[28] And king Nabuchodonosor answered and said, Blessed be the God of Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, who has sent his angel, and delivered his servants, because they trusted in him; and they have changed the king’s word, and delivered their bodies to be burnt, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. [29] Wherefore I publish a decree: Every people, tribe, or language, that shall speak reproachfully against the God of Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago shall be destroyed, and their houses shall be plundered: because there is no other God who shall be able to deliver thus. [30] Then the king promoted Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, in the province of Babylon, and advanced them, and gave them authority to rule over all the Jews who were in his kingdom.
[31] King Nabuchodonosor to all nations, tribes, and tongues, who dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied to you. [32] It seemed good to me to declare to you the signs and wonders which the most high God has wrought with me, [33] how great and mighty they are: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his power to all generations.
Chapter 4
[1] I Nabuchodonosor was thriving in my house, and prospering. [2] I saw a vision, and it terrified me, and I was troubled on my bed, and the visions of my head troubled me. [3] And I made a decree to bring in before me all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. [4] So the enchanters, magicians, soothsayers, and Chaldeans came in: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known to me the interpretation thereof; [5] until Daniel came, whose name is Baltasar, according to the name of my God, who has within him the Holy Spirit of God; to whom I said,
[6] O Baltasar, chief of the enchanters, of whom I know that the Holy Spirit of God is in thee, and no mystery is too hard for thee, hear the vision of my dream which I had, and tell me the interpretation of it. [7] I had a vision upon my bed; and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. [8] The tree grew large and strong, and its height reached to the sky, and its extent to the extremity of the whole earth: [9] its leaves were fair, and its fruit abundant, and in it was meat for all; and under it the wild beasts of the field took shelter, and the birds of the sky lodged in the branches of it, and all flesh was fed of it.
[10] I beheld in the night vision upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven and cried aloud, and thus he said, [11] Cut down the tree, and pluck off its branches, and shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit: let the wild beasts be removed from under it, and the birds from its branches. [12] Only leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and bind it with an iron and brass band; and it shall lie in the grass that is without and in the dew of heaven, and its portion shall be with the wild beasts in the grass of the field. [13] His heart shall be changed from that of man, and the heart of a wild beast shall be given to him; and seven times shall pass over him. [14] The matter is by the decree of the watcher, and the demand is a word of the holy ones; that the living may known that the Lord is most high over the kingdom of men, and he will give it to whomsoever he shall please, and will set up over it that which is set at nought of men. [15] This is the vision which I king Nabuchodonosor saw: and do thou, Baltasar, declare the interpretation, for none of the wise men of my kingdom are able to shew me the interpretation of it: but thou, Daniel, art able; for the Holy Spirit of God is in thee.
[16] Then Daniel, whose name is Baltasar, was amazed about one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. And Baltasar answered and said, My lord, let the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation of it to thine enemies. [17] The tree which thou sawest, that grew large and strong, whose height reached to the sky and its extent to all the earth; [18] and whose leaves were flourishing, and its fruit abundant, (and it was meat for all; under it the wild beasts lodged, and the birds of the sky took shelter in its branches:) [19] is thyself, O king; for thou art grown great and powerful, and thy greatness has increased and reached to heaven, and thy dominion to the ends of the earth. [20] And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and he said, Strip the tree, and destroy it; only leave the stump of its roots in the ground, and bind it with a band of iron and brass; and it shall lie in the grass that is without, and in the dew of heaven, and its portion shall be with wild beasts, until seven times have passed over it; [21] this is the interpretation of it, O king, and it is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king. [22] And they shall drive thee forth from men, and thy dwelling shall be with wild beasts, and they shall feed thee with grass as an ox, and thou shall have thy lodging under the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou known that the Most High is Lord of the kingdom of men, and will give it to whom he shall please. [23] And whereas they said, Leave the stumps of the roots of the tree; thy kingdom abides sure to thee from the time that thou shalt know the power of the heavens. [24] Therefore, O king, let my counsel please thee, and atone for thy sins by alms, and thine iniquities by compassion on the poor: it may be God will be long-suffering to thy trespasses.
[25] All these things came upon king Nabuchodonosor. [26] After a twelvemonth, as he walked in his palace in Babylon, [27] the king answered and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for a royal residence, by the might of my power, for the honour of my glory?
[28] While the word was yet in the king’s mouth, there came a voice from heaven, saying, To thee, king Nabuchodonosor, they say, The kingdom has departed from thee. [29] And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the wild beasts of the field, and they shall feed thee with grass as an ox: and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High is Lord of the kingdom of men, and he will give it to whomsoever he shall please.
[30] In the same hour the word was fulfilled upon Nabuchodonosor: and he was driven forth from men, and he ate grass as an ox, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until his hairs were grown like lions’ hairs, and his nails as birds’ claws.
[31] And at the end of the time I Nabuchodonosor lifted up mine eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised him that lives for ever, and gave him glory; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom lasts to all generations: [32] and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and there is none who shall withstand his power, and say to him, What has thou done? [33] At the same time my reason returned to me, and I came to the honour of my kingdom; and my natural form returned to me, and my princes, and my nobles, sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and more abundant majesty was added to me.
[34] Now therefore I Nabuchodonosor praise and greatly exalt and glorify the King of heaven; for all his works are true, and his paths are judgment: and all that walk in pride he is able to abase.
Chapter 5
[1] Baltasar the king made a great supper for his thousand nobles, and there was wine before the thousand. [2] And Baltasar drinking gave orders as he tasted the wine that they should bring the gold and silver vessels, which Nabuchodonosor his father had brought forth from the temple in Jerusalem; that the king, and his nobles, and his mistresses, and his concubines, should drink out of them. [3] So the gold and silver vessels were brought which Nabuchodonosor had taken out of the temple of God in Jerusalem; and the king, and his nobles, and his mistresses, and his concubines, drank out of them. [4] They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of iron, and of wood, and of stone.
[5] In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote in front of the lamp on the plaster of the wall of the king’s house: and the king saw the knuckles of the hand that wrote. [6] Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one another. [7] And the king cried aloud to bring in the magicians, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; and he said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoev
er shall read this writing, and make known to me the interpretation, shall be clothed with scarlet, and there shall be a golden chain upon his neck, and he shall be the third ruler in my kingdom. [8] Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known the interpretation to the king. [9] And king Baltasar was troubled, and his countenance changed upon him, and his nobles were troubled with him.
[10] Then the queen came into the banquet house, and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, and let not thy countenance be changed. [11] There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the Spirit of God; and in the days of thy father watchfulness and understanding were found in him; and king Nabuchodonosor thy father made him chief of the enchanters, magicians, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. [12] For there is an excellent spirit in him, and sense and understanding in him, interpreting dreams as he does, and answering hard questions, and solving difficulties: it is Daniel, and the king gave him the name of Baltasar: now then let him be called, and he shall tell thee the interpretation of the writing.
[13] Then Daniel was brought in before the king: and the king said to Daniel, Art thou Daniel, of the children of the captivity of Judea, which the king my father brought? [14] I have heard concerning thee, that the Spirit of God is in thee, and that watchfulness and understanding and excellent wisdom have been found in thee. [15] And now, the wise men, magicians, and soothsayers, have come in before me, to read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation: but they could not tell it me. [16] And I have heard concerning thee, that thou art able to make interpretations: now then if thou shalt be able to read the writing, and to make known to me the interpretation of it, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and there shall be a golden chain upon thy neck, and thou shalt be third ruler in my kingdom.
[17] And Daniel said, before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give the present of thine house to another; but I will read the writing, and will make known to thee the interpretation of it. [18] O king, the most high God gave to thy father Nabuchodonosor a kingdom, and majesty, and honour, and glory: [19] and by reason of the majesty which he gave to him, all nations, tribes, and languages trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he smote; and whom he would he exalted; and whom he would he abased. [20] But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was emboldened to act proudly, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his honour was taken from him. [21] And he was driven forth from men; and his heart was given him after the nature of wild beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses; and they fed him with grass as an ox, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven; until he knew that the most high God is Lord of the kingdom of men, and will give it to whomsoever he shall please.
[22] And thou accordingly, his son, O Baltasar, has not humbled thine heart before God: knowest thou not all this? [23] And thou has been exalted against the Lord God of heaven; and they have brought before thee the vessels of his house, and thou, and thy nobles, and thy mistresses, and thy concubines, have drunk wine out of them; and thou has praised the gods of gold, and silver, and brass, and iron, and wood, and stone, which see not, and which hear not, and know not: and the God in whose hand are thy breath, and all thy ways has thou not glorified. [24] Therefore from his presence has been sent forth the knuckle of a hand; and he has ordered the writing.
[25] And this is the ordered writing, Mane, Thekel, Phares. [26] This is the interpretation of the sentence: Mane; God has measured thy kingdom, and finished it. [27] Thekel; it has been weighed in the balance, and found wanting. [28] Phares; thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
[29] Then Baltasar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put the golden chain about his neck, and proclaimed concerning him that he was the third ruler in the kingdom. [30] In the same night was Baltasar the Chaldean king slain. [31] And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, being sixty-two years old.
Chapter 6
[1] And it pleased Darius, and he set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, to be in all his kingdom; [2] and over them three governors, of whom one was, Daniel; for the satraps to give account to them, that the king should not be troubled. [3] And Daniel was over them, for there was an excellent spirit in him; and the king set him over all his kingdom.
[4] Then the governors and satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel; but they found against him no occasion, nor trespass, nor error, because he was faithful. [5] And the governors said, We shall not find occasion against Daniel, except in the ordinances of his God.
[6] Then the governors and satraps stood by the king, and said to him, King Darius, live for ever. [7] All who preside over thy kingdom, captains and satraps, chiefs and local governors, have taken counsel together, to establish by a royal statue and to confirm a decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. [8] Now then, O king, establish the decree, and publish a writ, that the decree of the Persians and Medes be not changed. [9] Then king Darius commanded the decree to be written.
[10] And when Daniel knew that the decree was ordered, he went into his house; and his windows were opened in his chambers toward Jerusalem, and three times in the day he knelt upon his knees, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he used to do before.
[11] Then these men watched, and found Daniel praying and supplicating to his God. [12] And they came and said to the king, O king, has thou not made a decree, that whatsoever man shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, but of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? And the king said, The word is true, and the decree of the Medes and Persians shall not pass. [13] Then they answered and said before the king, Daniel of the children of the captivity of Judea, has not submitted to thy decree; and three times in the day he makes his requests of his God. [14] Then the king, when he heard the saying, was much grieved for Daniel and he greatly exerted himself for Daniel to deliver him: and he exerted himself till evening to deliver him.
[15] Then those men said to the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is that we must not change any decree of statue which the king shall make. [16] Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. But the king said to Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. [17] And they brought a stone, and put it on the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his ring, and with the ring of his nobles; that the case might not be altered with regard to Daniel. [18] And the king departed to his house, and lay down fasting, and they brought him no food; and his sleep departed from him. But God shut the mouths of the lions, and they not molest Daniel.
[19] Then the king arose very early in the morning, and came in hast to the den of lions. [20] And when he drew near to the den, he cried with a loud voice, Daniel, servant of the living God, has thy God, whom thou servest continually, been able to deliver thee from the lion’s mouth?
[21] And Daniel said to the king, O king, live for ever. [22] My God has sent his angel, and stopped the lions’ mouths, and they have not hurt me: for uprightness was found in me before him; and moreover before thee, O king, I have committed no trespass. [23] Then the king was very glad for him, and he commanded to bring Daniel out of the den. So Daniel was brought out of the den, and there was found no hurt upon him, because he believed in his God. [24] And the king commanded, and they brought the men that had accused Daniel, and they were cast into the den of lions, they, and their children, and their wives: and they reached not the bottom of the den before the lions had the mastery of them, and utterly broke to pieces all their bones.
[25] Then king Darius wrote to all nations, tribes, and languages, who dwell in all the earth, saying, Peace be multiplied to you. [26] This decree has been set forth by me in every dominion of my kingdom, that men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living and eternal God, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed, and his dominion
is for ever. [27] He helps and delivers, and works signs and wonders in the heaven and on the earth, who has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions. [28] And Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Chapter 7
[1] In the first year of Baltasar, king of the Chaldeans Daniel had a dream, and visions of his head upon his bed: and he wrote his dream.
[2] I Daniel beheld, and, lo, the four winds of heaven blew violently upon the great sea. [3] And there came up four great beasts out of the sea, differing from one another. [4] The first was as a lioness, and her wings as an eagle’s; I beheld until her wings were plucked, ands she was lifted off from the earth, and she stood on human feet, and a man’s heart was given to her. [5] And, behold, a second beast like a bear, and it supported itself on one side, and there were three ribs in its mouth, between its teeth: and thus they said to it, Arise, devour much flesh. [6] After this one I looked, and behold another wild beast as a leopard, and it had four wings of a bird upon it: and the wild beast had four heads, and power was given to it. [7] After this one I looked, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and exceedingly strong, and its teeth were of iron; devouring and crushing to atoms, and it trampled the remainder with its feet: and it was altogether different from the beasts that were before it; and it had ten hours. [8] I noticed his horns, and behold, another little horn came up in the midst of them, and before it three of the former horns were rooted out: and, behold, there were eyes as the eyes of a man in this horn, and a mouth speaking great things.
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