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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Daniel 2 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/daniel/2.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/daniel/2-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > Daniel 2</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../daniel/1.htm" title="Daniel 1">◄</a> Daniel 2 <a href="../daniel/3.htm" title="Daniel 3">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s1">Nebuchadnezzar's Dream</h3><p class="par"><span class="v27_2_1"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.1" class="v27_2_1">1</span>During the second year that Nebuchadnezzar was king, he had such horrible nightmares that he could not sleep. </span><span class="v27_2_2"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.2" class="v27_2_2">2</span>So he called in his counselors, advisors, magicians, and wise men, </span><span class="v27_2_3"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.3" class="v27_2_3">3</span>and said, “I am disturbed by a dream that I don't understand, and I want you to explain it.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_2_4"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.4" class="v27_2_4">4</span>They answered in Aramaic,<a href="#fn" id="link_Dan.2.4!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> “Your Majesty, we hope you live forever! We are your servants. Please tell us your dream, and we will explain what it means.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_2_5"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.5" class="v27_2_5">5</span>But 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. </span><span class="v27_2_6"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.6" class="v27_2_6">6</span>However, 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.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_2_7"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.7" class="v27_2_7">7</span>“Your Majesty,” they said, “if you will only tell us your dream, we will interpret it for you.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_2_8"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.8" class="v27_2_8">8</span>The king replied, “You're just stalling for time, </span><span class="v27_2_9"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.9" class="v27_2_9">9</span>because 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.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_2_10"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.10" class="v27_2_10">10</span>His 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. </span><span class="v27_2_11"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.11" class="v27_2_11">11</span>It can't be done, except by the gods, and they don't live here on earth.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_2_12"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.12-Dan.2.13" class="v27_2_12">12-13</span>This 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.</span></p><h3 class="s1">God Tells Nebuchadnezzar's Dream to Daniel</h3><p class="par"><span class="v27_2_14"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.14" class="v27_2_14">14</span>Arioch 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 </span><span class="v27_2_15"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.15" class="v27_2_15">15</span>and asked, “Why did the king give such cruel<a href="#fn" id="link_Dan.2.15!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> orders?” After Arioch explained what had happened, </span><span class="v27_2_16"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.16" class="v27_2_16">16</span>Daniel rushed off and said to the king, “If you will just give me some time, I'll explain your dream.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_2_17"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.17" class="v27_2_17">17</span>Daniel returned home and told his three friends. </span><span class="v27_2_18"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.18" class="v27_2_18">18</span>Then 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.” </span><span class="v27_2_19"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.19" class="v27_2_19">19</span>In a vision one night, Daniel was shown the dream and its meaning. Then he praised the God who rules from heaven:</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v27_2_20"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.20" class="v27_2_20">20</span>“Our God, your name</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v27_2_20">will be praised</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v27_2_20">forever and forever.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v27_2_20">You are all-powerful,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v27_2_20">and you know everything.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v27_2_21"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.21" class="v27_2_21">21</span>You control human events—</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v27_2_21">you give rulers their power</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v27_2_21">and take it away,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v27_2_21">and you are the source</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v27_2_21">of wisdom and knowledge.</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v27_2_22"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.22" class="v27_2_22">22</span>“You explain deep mysteries,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v27_2_22">because even the dark</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v27_2_22">is light to you.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v27_2_23"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.23" class="v27_2_23">23</span>You are the God</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v27_2_23">who was worshiped</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v27_2_23">by my ancestors.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v27_2_23">Now I thank you and praise you</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v27_2_23">for making me wise</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v27_2_23">and telling me the king's dream,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v27_2_23">together with its meaning.”</span></p><h3 class="s1">Daniel Interprets the Dream</h3><p class="par"><span class="v27_2_24"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.24" class="v27_2_24">24</span>Daniel 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.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_2_25"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.25" class="v27_2_25">25</span>Arioch 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.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_2_26"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.26" class="v27_2_26">26</span>The king asked Daniel,<a href="#fn" id="link_Dan.2.26!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> “Can you tell me my dream and what it means?”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v27_2_27"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.27" class="v27_2_27">27</span>Daniel answered:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v27_2_27">Your Majesty, not even the smartest person in all the world can do what you are demanding. </span><span class="v27_2_28"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.28-Dan.2.29" class="v27_2_28">28-29</span>But the God who rules from heaven can explain mysteries. And while you were sleeping, he showed you what will happen in the future. </span><span class="v27_2_30"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.30" class="v27_2_30">30</span>However, you must realize that these mysteries weren't explained to me because I am smarter than everyone else. Instead, it was done so that you would understand what you have seen.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v27_2_31"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.31" class="v27_2_31">31</span>Your Majesty, what you saw standing in front of you was a huge and terrifying statue, shining brightly. </span><span class="v27_2_32"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.32" class="v27_2_32">32</span>Its head was made of gold, its chest and arms were silver, and from its waist down to its knees, it was bronze. </span><span class="v27_2_33"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.33" class="v27_2_33">33</span>From there to its ankles it was iron, and its feet were a mixture of iron and clay.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v27_2_34"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.34" class="v27_2_34">34</span>As you watched, a stone was cut from a mountain—but not by human hands. The stone struck the feet, completely shattering the iron and clay. </span><span class="v27_2_35"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.35" class="v27_2_35">35</span>Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed and blown away without a trace, like husks of wheat at threshing time. But the stone became a tremendous mountain that covered the entire earth.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v27_2_36"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.36" class="v27_2_36">36</span>That was the dream, and now I'll tell you what it means. </span><span class="v27_2_37"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.37" class="v27_2_37">37</span>Your Majesty, you are the greatest of kings, and God has highly honored you with power </span><span class="v27_2_38"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.38" class="v27_2_38">38</span>over all humans, animals, and birds. You are the head of gold. </span><span class="v27_2_39"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.39" class="v27_2_39">39</span>After you are gone, another kingdom will rule, but it won't be as strong. Then it will be followed by a kingdom of bronze that will rule the whole world. </span><span class="v27_2_40"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.40" class="v27_2_40">40</span>Next, a kingdom of iron will come to power, crushing and shattering everything.<a href="#fn" id="link_Dan.2.40!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v27_2_41"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.41-Dan.2.42" class="v27_2_41">41-42</span>This fourth kingdom will be divided—it will be both strong and brittle, just as you saw that the feet and toes were a mixture of iron and clay. </span><span class="v27_2_43"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.43" class="v27_2_43">43</span>This kingdom will be the result of a marriage between kingdoms, but it will crumble, just as iron and clay don't stick together.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v27_2_44"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.44-Dan.2.45" class="v27_2_44">44-45</span>During the time of those kings, the God who rules from heaven will set up an eternal kingdom that will never fall. It will be like the stone that was cut from the mountain, but not by human hands—the stone that crushed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. Your Majesty, in your dream the great God has told you what is going to happen, and you can trust this interpretation.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Daniel Is Promoted</h3><p class="par"><span class="v27_2_46"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.46" class="v27_2_46">46</span>King 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. </span><span class="v27_2_47"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.47" class="v27_2_47">47</span>The 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.” </span><span class="v27_2_48"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.48" class="v27_2_48">48</span>The 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. </span><span class="v27_2_49"><span class="reftext" id="Dan.2.49" class="v27_2_49">49</span>At 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.</span></p></div> </div> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">2.4 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Aramaic: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Chapter 2.4—7.28 is written in Aramaic, a language closely related to Hebrew.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">2.15 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">cruel: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “urgent.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">2.26 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Daniel: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Aramaic “Daniel whose name was Belteshazzar” (see 1.7).</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">2.40 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">crushing … everything: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Three ancient translations; Aramaic adds “and like iron crushing.”</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. 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