Nebuchadnezzar's Frightening Dream

By Mary Vee
Daniel 2

From Nebuchadnezzar's Journal

Photo Courtesy-King Nebuchadnezzar

I woke in the middle of the night twice. Sweat poured down my face and my pillow was wet. My hands shook. That miserable dream haunted me like a monster and I didn't understand what it meant.

As king of all Babylon I shouldn't be plagued with such misery. I decided to call an end to my suffering by asking the wise men to interpret the dream. If I at least know the meaning, maybe I can do something about the problem.

I sat up in bed. "Guard, gather the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers and have them meet me in my royal chambers."

"Yes, sire."

I dressed in my robes and splashed water on my face to calm my nerves. The guards escorted me to the royal chambers where my advisors stood waiting for me. The concern on their faces showed they must have been told of my agitation. Well, good. They should be concerned.

I proceeded to my chair and plopped down, ready to solve the problem and get some decent rest. "You have been called here because I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means."

The lead astrologer bowed deeper. "O king, live forever! Tell us, your servants, the dream, and we will tell you what it means."

Oh no. This would not happen. These men are here because they know what others do not know. If they are truly wise men, they should be able to tell me the dream. "If you do not tell me what my dream was and the meaning of it I will know you are not real wise men and will cut you and your houses into pieces. But if you tell me the dream and explain it to me, you will receive wonderful gifts, rewards, and great honor from me. So, tell me the dream and the meaning."

They looked at each other, shrugging and shaking their heads. The lead wise man said, "Tell us, your servants the dream, and we will tell you the meaning."

Hah, I knew it. They don't know what my dream is. They are fools. All fools. "I am certain that you're trying to gain time, because you realize I've made up my mind. And so you are right. I will not give in. If you do not tell me the dream, there is just one penalty for you. All these years you have worked together to mislead me with your wicked ideas, hoping the situation would change. Now you can prove to me your worth by simply telling me the dream."

The wise men wiped sweat from their foreheads. "Sire, there is not a man on earth who can do what you asks. And no king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer. This is too difficult. No one can tell you your dream except the gods, and they do not live among men."

"Is that so?" The fire of anger burned in me. I turned to my guards. "Kill all the wise men of Babylon!"

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1. What bothered King Nebuchadnezzar?
2. Who did he call for a meeting?
3. What did he ask these men to do?
4. What did they say?
5. Why did King Nebuchadnezzar refuse to tell them what they wanted to know?
6. What did the king order and why?