Daniel 2:1-49 King Nebuchadnezzar Has Troubling Dreams

 

King Nebuchadnezzar Has Troubling Dreams

Daniel 2:1-49                    The Book of Daniel [in Smaller Chunks]

And [during] the 2nd year Nebuchadnezzar [ruled,] Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, [with which] his spirit was troubled & his sleep [left] him. [Daniel 4:4-5 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in [my] house & [prospered] in my palace. I saw a dream, [that] made me afraid & the thoughts upon my bed & the visions [in] my head troubled me.]

Then, the king commanded to call the: magicians; astrologers; sorcerers & the Chaldeans, [a.k.a. Babylonians,] to [declare] his dreams [to] the king. So, they came & stood [in front of] the king. And the king said to them, I have [had] a dream & my spirit was troubled to know & [understand] the dream.

Then, the Chaldeans' [spoke] to the king, in Syriack, [a.k.a. a dialect of Aramaic,] O king, live forever. Tell, [us,] your servants the dream & we will [declare its] interpretation. The king answered & said to the Chaldeans, The [dream] has gone from me.

If you won't make the dream known to me, with [its] interpretation, you shall be cut [into] pieces & your houses shall be a made a [refuse heap.] But if you [declare] the dream & [its] interpretation, you shall receive: gifts; rewards & great honor [from] me. Therefore, [tell] me the dream & [its] interpretation.

Again, they answered & said, Let the king tell his servants the dream & we will [give you its] interpretation. The king answered & said, I know [for certain,] that you would [save] time, [but] you see, the thing [has] gone from me.

But if you won't make the dream known to me, there is [only] 1 decree for you: for you have corruptly [plotted] lying words to speak to me, [until] [enough] time [has passed.] Therefore, tell me the dream & I shall know [whether] you can [give] me [its] interpretation.

The Chaldeans answered [in front of] the king, [saying,] There isn't [any] man upon the earth, [who] can [answer] the king's [request.] Therefore, there is no king; lord; nor ruler, [who] [has] asked such things of any: magician; astrologer; of Chaldean.

And it's [an unusual] thing that the king [requests] & there isn't [anyone, who] can [declare] it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with [humans.] The king was angry & very furious for this [reason,] & commanded all the wise men of Babylon to [be destroyed.]

And the decree went [out] that the wise men should be [killed,] & they [searched for] Daniel & his [companions] to be slain. Then with counsel, [a.k.a. enlightenment,] & wisdom, Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, [who] was [sent out] to [kill] the wise men of Babylon.

[Daniel] answered & said to Arioch, the king's captain, Why is the decree from the king so hasty, [a.k.a urgent?] Then, Arioch [explained the situation] to Daniel. Then, Daniel went in & desired [that] the king would give him time, [so] that he [could declare] the interpretation to the king.

Then, Daniel went to his house & made [this] thing known to his companions: Hananiah; Mishael; & Azariah. [So,] that they [could request] mercies [from] the God of heaven, [about] this secret, [so] that Daniel & his [companions wouldn't] perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Then, the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then, Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel [responded] & said, Blessed [is] the Name of God forever & ever: for wisdom & [strength] are His. And [God] changes the seasons & the times. He removes kings & sets up kings.

He gives wisdom to the wise & knowledge to [those, who have] understanding. [James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, [Who] gives to all men liberally, [a.k.a. generously,] & it shall be given to him & [He] [doesn't scold.]

He reveals the deep & secret things & He knows what is in the darkness. And the Light dwells with Him. [1 John 1:5-7 Then, this is the message, [that] we have heard [from] Him, & declare to you, that God is Light.

And no darkness is in Him, at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him & [follow] in darkness, we lie & don't [have] the Truth. But if we [follow] in the Light, [like] He is in the LIght, we have fellowship with one another. And the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.]

I thank You & praise You, O, You, God, of my [forefathers,] Who has given me wisdom & [strength] & [have] now made known to me, what we desired [from] You. For You have now made the king's matter known to us.

Therefore, Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had [ordered] to destroy the wise men of Babylon. [Daniel] went & said [this] to him, [Don't] destroy the wise men of Baylon. Bring me [in front of] the king, & I will [declare] the [dream's] interpretation to the king.

Then, Arioch [quickly] brought Daniel in before the king, & said to him, I have found a man [from Judah's] captives, [who] will make known [the dream's] interpretation to the king.

The king answered & said to Daniel, [who] was [named] Belteshazzar, Are you able to make the dream & [its] interpretation known to me?

Daniel answered in the presence of the king & said, The secret, [that] the king has demanded can't [be] [declared] to the king [by] the: wise men; astrologers & the soothsayers, [a.k.a. fortune tellers or psychics.]

But there is a God in heaven, [Who] reveals secrets & makes known to king Nebuchanezzar what shall [happen during] the latter days.

Your dream upon your bed & the visions of your head are these; O king, as for you, your thoughts [that] came into your mind upon your bed, [are about] what [shall happen after this.]

And He, [Who] reveals secrets, makes known to you what shall [happen.] But as for me, this secret isn't revealed to me [by] any wisdom that I have, more than any [other] [alive,] but for their sakes, [God] shall make the interpretation known to the king, & [so] you might know the thoughts of your heart.

You, O king, [looked] & [saw] a [large] image. This [large] image, whose brightness was excellent, stood [in front of you] & [its shape] was [terrifying.] This image's head was of fine gold; his [chest] & arms [were] silver; his belly & thighs [were] brass; his legs [were] iron; & his feet [were] part iron & part clay.

You [watched until] a stone was cut out, without [using] hands, [that struck] the image upon his feet, that were [part] iron & [part] clay, & [broke] them [into] pieces. Then, the iron; clay; brass; silver & gold [were] broken [into] pieces together & became like [wheat hulls on] the summer threshing floors.

And the wind carried them away, [so] that no place was found for them. And the stone that [struck] the image became a [large] mountain & filled the whole earth. This is the dream & we will tell [its] interpretation [in front of] the king.

You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you: a kingdom; power; strength; & glory. And He has [put] into your hand, [a.k.a. under your control, wherever] the children of men; the [wild animals] of the field; & the [birds] of the [heavens] dwell & has made you ruler over them all.

[Jeremiah 27:6 And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, [Babylon's] king, My servant. And I have also given him the [wild animals] of the field to serve him.]

You are this head of gold. And after you, another kingdom shall arise, inferior to you. And another 3rd kingdom of brass, [that] shall rule over all the earth. [Daniel 5:30-31 [On] that night, Belshazzar, the [Chaldean's] king, was slain. And Darius, the Median, [a.k.a. Mede, captured] the kingdom & [was] about 62 years old.]

And the 4th kingdom shall be strong [like] iron, [since] iron breaks [into] pieces & subdues, [a.k.a. by force brings under control,] all things. And [like] iron iron that breaks all these, it shall break [into] pieces & bruise.

And [since] you saw the feet & toes, [were] part of potters' clay & part iron, the kingdom shall be divided. But there shall be the strength of iron in it, [since,] you saw the iron mixed with [muddy] clay.

And [like] the toes of the feet were part iron & part clay, [also] the kingdom shall be partly strong & partly broken [in pieces.] And [since] you saw [the] iron mixed with [muddy] clay, they shall [mix] themselves with the seed, [a.k.a. offspring] of men: but they [won't stick with] one another, even [like] iron isn't mixed with clay.

*And [during] the days of these kings, the God of heaven shall set up a Kingdom, [that] shall never be destroyed. And the Kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break [into] pieces & [devour] all these kingdoms. And it shall stand forever.

[Revelation 1:5-8 From Jesus Christ, Who is the faithful witness & the first begotten [from] the dead, & the Prince of the kings of the earth. To Him, [Who] loved us & washed us from our sins in His Own Blood, & has made us [a kingdom] & priests to God & His Father; to Him be glory & dominion, [a.k.a. strength,] forever & ever. Amen.

[Look,] He comes with clouds & every eye shall see Him & also [those who] pierced Him. And all the [tribes] of the earth shall wail, because of Him. Even so, Amen. I Am [the] Alpha & Omega, the Beginning & the Ending, says the Lord, [Who] Is, & [Who] Was, & [Who] Is to come, the Almighty.]

[Since] you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without [using] hands, & it [broke into] pieces the: iron; brass; clay; silver & the gold; the great God has made known to the king, what shall [happen after this.] And the dream is certain & the interpretation is sure, [a.k.a. Impossible to doubt.]

[Romans 9:20-21 [No,] but, O man, who are you, [who speak] against God? Shall the thing formed say to Him, [Who] formed it, Why have You made me [like this?] Hasn't the potter power over the same lump of clay to make one vessel [for honor] & another [for] dishonor?]

Then, king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face & worshiped Daniel & commanded that they should offer a [sacrifice] & sweet [aromas] to him. [Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me, See [that] you [don't] do it.

I am your fellow servant & [from] your brethren, [who] have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is [through] the Spirit of prophecy.]

The king answered Daniel & said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods & a Lord of kings & a revealer of secrets, [since] you could reveal this secret. Then, the king made Daniel a [honored] man & gave him many great gifts & made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon & [leader] of the governors, over all the wise men of Babylon.

Then, Daniel requested [from] the king, & he [put] Shadrach; Meshach; & Abed Nego; over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

[Jeremiah 17:19-20 The Lord said [this] to me; Go & stand in the gate of the children of the people [by which,] the kings of Judah come in & go out, & in all the gates of Jerusalem. And say to them, You, hear, you, the Word of the Lord, you kings of Judah & all Judah & all [Jerusalem's residents,] that enter in by these gates.]

Daniel 1:1-21 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon Takes Judah's King Captive

 

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon Takes Judah's King Captive

Daniel 1:1-21                   The Book of Daniel [in Smaller Chunks]

[During] the 3rd year of [Jeoiakim's rule as] king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, [Babylon's] king, came into Jerusalem & besieged it. [Jeremiah 52:30 in the 23rd year Nebuchadrezzar, [a.k.a. Nebuchadnezzar,] [ruled,] Nebuzar Adan, the captain of the guard, carried away captive 745 [people who were] Jews. All the [people] were 4,600 [total taken captive.]

And the Lord gave Jehoiakim, [Judah's] king, into [Nebuchadnezzar's] hand, [along] with part of the vessels [from] the house of God, that he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god. And he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

[2 Kings 24:13 And he carried out [from there,] all the treasures of the house of the Lord & the treasures of the king's house & cut in pieces all the vessels of gold, [that] Solomon, [Israel's] king, had made, as the Lord had said, [for] the temple of the Lord.]

And the king [spoke] to Ashpenaz, the master of the eunuchs, [so] that he should bring [some] of [Israel's] children & [some] of the king's & [prince's] seed, [a.k.a. offspring.]

Children, in whom, was no blemish; but [were] well favored, [a.k.a. well liked;] & skillful in all wisdom; & [clever] in knowledge; & understanding science. And [those, who] had [the] ability [within] them to stand in the king's palace, [to] whom, they might teach the [Chaldean's, a.k.a. Babylonian's, knowledge & language.]

And the king appointed them daily [provisions, from] the king's meat, [a.k.a. food,] & wine [that] he drank: [in order to] [nourish] them 3 years, [so] that at the end [of it,] they might stand before the king.

Now, among these were the children of Judah: Daniel; Hananiah; Mishael; & Azariah: to whom, the prince, [a.k.a. leader] of the eunuchs, gave [them] names. For he gave the name of: Belteshazzar to Daniel; Shadrach to Hananiah; Meshach to Mishael; & Abed Nego to Azariah.

But Daniel [planned within] his heart, that he wouldn't defile himself with the king's portion of meat, [a.k.a. food,] nor the wine [that] he drank. Therefore, [Daniel, requested [from] the [leader] of the eunuchs, that he might not defile himself.

Now, God had brought Daniel into [high regard & fondness] with the [leader] of the eunuchs. And the [leader] of the eunuchs said to Daniel, [I'm afraid of] my lord, the king, who has appointed your meat & your drink.

For why should he see your faces worse [looking] than the children, [a.k.a. young men who] are [Jews?] Then, you shall make me endanger my head [before] the king.

Then, Daniel said to Melzar, whom the [leader] of the eunuchs had [put] over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, & Azariah, I urge you to [test] your servants, 10 days; & let them give us pulse, [a.k.a. vegetables,] to eat & water to drink.

Then, let our [faces] & the [faces] of the children, [who] eat the portion of the king's meat, be looked upon, [in front of] you. [Then,] deal with your servants, [according to what] you see. So, he [agreed] with them [about] this matter & tested them 10 days.

And at the end of 10 days, their [faces] appeared [nicer-looking] & [more plump] than all the children, [a.k.a. young men, who ate] the king's portion of meat. [So,] Melzar took away their portion of meat & wine that they [were supposed to] drink & gave them [vegetables.]

As for these 4 [young men,] God gave them knowledge & skill in all: learning & wisdom. And Daniel had understanding in all visions & dreams. Now, at the end of the [time] that the king had said [that] [these] should be [brought] in, then, the [leader] of the eunuchs brought them in [in front of] Nebuchadnezzar.

And the king [talked] with them. And among all [of] them, none was found like: Daniel; Hananiah; Mishael;& Azaraiah. Therefore, they stood [in front of] the king. And the king [examined] them in all matters of wisdom & understanding.

He found them 10 times better than all the magicians & astrologers, [who] were in his realm. And Daniel, even continued [until] the first year of king Cyrus. [Daniel 6:28 So, this Daniel prospered [during] the reign of Darius & [during] the reign of Cyrus, the Persian.]

Ezekiel 48:1-35 The Names & Borders of the Tribes of Israel

 

The Names & Borders of the Tribes of Israel

Ezekiel 48:1-35            The Book of Ezekiel [in Smaller Chunks]

Now, these are the names of the tribes. For these are a portion  for Dand, [from its] East sides & [to its] West [side] From the [northern] [border's] end, to the [road] of the coast of Hethlon, [headed toward] Hamath, & [to] Hazar Enan & the border of Damascus, toward the [North] coast of Hamath.

And [next to] the border of Dan, from the East to the West [sides,] [is] a portion for Asher. And by the border of Asher, from the East side, even to the West side, [is] a portion for Naphtali. And by the border of Naphtali, from East to the West [sides,] [is] a portion for Manasseh.

And by the border of Manasseh, from the East side to the West side, [is] a portion for Ephraim. And by the border of Ephraim, from the East side, even to the West side, [is] a portion for Reuben. And by the border of Rueben, from the East side to the West side, [is] a portion for Judah.

And by the border of Judah, from East side to the West side, shall be the offering [of land] [that] you shall offer of 25,000 reeds, [a.k.a. 25,000 cubits,] in [width] & in length. [Like] 1 of the other [portions,] from the East side to the West side. And the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it.

[Ezekiel 45:1-2 [Also,] when you shall divide the land for [an] inheritance by lot, [a.k.a. randomly,] you shall offer and [offering] to the Lord, a holy portion of the land. The length shall be the length of 25,000 reeds, & [its width] shall be 10,000 [reeds.]

This shall be holy in all [its] borders, [all around it.] [From] this, there shall be [set aside] [a] square [portion] for the sanctuary: 500 [cubits] in length & 500 [cubits] in [width.] And 50 cubits [all around it] for [its] suburbs, [a.k.a. open spaces.]

The [portion of land] you shall offer to the Lord, shall be 25,000 [long] & 10,000 [wide.] And for them, even for the priests, shall be this holy [offering portion, extending] toward the North: 25,000 [long] & [extending] toward the West: 10,000 [wide.]

And [extending] East: 10,000 [wide] & [extending] toward the South: 25,000 in length. And the sanctuary of the Lord shall be in the midst of it. It shall be for the priests, [who] are sanctified [from] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Zadok, which have kept My [assigned duties] & [didn't go] astray, when the children [people] of Israel went astray, [like] the Levites went astray.

[Ezekiel 44:10 And the Levites, [who have] gone away far from Me, when Israel went astray & [those, who] went astray from Me, after their idols. They shall even bear [the guilt] of their [sins.]

And this [offering] of the land, by the border of the Levites, that is offered, shall be to them a thing Most Holy. And [next to] the border of the priests, the Levites shall have 25,000 [cubits] in length & 10,000 in [width.] All [of its] length shall be 25,000 & [its width:] 10,000.

And they shall not sell it, [nor] exchange [it,] nor [transfer ownership of] the first fruits of the land: for it is holy to the Lord. And the [remaining] 25,000 left [of] the [width, beside] the 25,000 [length,] shall be a [common] place for the city, for [dwellings] & suburbs. And the city shall be in the [middle of it.]

And these shall be the [measurements of it:] the North side: 4,500; & the South side: 4,500; & on the East side: 4,500 & the West side: 4,500. And the suburbs, [a.k.a. open spaces,] of the city shall be 250 [cubits] toward the North & toward the South: 250, & toward the East: 250 & toward the West: 250.

And the [rest of its] length [next to] the [offering of land,] the holy portion, shall be 10,000 [cubits] eastward, & 10,000 westward. And it shall be over [next to] the [offering] of the holy portion [of land offered.]

And the [increased produce of it,] shall be for food [for those, who work for] the city. And [from] all of the tribes of Israel, [of those, who work for] the city, shall [cultivate] it. All [the portion of land offered to the Lord,] shall be 25,000 [cubits] by 25,000.

You shall [set aside from the offering, a square] holy [portion] with the possession [for] the city. And the [rest] shall be for the prince, on one side of the holy [portion offered] & on the other [side] & the [city's] possession, over [next to] 25,000 [cubit portion offered extending] toward the East border.

And [extending] westward over [next to] the 25,000 [cubit portion extending] toward the West border, [next to] the portions for the prince. And it shall be the holy [portion of land offered.] And the sanctuary of the [Lord's] house shall be in the [middle of it.]

[Also,] [apart:] from the possession [for] the Levites & from the possession [for] the city, [which are] in the midst of [what belongs to the prince,] between the border of Judah & the border of Benjamin, shall be for the prince. As for the rest of the tribes, from the East side to the West side, Benjamin shall have a portion.

And by the border of Benjamin, from the East side to the West side, Simeon shall have a portion. And by the border of Simeon, from the East side to the West side, Issachar, [shall have] a portion. And by the border of Issachar, from the East side to the West side, Zebulun, [shall have] a portion.

And by the border of Zebulun, from the East side to the West side, Gad [shall have] a portion. And by the border of Gad, at the South side, [extending] southward, the border shall even be from Tamar, [all the way] to the Waters of Strife, [a.k.a. The Waters of Meribah,] in Kedesh, [along] the river toward the Great Sea, [a.k.a. The Mediterranean Sea.]

This is the land, [that] you shall divide by lot [among] the tribes of Israel for [an] inheritance. And these are their portions, says the Lord God. And these are [their exits] out of the city on the North side: [a measurement of] 4,500 [cubits.]

And the gates of the city shall be [named] after [all] the tribes of Israel: 3 gates northward: 1 gate [for] Reuben; 1 gate [for] Judah; & 1 gate [for] Levi. And on the East side, 4,500 [cubits] & 3 gates: 1 gate [for] Joseph; 1 gate [for] Benjamin; & 1 gate [for] Dan.

And at the South side, 4,500 [cubits] & 3 gates: 1 gate [for] Simeon; 1 gate [for] Issachar; 1 gate [for] Zebulun. At the West side, 4,500 [cubits] & 3 gates; 1 gate [for] Gad; 1 gate [for] Asher; & 1 gate [for] Naphtali.

[All around,] [the inheritance,] it was the measurement of] 18,000 [cubits.] And the name of the city from that day shall be: The Lord Is There.