LXX Concordance for οὐρανοῦ

Then God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so.

Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night. They will serve as signs for seasons[fn] and for days and years.

God placed them in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth,

Then God said, “Let the water swarm with[fn] living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.”

Then God said, “Let us make man[fn] in[fn] our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl[fn] on the earth.”

God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.”

“for all the wildlife of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for every creature that crawls on the earth ​— ​everything having the breath of life in it ​— ​I have given[fn] every green plant for food.” And it was so.

These are the records of the heavens and the earth, concerning their creation. At the time[fn] that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,

The LORD God formed out of the ground every wild animal and every bird of the sky, and brought each to the man to see what he would call it. And whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.

Then the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I created, off the face of the earth, together with the animals, creatures that crawl, and birds of the sky ​— ​for I regret that I made them.”

“Understand that I am bringing a flood ​— ​floodwaters on the earth to destroy every creature under heaven with the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.

“and seven pairs, male and female, of the birds of the sky ​— ​in order to keep offspring alive throughout the earth.

In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the sources of the vast watery depths burst open, the floodgates of the sky were opened,

Then the water surged even higher on the earth, and all the high mountains under the whole sky were covered.

He wiped out every living thing that was on the face of the earth, from mankind to livestock, to creatures that crawl, to the birds of the sky, and they were wiped off the earth. Only Noah was left, and those that were with him in the ark.

The sources of the watery depths and the floodgates of the sky were closed, and the rain from the sky stopped.

“The fear and terror of you will be in every living creature on the earth, every bird of the sky, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are placed under your authority.

And they said, “Come, let's build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky. Let's make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we will be scattered throughout the earth.”

Then out of the sky the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah burning sulfur from the LORD.

God heard the boy crying, and the[fn] angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What's wrong, Hagar? Don't be afraid, for God has heard the boy crying from the place where he is.

But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham! ”

He replied, “Here I am.”

Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven

“I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the city gates of their[fn] enemies.

“and I will have you swear by the LORD, God of heaven and God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I live,

“The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from my native land, who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘I will give this land to your offspring'[fn] ​— ​he will send his angel before you, and you can take a wife for my son from there.

“I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky, I will give your offspring all these lands, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed[fn] by your offspring,

May God give to you —

from the dew of the sky

and from the richness of the land —

an abundance of grain and new wine.

His father Isaac answered him,

Look, your dwelling place will be

away from the richness of the land,

away from the dew of the sky above.

He was afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! This is none other than the house of God. This is the gate of heaven.”

“In the top basket were all sorts of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”

“In just three days Pharaoh will lift up your head ​— ​from off you ​— ​and hang you on a tree.[fn] Then the birds will eat the flesh from your body.”[fn]

“by the God of your father who helps you,

and by the Almighty who blesses you

with blessings of the heavens above,

blessings of the deep that lies below,

and blessings of the breasts and the womb.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. This way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.

Then the LORD told Moses, “This is what you are to say to the Israelites: You have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven.

and they saw the God of Israel. Beneath his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as clear as the sky itself.

“Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel ​— ​you swore to them by yourself and declared, ‘I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and will give your offspring all this land that I have promised, and they will inherit it forever.' ”

“The LORD your God has so multiplied you that today you are as numerous as the stars of the sky.

“Where can we go? Our brothers have made us lose heart,[fn] saying: The people are larger and taller than we are; the cities are large, fortified to the heavens. We also saw the descendants of the Anakim there.'

“Today I will begin to put the fear and dread of you on the peoples everywhere under heaven. They will hear the report about you, tremble, and be in anguish because of you.'

“You came near and stood at the base of the mountain, a mountain blazing with fire into the heavens and enveloped in a totally black cloud.

“When you look to the heavens and see the sun, moon, and stars ​— ​all the stars in the sky ​— ​do not be led astray to bow in worship to them and serve them. The LORD your God has provided them for all people everywhere under heaven.

“Indeed, ask about the earlier days that preceded you, from the day God created mankind[fn] on the earth and from one end of the heavens to the other: Has anything like this great event ever happened, or has anything like it been heard of?

“He let you hear his voice from heaven to instruct you. He showed you his great fire on earth, and you heard his words from the fire.

“Listen, Israel: Today you are about to cross the Jordan to enter and drive out nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities fortified to the heavens.

“Leave me alone, and I will destroy them and blot out their name under heaven. Then I will make you into a nation stronger and more numerous than they.'

“The heavens, indeed the highest heavens, belong to the LORD your God, as does the earth and everything in it.

“Your ancestors went down to Egypt, seventy people in all, and now the LORD your God has made you numerous, like the stars of the sky.

“But the land you are entering to possess is a land of mountains and valleys, watered by rain from the sky.

“so that as long as the heavens are above the earth, your days and those of your children may be many in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors.

“and has gone to serve other gods by bowing in worship to the sun, moon, or all the stars in the sky ​— ​which I have forbidden ​— ​

“Look down from your holy dwelling, from heaven, and bless your people Israel and the land you have given us as you swore to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.

“The LORD will turn the rain of your land into falling[fn] dust; it will descend on you from the sky until you are destroyed.

“Your corpses will be food for all the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the earth, with no one to scare them away.

“Though you were as numerous as the stars of the sky, you will be left with only a few people, because you did not obey the LORD your God.

“Even if your exiles are at the farthest horizon, he will gather you and bring you back from there.

He said about Joseph:

May his land be blessed by the LORD

with the dew of heaven's bounty

and the watery depths that lie beneath;

As they fled before Israel, the LORD threw large hailstones on them from the sky along the descent of Beth-horon all the way to Azekah, and they died. More of them died from the hail than the Israelites killed with the sword.

And the sun stood still

and the moon stopped

until the nation took vengeance on its enemies.

Isn't this written in the Book of Jashar?[fn]

So the sun stopped

in the middle of the sky

and delayed its setting

almost a full day.

The stars fought from the heavens;

the stars fought with Sisera from their paths.

“Come here,” the Philistine called to David, “and I'll give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts! ”

“Today, the LORD will hand you over to me. Today, I'll strike you down, remove your head, and give the corpses[fn] of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the wild creatures of the earth. Then all the world will know that Israel has a God,

Absalom was riding on his mule when he happened to meet David's soldiers. When the mule went under the tangled branches of a large oak tree, Absalom's head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so he was suspended in midair.[fn]

Rizpah, Aiah's daughter, took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on the rock from the beginning of the harvest[fn] until the rain poured down from heaven on the bodies. She kept the birds of the sky from them by day and the wild animals by night.

Then the earth shook and quaked;

the foundations of the heavens[fn] trembled;

they shook because he burned with anger.

The LORD thundered from heaven;

the Most High made his voice heard.

But will God indeed live on earth?

Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain you,

much less this temple I have built.

may you hear in heaven and act.

May you judge your servants,

condemning the wicked man by bringing

what he has done on his own head

and providing justice for the righteous

by rewarding him according to his righteousness.

may you hear in heaven

and forgive the sin of your people Israel.

May you restore them to the land

you gave their ancestors.

may you hear in heaven

and forgive the sin of your servants

and your people Israel,

so that you may teach them to walk on the good way.

May you send rain on your land

that you gave your people for an inheritance.

may you hear in heaven, your dwelling place,

and may you forgive, act, and give to everyone

according to all their ways, since you know each heart,

for you alone know every human heart,

may you hear in heaven, your dwelling place,

and do according to all the foreigner asks.

Then all peoples of earth will know your name,

to fear you as your people Israel do

and to know that this temple I have built

bears your name.

may you hear their prayer and petition in heaven

and uphold their cause.

may you hear in heaven, your dwelling place,

their prayer and petition and uphold their cause.

“Anyone who belongs to Baasha and dies in the city,

the dogs will eat,

and anyone who is his and dies in the field,

the birds[fn] will eat.”

Then the LORD's fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.

“Anyone who belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, the dogs will eat,

and anyone who dies in the field, the birds[fn] will eat.' ”

Then Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and the whole heavenly army was standing by him at his right hand and at his left hand.

Elijah responded to the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.

Elijah responded, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” So a divine fire[fn] came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.

“Already fire has come down from heaven and consumed the first two captains with their companies, but this time let my life be precious to you.”

The LORD had not said he would blot out the name of Israel under heaven, so he delivered them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.

They abandoned all the commands of the LORD their God. They made cast images for themselves, two calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed in worship to all the stars in the sky and served Baal.

He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed and reestablished the altars for Baal. He made an Asherah, as King Ahab of Israel had done; he also bowed in worship to all the stars in the sky and served them.

He built altars to all the stars in the sky in both courtyards of the LORD's temple.

Then the king commanded the high priest Hilkiah and the priests of the second rank and the doorkeepers to bring out of the LORD's sanctuary all the articles made for Baal, Asherah, and all the stars in the sky. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel.

When David looked up and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, with his drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem, David and the elders, covered in sackcloth, fell facedown.

He built an altar to the LORD there and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the LORD, and he answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.

David didn't count the men aged twenty or under, for the LORD had said he would make Israel as numerous as the stars of the sky.

But who is able to build a temple for him, since even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain him? Who am I then that I should build a temple for him except as a place to burn incense before him?

But will God indeed live on earth with humans?

Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain you,

much less this temple I have built.

Hear the petitions of your servant

and your people Israel,

which they pray toward this place.

May you hear in your dwelling place in heaven.

May you hear and forgive.

may you hear in heaven and act.

May you judge your servants,

condemning the wicked man by bringing

what he has done on his own head

and providing justice for the righteous

by rewarding him according to his righteousness.

may you hear in heaven

and forgive the sin of your people Israel.

May you restore them to the land

you gave them and their ancestors.

may you hear in heaven

and forgive the sin of your servants

and your people Israel,

so that you may teach them the good way

they should walk in.

May you send rain on your land

that you gave your people for an inheritance.

may you hear in heaven, your dwelling place,

and may you forgive and give to everyone[fn]

according to all their ways, since you know each heart,

for you alone know the human heart,

may you hear in heaven in your dwelling place,

and do all the foreigner asks you.

Then all the peoples of the earth will know your name,

to fear you as your people Israel do

and know that this temple I have built

bears your name.

may you hear their prayer and petition in heaven

and uphold their cause.

may you hear their prayer and petitions in heaven,

your dwelling place,

and uphold their cause.[fn]

May you forgive your people

who sinned against you.

When Solomon finished praying, fire descended from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.

and my people, who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

Then Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and the whole heavenly army was standing at his right hand and at his left hand.

He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had torn down and reestablished the altars for the Baals. He made Asherah poles, and he bowed in worship to all the stars in the sky and served them.

He built altars to all the stars in the sky in both courtyards of the LORD's temple.

This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: The LORD, the God of the heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build him a temple at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may the LORD his God be with him.

This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: “The LORD, the God of the heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judah.

This is the reply they gave us:

We are the servants of the God of the heavens and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.

Whatever is needed ​— ​young bulls, rams, and lambs for burnt offerings to the God of the heavens, or wheat, salt, wine, and oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem ​— ​let it be given to them every day without fail,

Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of the heavens:

Greetings.

I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers in the region west of the Euphrates River:

Whatever Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of the heavens, asks of you must be provided in full,

Whatever is commanded by the God of the heavens must be done diligently for the house of the God of the heavens, so that wrath will not fall on the realm of the king and his sons.

When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of the heavens.

“But if you return to me and carefully observe my commands, even though your exiles were banished to the farthest horizon,[fn] I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I chose to have my name dwell.”

Then the king asked me, “What is your request? ”

So I prayed to the God of the heavens

I gave them this reply, “The God of the heavens is the one who will grant us success. We, his servants, will start building, but you have no share, right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”

You,[fn] LORD, are the only God.[fn]

You created the heavens,

the highest heavens with all their stars,

the earth and all that is on it,

the seas and all that is in them.

You give life to all of them,

and all the stars of heaven worship you.

You came down on Mount Sinai,

and spoke to them from heaven.

You gave them impartial ordinances, reliable instructions,

and good statutes and commands.

You provided bread from heaven for their hunger;

you brought them water from the rock for their thirst.

You told them to go in and possess the land

you had sworn[fn] to give them.

You multiplied their descendants

like the stars of the sky

and brought them to the land

you told their ancestors to go in and possess.

So you handed them over to their enemies,

who oppressed them.

In their time of distress, they cried out to you,

and you heard from heaven.

In your abundant compassion

you gave them deliverers, who rescued them

from the power of their enemies.

He was still speaking when another messenger came and reported, “God's fire fell from heaven. It burned the sheep and the servants and devoured them, and I alone have escaped to tell you! ”

As a cloud fades away and vanishes,

so the one who goes down to Sheol will never rise again.

But ask the animals, and they will instruct you;

ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.

“Clouds veil him so that he cannot see,

as he walks on the circle of the sky.”

The pillars that hold up the sky tremble,

astounded at his rebuke.

By his breath the heavens gained their beauty;

his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.[fn]

It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing

and concealed from the birds of the sky.

“who gives us more understanding than the animals of the earth

and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky? ”

He lets it loose beneath the entire sky;

his lightning to the ends of the earth.

Do you know the laws of heaven?

Can you impose its[fn] authority on earth?

the birds of the sky,

and the fish of the sea

that pass through the currents of the seas.

The LORD looks down from heaven on the human race[fn]

to see if there is one who is wise,

one who seeks God.

The LORD thundered from[fn] heaven;

the Most High made his voice heard.[fn]

It rises from one end of the heavens

and circles to their other end;

nothing is hidden from its heat.

Now I know that the LORD gives victory to his anointed;

he will answer him from his holy heaven

with mighty victories from his right hand.

The LORD looks down from heaven;

he observes everyone.

“I know every bird of the mountains,

and the creatures of the field are mine.

God looks down from heaven on the human race[fn]

to see if there is one who is wise,

one who seeks God.

He reaches down from heaven and saves me,

challenging the one who tramples me.Selah

God sends his faithful love and truth.

to him who rides in the ancient, highest heavens.

Look, he thunders with his powerful voice!

From heaven you pronounced judgment.

The earth feared and grew quiet

He gave a command to the clouds above

and opened the doors of heaven.

He made the east wind blow in the skies

and drove the south wind by his might.

They gave the corpses of your servants

to the birds of the sky for food,

the flesh of your faithful ones

to the beasts of the earth.

Return, God of Armies.

Look down from heaven and see;

take care of this vine,

Truth will spring up from the earth,

and righteousness will look down from heaven.

“I will establish his line forever,

his throne as long as heaven lasts.[fn]

The one who lives under the protection of the Most High

dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.

He looked down from his holy heights —

the LORD gazed out from heaven to earth —

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his faithful love

toward those who fear him.

The birds of the sky live beside the springs;

they make their voices heard among the foliage.

They asked, and he brought quail

and satisfied them with bread from heaven.

The heavens are the LORD's,[fn]

but the earth he has given to the human race.

Give thanks to the God of heaven!

His faithful love endures forever.

Let them praise the name of the LORD,

for his name alone is exalted.

His majesty covers heaven and earth.

Do not curse the king even in your thoughts,

and do not curse a rich person even in your bedroom,

for a bird of the sky may carry the message,

and a winged creature may report the matter.

They are coming from a distant land,

from the farthest horizon —

the LORD and the weapons of his wrath —

to destroy the whole country.[fn]

Indeed, the stars of the sky and its constellations[fn]

will not give their light.

The sun will be dark when it rises,

and the moon will not shine.

Shining morning star,[fn]

how you have fallen from the heavens!

You destroyer of nations,

you have been cut down to the ground.

They will all be left for the birds of prey on the hills

and for the wild animals of the land.

The birds of prey will spend the summer feeding on them,

and all the wild animals the winter.

Whoever flees at the sound of panic

will fall into a pit,

and whoever escapes from the pit

will be caught in a trap.

For the floodgates on high are opened,

and the foundations of the earth are shaken.

On that day the LORD will punish

the army of the heights in the heights

and the kings of the ground on the ground.

I chirp like a swallow or a crane;

I moan like a dove.

My eyes grow weak looking upward.

Lord, I am oppressed; support me.

“You are worn out with your many consultations.

So let the astrologers stand and save you —

those who observe the stars,

those who predict monthly

what will happen to you.

“For just as rain and snow fall from heaven

and do not return there

without saturating the earth

and making it germinate and sprout,

and providing seed to sow

and food to eat,

Look down from heaven and see

from your lofty home ​— ​holy and beautiful.

Where is your zeal and your might?

Your yearning[fn] and your compassion

are withheld from me.

I looked, and there was no human being,

and all the birds of the sky had fled.

“The sons gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven,[fn] and they pour out drink offerings to other gods so that they provoke me to anger.

“The corpses of these people will become food for the birds of the sky and for the wild animals of the land, with no one to scare them away.

“They will be exposed to the sun, the moon, and all the stars in the sky, which they have loved, served, followed, consulted, and worshiped. Their bones will not be collected and buried but will become like manure on the soil's surface.

I will raise weeping and a lament

over the mountains,

a dirge over the wilderness grazing land,

for they have been so scorched

that no one passes through.

The sound of cattle is no longer heard.

From the birds of the sky to the animals,

everything has fled ​— ​they have gone away.

This is what the LORD says:

Do not learn the way of the nations

or be terrified by signs in the heavens,

although the nations are terrified by them,

You are to say this to them: “The gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will perish from the earth and from under these heavens.”[fn]

“I will ordain four kinds[fn] of judgment for them” ​— ​this is the LORD's declaration ​— ​“the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the land to devour and destroy.

“They will die from deadly diseases. They will not be mourned or buried but will be like manure on the soil's surface. They will be finished off by sword and famine. Their corpses will become food for the birds of the sky and for the wild animals of the land.

“I will spoil the plans of Judah and Jerusalem in this place. I will make them fall by the sword before their enemies, by the hand of those who intend to take their life. I will provide their corpses as food for the birds of the sky and for the wild animals of the land.

“The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will become impure like that place Topheth ​— ​all the houses on whose rooftops they have burned incense to all the stars in the sky and poured out drink offerings to other gods.' ”

“all these I will hand over to their enemies, to those who intend to take their life. Their corpses will become food for the birds of the sky and for the wild animals of the land.

“Instead, we will do everything we promised:[fn] we will burn incense to the queen of heaven[fn] and offer drink offerings to her just as we, our ancestors, our kings, and our officials did in Judah's cities and in Jerusalem's streets. Then we had enough food, we were well off, and we saw no disaster,

“This is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘As for you and your wives, you women have spoken with your mouths, and you men fulfilled it by your deeds, saying, “We will keep our vows that we have made to burn incense to the queen of heaven and to pour out drink offerings for her.” Go ahead, confirm your vows! Keep your vows! '

I will bring the four winds against Elam

from the four corners of the heavens,

and I will scatter them to all these winds.

There will not be a nation

to which Elam's banished ones will not go.

How the Lord has overshadowed

Daughter Zion with his anger!

He has thrown down Israel's glory

from heaven to earth.

He did not acknowledge his footstool

in the day of his anger.

until the LORD looks down

from heaven and sees.

You will pursue them in anger and destroy them

under your heavens.[fn]

Those who chased us were swifter

than eagles in the sky;

they relentlessly pursued us over the mountains

and ambushed us in the wilderness.

He stretched out what appeared to be a hand and took me by the hair of my head. Then the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and carried me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the inner gate that faces north, where the offensive statue that provokes jealousy was located.

I will leave you in the desert,

you and all the fish of your streams.

You will fall on the open ground

and will not be taken away

or gathered for burial.

I have given you

to the wild creatures of the earth

and the birds of the sky as food.

“All the birds of the sky

nested in its branches,

and all the animals of the field

gave birth beneath its boughs;

all the great nations lived in its shade.

“All the birds of the sky nested on its fallen trunk, and all the animals of the field were among its boughs.

“I will abandon you on the land

and throw you onto the open field.

I will cause all the birds of the sky

to settle on you

and let the wild creatures of the entire earth

eat their fill of you.

“The fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field, every creature that crawls on the ground, and every human being on the face of the earth will tremble before me. The mountains will be demolished, the cliffs will collapse, and every wall will fall to the ground.

urging them to ask the God of the heavens for mercy concerning this mystery, so Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of Babylon's wise men.

“Your Majesty, you are king of kings. The God of the heavens has given you sovereignty, power, strength, and glory.

“In the days of those kings, the God of the heavens will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not be left to another people. It will crush all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself endure forever.

“The tree grew large and strong;

its top reached to the sky,

and it was visible to the ends of the[fn] earth.

“But leave the stump with its roots in the ground

and with a band of iron and bronze around it

in the tender grass of the field.

Let him be drenched with dew from the sky

and share the plants of the earth

with the animals.

“and whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant ​— ​and on it was food for all, under it the wild animals lived, and in its branches the birds of the sky lived ​— ​

“The king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground and with a band of iron and bronze around it in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with dew from the sky and share food with the wild animals for seven periods of time.'

“You will be driven away from people to live with the wild animals. You will feed on grass like cattle and be drenched with dew from the sky for seven periods of time, until you acknowledge that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms, and he gives them to anyone he wants.

While the words were still in the king's mouth, a voice came from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared that the kingdom has departed from you.

At that moment the message against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people. He ate grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky, until his hair grew like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws.

All the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing,

and he does what he wants with the army of heaven

and the inhabitants of the earth.

There is no one who can block his hand

or say to him, “What have you done? ”

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and glorify the King of the heavens, because all his works are true and his ways are just. He is able to humble those who walk in pride.

“He was driven away from people, his mind was like an animal's, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky until he acknowledged that the Most High God is ruler over human kingdoms and sets anyone he wants over them.

“Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of the heavens. The vessels from his house were brought to you, and as you and your nobles, wives, and concubines drank wine from them, you praised the gods made of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or understand. But you have not glorified the God who holds your life-breath in his hand and who controls the whole course of your life.[fn]

Daniel said, “In my vision at night I was watching, and suddenly the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea.

“I continued watching in the night visions,

and suddenly one like a son of man

was coming with the clouds of heaven.

He approached the Ancient of Days

and was escorted before him.

“The kingdom, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey him.'

Then the male goat acted even more arrogantly, but when he became powerful, the large horn was broken. Four conspicuous horns came up in its place, pointing toward the four winds of heaven.

It grew as high as the heavenly army, made some of the army and some of the stars[fn] fall to the earth, and trampled them.

He has carried out his words that he spoke against us and against our rulers[fn] by bringing on us a disaster that is so great that nothing like what has been done to Jerusalem has ever been done under all of heaven.

“But as soon as he is established, his kingdom will be broken up and divided to the four winds of heaven, but not to his descendants; it will not be the same kingdom that he ruled, because his kingdom will be uprooted and will go to others besides them.

I will devastate her vines and fig trees.

She thinks that these are her wages

that her lovers have given her.

I will turn them into a thicket,

and the wild animals will eat them.

On that day I will make a covenant for them

with the wild animals, the birds of the sky,

and the creatures that crawl on the ground.

I will shatter bow, sword,

and weapons of war in the land[fn]

and will enable the people to rest securely.

For this reason the land mourns,

and everyone who lives in it languishes,

along with the wild animals and the birds of the sky;

even the fish of the sea disappear.

As they are going, I will spread my net over them;

I will bring them down like birds of the sky.

I will discipline them in accordance

with the news that reaches[fn] their assembly.

I have been the LORD your God

ever since[fn] the land of Egypt;

you know no God but me,

and no Savior exists besides me.

He answered them, “I'm a Hebrew. I worship[fn] the LORD, the God of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land.”

You have made your merchants

more numerous than the stars of the sky.

The young locust strips[fn] the land

and flies away.

I will sweep away people and animals;

I will sweep away the birds of the sky

and the fish of the sea,

and the ruins[fn] along with the wicked.

I will cut off mankind

from the face of the earth.

This is the LORD's declaration.

those who bow in worship on the rooftops

to the stars in the sky;

those who bow and pledge loyalty to the LORD

but also pledge loyalty to Milcom;[fn]

“Listen! Listen! Flee from the land of the north” ​— ​this is the LORD's declaration ​— ​“for I have scattered you like the four winds of heaven” ​— ​this is the LORD's declaration.

Then I looked up and saw two women approaching with the wind in their wings. Their wings were like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and sky.

The angel told me, “These are the four spirits[fn] of heaven going out after presenting themselves to the Lord of the whole earth.

“Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says the LORD of Armies. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.