13] And the sentence hath gone forth, and the wise men are being slain, and they have sought Daniel and his companions to be slain.
[14] Then Daniel hath replied with counsel and discretion to Arioch chief of the executioners of the king, who hath gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon.
[15] He hath answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, ‘Wherefore is the sentence so urgent from before the king?’ Then Arioch hath made the thing known to Daniel,
[16] and Daniel hath gone up, and sought of the king that he would give him time to shew the interpretation to the king.
[17] Then Daniel to his house hath gone, and to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, he hath made the thing known,
[18] and to seek mercies from before the God of the heavens concerning this secret, that they destroy not Daniel and his companions with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
[19] Then to Daniel, in a vision of the night, the secret hath been revealed. Then hath Daniel blessed the God of the heavens.
[20] Daniel hath answered and said, ‘Let the name of God be blessed from age even unto age, for wisdom and might-for they are His.
[21] And He is changing times and seasons, He is causing kings to pass away, and He is raising up kings; He is giving wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those possessing understanding.
[22] He is revealing deep and hidden things; He hath known what is in darkness, and light with Him hath dwelt.
[23] Thee, O God of my fathers, I am thanking and praising, for wisdom and might Thou hast given to me; and now, Thou hast caused me to know that which we have sought from Thee, for the king’s matter Thou hast caused us to know.’
[24] Therefore Daniel hath gone up unto Arioch, whom the king hath appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he hath gone, and thus hath said to him, ‘The wise men of Babylon thou dost not destroy, bring me up before the king, and the interpretation to the king I do shew.’
[25] Then Arioch in haste hath brought up Daniel before the king, and thus hath said to him-‘I have found a man of the sons of the Removed of Judah, who the interpretation to the king doth make known.’
[26] The king hath answered and said to Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, ‘Art thou able to cause me to know the dream that I have seen, and its interpretation?’
[27] Daniel hath answered before the king and said, ‘The secret that the king is asking, the wise men, the enchanters, the scribes, the soothsayers, are not able to shew to the king;
[28] but there is a God in the heavens, a revealer of secrets, and He hath made known to king Nebuchadnezzar that which is to be in the latter end of the days. ‘Thy dream and the visions of thy head on thy bed are these:
[29] Thou, O king, thy thoughts on thy bed have come up concerning that which is to be after this, and the Revealer of secrets hath caused thee to know that which is to be.
[30] As to me-not for any wisdom that is in me above any living hath this secret been revealed to me; but for the intent that the interpretation to the king they make known, and the thoughts of thy heart thou dost know.
[31] ‘Thou, O king, wast looking, and lo, a certain great image. This image is mighty, and its brightness excellent; it is standing over-against thee, and its appearance is terrible.
[32] This image! its head is of good gold, its breasts and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass;
[33] its legs of iron, its feet, part of them of iron, and part of them of clay.
[34] Thou wast looking till that a stone hath been cut out without hands, and it hath smitten the image on its feet, that are of iron and of clay, and it hath broken them small;
[35] then broken small together have been the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, and they have been as chaff from the summer threshing-floor, and carried them away hath the wind, and no place hath been found for them: and the stone that smote the image hath become a great mountain, and hath filled all the land.
[36] This is the dream, and its interpretation we do tell before the king.
[37] ‘Thou, O king, art a king of kings, for the God of the heavens a kingdom, strength, and might, and glory, hath given to thee;
[38] and whithersoever sons of men are dwelling, the beast of the field, and the fowl of the heavens, He hath given into thy hand, and hath caused thee to rule over them all; thou art this head of gold.
[39] And after thee doth rise up another kingdom lower than those, and another third kingdom of brass, that doth rule overall the earth.
[40] And the fourth kingdom is strong as iron, because that iron is breaking small, and making feeble, all things, even as iron that is breaking all these, it beateth small and breaketh.
[41] As to that which thou hast seen: the feet and toes, part of them potter’s clay, and part of them iron, the kingdom is divided: and some of the standing of the iron is to be in it, because that thou hast seen the iron mixed with miry clay.
[42] As to the toes of the feet, part of them iron, and part of them clay: some part of the kingdom is strong, and some part of it is brittle.
[43] Because thou hast seen iron mixed with miry clay, they are mixing themselves with the seed of men: and they are not adhering one with another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
[44] ‘And in the days of these kings raise up doth the God of the heavens a kingdom that is not destroyed-to the age, and its kingdom to another people is not left: it beateth small and endeth all these kingdoms, and it standeth to the age.
[45] Because that thou hast seen that out of the mountain cut hath been a stone without hands, and it hath beaten small the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king that which is to be after this; and the dream is true, and its interpretation stedfast.
[46] Then hath king Nebuchadnezzar fallen on his face, and to Daniel he hath done obeisance, and present, and sweet things, he hath said to pour out to him.
[47] The king hath answered Daniel and said, ‘Of a truth it is that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since thou hast been able to reveal this secret.’
[48] Then the king hath made Daniel great, and many great gifts he hath given to him, and hath caused him to rule over all the province of Babylon, and chief of the perfects over all the wise men of Babylon.
[49] And Daniel hath sought from the king, and he hath appointed over the work of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and Daniel is in the gate of the king.