1. In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams. His spirit was troubled and sleep escaped him.
2. So the king issued an order to summon the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and Chaldeans in order to explain to the king his dreams. When they came and stood before the king,
3. he said to them, “I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit is anxious to understand the dream.”
4. Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic , “May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will declare the interpretation.”
5. The king answered the Chaldeans saying, “I firmly decree: If you do not make the dream and its meaning known to me, you will be torn limb from limb and your houses reduced to rubble.
6. But if you tell the dream and its meaning, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and its meaning!”
7. They responded a second time, saying, “Let the king tell his servants the dream and we will declare the interpretation.”
8. The king replied saying, “I know for sure that you are buying time since you see that I have firmly decreed
9. that if you do not reveal the dream to me, there is only one verdict for you. You have conspired to say something false and fraudulent, until such a time as things might change. So then, tell me the dream and I will know that you can tell me its meaning.”
10. The Chaldeans answered the king saying, “There is no man on earth who can meet the king’s demand. For no great king, however great or mighty, has ever asked such a thing from any magician, astrologer or Chaldean.
11. What the king asks is too difficult. There is no one who could declare it to the king, except the gods whose dwelling is not with mortals!”
12. Because of this, the king became furiously angry and gave orders to execute all the wise men of Babylon.
13. So the decree went out that the wise men were about to be slaughtered. They also sought Daniel and his companions to execute them.
14. Then Daniel spoke with tact and discretion to Arioch, who was captain of the king’s guard and who had set out to execute the wise men of Babylon.