1 IN the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, 2 and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God; and he carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god: and he brought the vessels into the 3 treasure house of his god. And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring in certain of the children of Israel, even of the seed royal and of the nobles; 4 youths in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability to stand in the king's palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. 5 And the king appointed for them a daily portion of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished three years; that at the end thereof they might stand 6 before the king. Now among these were, of the children of Judah, Daniel, 7 Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. And the prince of the eunuchs gave names unto them: unto Daniel he gave the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed8 nego. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God made Daniel to find favour and compassion in the sight of the 10 prince of the eunuchs. And the prince

of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the youths which are of your own age? so should ye endanger my 11 head with the king. Then said Daniel to 2 the steward, whom the prince of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, 12 Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Prove

thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and 13 water to drink. Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the youths that eat of the king's meat; and as thou 14 seest, deal with thy servants. So he hearkened unto them in this matter, 15 and proved them ten days. And at the

end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer, and they were fatter in flesh, than all the youths which did eat 16 of the king's meat. So the steward took away their meat, and the wine that they should drink, and gave them 17 pulse. Now as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and 18 dreams. And at the end of the days which the king had appointed for bringing them in, the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnez19 zar. And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they be fore the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding, concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that 21 were in all his realm. And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.

20

2

4 Heb. said

And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from 2 him. Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the enchanters, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit is 4 troubled to know the dream. Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in the Syrian language, 60 king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation. 5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from he me: if ye make not known unto me the gar dream and the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your 6 houses shall be made a dunghill. But if ye shew the dream and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream and the inter7 pretation thereof. They answered the second time and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will 8 shew the interpretation. The kings Arani. answered and said, I know of a cert-bug the ainty that ye would gain time, because ye see the thing is gone from me. 9 But if ye make not known unto me the dream, there is but one law for from that V you: for ye have prepared lying and

from t

9 Or, the sound is gone furth

corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation 10 thereof. The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: forasmuch as no king, lord, nor ruler, hath asked such a thing of any magician, 11 or enchanter, or Chaldean. And it is

a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, 12 whose dwelling is not with flesh. For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all 13 the wise men of Babylon. So the decree

went forth, and the wise men were to be slain; and they sought Daniel and his 14 companions to be slain. Then Daniel returned answer with counsel and prudence to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the 15 wise men of Babylon; he answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Wherefore is the decree so urgent from the king? Then Arioch made the thing 16 known to Daniel. And Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would 2appoint him a time, and he would shew the king the interpretation. 17 Then Daniel went to his house, and

made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his com18 panions: that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his companions should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed

be the name of God for ever and ever for wisdom and might are his: 21 and he changeth the times and the seasons he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that 22 know understanding: he revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwell23 eth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast now made known unto me what we desired of thee: for thou hast made known unto us the king's 24 matter. Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation. 25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the child

ren of the captivity of Judah, that will make known unto the king the 26 interpretation. The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? 27 Daniel answered before the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded can neither wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor soothsayers, 28 shew unto the king; but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and he hath made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are 29 these: as for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets hath made known 30 to thee what shall come to pass. But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but to the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that thou mayest 31 know the thoughts of thy heart. Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the aspect there32 of was terrible. As for this image, his head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his 33 thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron, and part of clay. 34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them in pieces. 35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole Or, rock 36 earth. This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof be37 fore the king. Thou, O king, art king

of kings, unto whom the God of heaven hath given the kingdom, the power, 38 and the strength, and the glory; and wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee to rule over them all: thou art the head of gold. 39 And after thee shall arise another

kingdom inferior to thee; and another third kingdom of brass, which shall 40 bear rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that crusheth all these, shall it break 41 in pieces and crush. And whereas

thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron 42 mixed with 1miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be 43 partly strong, and partly 2 broken. And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with 'miry clay, they shall mingle themselves 3 with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another, even 44 as iron doth not mingle with clay. And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation 46 thereof sure. Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet 47 odours unto him. The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou hast been able to reveal 48 this secret. Then the king made Daniel great, and gave him many great gifts, and made him to rule over the whole province of Babylon, and to be chief governor over all the wise men of Baby49 lon. And Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel was 4in the gate of the king.

3 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, 2 in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had 3 set up. Then the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the 6sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchad4 nezzar had set up. Then the herald

cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O 5 peoples, nations, and languages, that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, 7dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath 6 set up: and whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning 7 fiery furnace. Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king 8 had set up. Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and brought accusation against the Jews. 9 They answered and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, O king, live for ever. 10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the 11 golden image: and whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they 14 brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said unto them, Is it of purpose, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that ye serve not my god, nor worship the golden image 15 which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made, well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that god that shall deliver you out of my hands? 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer 17 thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O 18 king. But if not, be it known unto thee, a to O king, that we will not serve thye gods, nor worship the golden image Liver s 19 which thou hast set up. Then was fres Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego:

deliver

therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20 And he commanded certain mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery 21 furnace. Then these men were bound

in their hosen, their 1 tunics, and their mantles, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burn22 ing fiery furnace. Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed23 nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning 24 fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste: he spake and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O 25 king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the aspect of the fourth is like a son 26 of the gods. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace: he spake and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the Most High God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth out of the midst of the fire. 27 And the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, that the fire had no power upon their bodies, nor was the hair of their head singed, neither were their hosen changed, nor had the smell of fire 28 passed on them. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other god that is 30 able to deliver after this sort. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon.

4 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; peace be multi2 plied unto you. It hath seemed good unto me to shew the signs and wonders

that the Most High God hath wrought 3 toward me. How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

[Ch.

iv. 1 in Aram.]

ations

4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine 5 house, and flourishing in my palace. I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts upon my bed and the vis-3 Or. 6 ions of my head troubled me. Therefore imagin made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the inter7 pretation of the dream. Then came in the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpreta8 tion thereof. But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the dream before 9 him, saying, O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. 10 Thus were the visions of my head upon my bed: I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the 11 height thereof was great. The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the 12 earth. The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the branches thereof, and all flesh was 13 fed of it. I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down 14 from heaven. He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from 15 his branches. Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass 16 of the earth: let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times 17 pass over him. The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the mand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it 18 the lowest of men. This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen: and thou,

de- Or,

mutter

O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation; but thou art able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation 20 thereof to thine adversaries. The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the 21 earth; whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: 22 it is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. 23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over 24 him; this is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord the 25 king: that thou shalt be driven from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen, and shalt be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee; till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth 26 it to whomsoever he will. And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. 27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if there may be 2a lengthening of thy 28 tranquillity. All this came upon the 29 king Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he was walking in the 30 royal palace of Babylon. The king spake and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty? 31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is

spoken: the kingdom is departed 32 from thee. And thou shalt be driven from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee; until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth 33 it to whomsoever he will. The same

hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebu chadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hair was grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws. 34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation: 35 and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? 36 At the same time mine understanding returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added 37 unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways judgement: and those that walk in pride he is

5

able to abase.

4 Aram strike.

Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank 2 wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, 3 might drink therein. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives and his con4 cubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, 5 and of stone. In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of 6 the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was changed in him, A and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against an