King Nebuchadnezzar is troubled by dreams and summons his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers. He demands not only an interpretation but that they tell him the dream itself.

The wise men protest that no king has ever asked such a thing. They insist that only the gods could reveal what is hidden.

Nebuchadnezzar becomes furious and orders the execution of Babylon’s wise men, a decree that includes Daniel and his companions.

Daniel responds with prudence and asks for time. He and his friends pray for mercy concerning the mystery so that they will not be destroyed.

During the night the mystery is revealed to Daniel in a vision. Daniel immediately praises God as the one who changes times and seasons, removes kings and establishes kings, and reveals deep and hidden things.

Daniel is brought before Nebuchadnezzar. He refuses to claim personal superiority, explaining that no human wise man can meet the king’s demand but that there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.

Daniel describes the dream: a huge statue with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, middle and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet partly iron and partly clay. A stone not cut by human hands strikes the statue, destroys it, and becomes a mountain filling the earth.

Daniel interprets the image as a sequence of kingdoms and the stone as a kingdom established by God that will not be destroyed.

Nebuchadnezzar responds with awe and promotes Daniel, who also remembers his companions. The threatened exile has become the interpreter of imperial power precisely by denying that the wisdom originates in himself.