nkjv Daniel:2:1-23 SEEK
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Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar '
s reign ,
Nebuchadnezzar had dreams ;
and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him .
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Then the king gave the command to call the magicians ,
the astrologers ,
the sorcerers ,
and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams .
So they came and stood before the king .
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And the king said to them , "
I have had a dream ,
and my spirit is anxious to know the dream ."
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Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic , "
O king ,
live forever !
Tell your servants the dream ,
and we will give the interpretation ."
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The king answered and said to the Chaldeans , "
My decision is firm :
if you do not make known the dream to me ,
and its interpretation ,
you shall be cut in pieces ,
and your houses shall be made an ash heap .
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However ,
if you tell the dream and its interpretation ,
you shall receive from me gifts ,
rewards ,
and great honor .
Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation ."
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They answered again and said , "
Let the king tell his servants the dream ,
and we will give its interpretation ."
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The king answered and said , "
I know for certain that you would gain time ,
because you see that my decision is firm :
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if you do not make known the dream to me ,
there is only one decree for you !
For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed .
Therefore tell me the dream ,
and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation ."
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The Chaldeans answered the king ,
and said , "
There is not a man on earth who can tell the king '
s matter ;
therefore no king ,
lord ,
or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician ,
astrologer ,
or Chaldean .
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It is a difficult thing that the king requests ,
and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods ,
whose dwelling is not with flesh ."
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For this reason the king was angry and very furious ,
and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon .
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So the decree went out ,
and they began killing the wise men ;
and they sought Daniel and his companions ,
to kill them .
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Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch ,
the captain of the king '
s guard ,
who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon ;
*
he answered and said to Arioch the king '
s captain , "
Why is the decree from the king so urgent ?"
Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel .
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So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time ,
that he might tell the king the interpretation .
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Then Daniel went to his house ,
and made the decision known to Hananiah ,
Mishael ,
and Azariah ,
his companions ,
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that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret ,
so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon .
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Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision .
So Daniel blessed the God of heaven .
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Daniel answered and said : "
Blessed be the name of God forever and ever ,
For wisdom and might are His .
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And He changes the times and the seasons ;
He removes kings and raises up kings ;
He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding .
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He reveals deep and secret things ;
He knows what is in the darkness ,
And light dwells with Him .
* "
I thank You and praise You ,
O God of my fathers ;
You have given me wisdom and might ,
And have now made known to me what we asked of You ,
For You have made known to us the king '
s demand ."