The Book of Daniel Daniel Chapter
1 In the third year of the reign
of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar, king of
Babylon, unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave
Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into his hand, with part of the vessels
of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar,
to the house of his God. And he brought the vessels into
the treasure house of his God. And the king spake unto Ashpenaz,
the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the
children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the prince's,
children 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 in them to stand in the king's
palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of
the Chaldeans. And the king appointed them a
daily provision of the king's meat and of the wine which he
drank, so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof
they might stand before the king. Now among these were of the children
of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, unto whom the prince
of the eunuchs gave names, for he gave unto Daniel the name
of Belteshazzar, and to Hananiah of Shadrach, and to Mishael of
Meshach, and to Azariah of Abednego. But Daniel purposed in his heart
that he would not defile himself with the portion of 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.
Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the
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 children which are of your sort? Then
shall he make me endanger my head to the king. Then said Daniel
to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had sent over Daniel,
Hananiah, Myshil, and Azariah, Prove thy servants I beseech
thee ten days, and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to
drink. Then let our countenances be
looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children
that eat of the portion of the king's meat, and as thou seest,
deal with thy servants.' So he consented to them in this matter,
and proved them ten days. And at the end of ten days their
countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all
the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat. Thus,
Melza took away the portion of their meat and the wine that
they should drink and gave them pulse. As for these four children,
God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom, and
Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Now at the
end of the days that the king had said he should bring them
in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king communed with them,
and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael,
and Azariah. Therefore stood they before the
king and in all matters of wisdom and understanding that the king
inquired of them he found them ten times better than all the
magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm and Daniel
continued even unto the first year of King Cyrus Daniel chapter
2 And in the second year of the
reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams wherewith his
spirit was troubled, and his sleep break from him. Then the
king commanded to call the magicians and the astrologers and the sorcerers
and the Chaldeans, for to show the king his dreams. So they
came and stood before the king. And the king said unto them,
I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the
dream.' Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriac,—'O king,
live for ever. Tell thy servants the dream,
and we will show the interpretation.' The king answered and said to
the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me. If ye will not make
known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye
shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.
But if ye show the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye
shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour. Therefore
show me the dream, and the interpretation thereof." They answered again
and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will
show the interpretation of it. The king answered and said, I
know of certainty that he would gain the time, because he see
the thing is gone from me. But if he will not make known
unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you. For ye have
prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the
time be changed. Therefore tell me the dream,
and I shall know that ye can show me the interpretation thereof.'
The Chaldeans answered before the king and said, There is not
a man upon the earth that can show the king's matter. Therefore,
there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asketh such things at any
magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. And it is a rare thing that the
king requireth. And there is none other that
can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling
is not with flesh. For this cause the king was angry,
and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of
Babylon. And the decree went forth that
the wise men should be slain, and they sought Daniel and his
fellows to be slain. Then Daniel answered with counsel
and wisdom to Ariok, the captain of the king's guard, which was
gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon. He answered and said
to Ariok, the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from
the king? Then Ariok made the thing known
to Daniel. Then Daniel went in and desired
of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show
the king the interpretation. Then Daniel went to his house
and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions,
that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning
this secret, that Daniel and his fellows should not perish
with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then was the secret
revealed unto Daniel in a night vision Then Daniel blessed the
God of heaven Daniel answered and said Blessed be the name
of God forever and ever for wisdom and might are his And he changes
the times and the seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up
Kings He giveth wisdom unto the wise and knowledge to them that
know understanding He revealeth the deep and secret things, he
knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who
hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now
what we desired of thee. For thou hast now made known
unto us the King's matter. Therefore Daniel went in unto
Ariok, whom the king had ordained 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 show unto the king
the interpretation. Then Ariok brought in Daniel
before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found
a man of the captives of Judah that will make known unto the
king the 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?
Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret
which the king hath demanded, cannot the wise men, the astrologers,
the magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king? But there
is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to
the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream and the visions of
thy head upon thy bed are 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
maketh known 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 for their sakes that shall make known
the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the
thoughts of thy heart. Thou, O King, sorest, and behold
a great image. This great image, whose brightness
was excellent, stood before thee, and the form thereof was terrible.
This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms
of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of
iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 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 break them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay,
the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to 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 smoked the image became a great mountain
and filled the whole earth. This is the dream, and we will
tell the interpretation thereof before the king. Thou, O King,
art a King of kings. For the God of heaven hath given
thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and 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
ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. And after thee shall arise another
kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass,
which shall 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 breaketh all these shall
it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the feet
and toes, part of potter's clay and part of iron, the kingdom
shall be divided, but there shall be in it of the strength of the
iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
And as the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of clay,
so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron
mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed
of men, but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron
is not mixed with clay. And in the days of these kings
shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be
destroyed. And the kingdom shall not be
left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume
all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Forasmuch as thou
sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands,
and it break 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 thereof sure. Then the king Nebuchadnezzar
fell upon his face and worshipped Daniel and commanded that they
should offer an oblation and sweet odors unto him. The king
answered unto Daniel and said, Of a truth it is that your God
is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of secrets,
seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. Then the king made Daniel
a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler
over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over
all the wise men of Babylon. Then Daniel requested of the
king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs
of the province of Babylon. But Daniel sat in the gate of
the king. Daniel chapter 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, in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king
sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains,
the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and
all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of
the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Then the
princes, the governors and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the
counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces
were gathered together under the dedication of the image that
Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. And they stood before the
image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then an herald cried
aloud, To you it is commanded. O people, nations, and languages,
that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp,
sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall
down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king
hath set up. And whoso falleth not down and
worshipeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning,
fiery furnace. Therefore, at that time, when
all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sack-pot,
psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations,
and the languages fell down and worshipped the golden image that
Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Wherefore, at that time certain
Chaldeans came near and accused the Jews. They spake and said
to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever. Thou, O King, hast
made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of
the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dasoma, and all
kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image,
and whoso falleth not down and worshipeth, that he should be
cast into the midst of a burning, fiery furnace. There are certain
Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of
Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O King,
have not regarded thee, they serve not thy gods, nor worship
the golden image which thou hast set up. But then Nebuchadnezzar,
in his rage and fury, commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego. Then they brought these men before
the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true,
O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? do not ye serve my gods, nor
worship the golden image which I have set up? Now, if ye be
ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute,
harp, sackpot, 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?
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king,
O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer 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 king. But if not, be it known unto
thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods. nor worship the
golden image which thou hast set up.' Then was Nebuchadnezzar
full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Therefore he spake and commanded
that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it
was wont to be heated. and he commanded the most mighty
men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
and to cast them into the burning, fiery furnace. Then these men
were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their
other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning,
fiery furnace. Therefore, because the king's
commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, The flame
of the fire slew those men which took up Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, fell down, bound, into the midst of the
burning, fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king
was astonied, and rose up in haste, and 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 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 form of the fourth is like the sun Then Nebuchadnezzar came near
to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake and said,
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the Most High
God, come forth and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
came forth of the midst of the fire, and the princes, governors,
and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together,
saw these men upon whose bodies the fire had no power. nor was
the hair of their heads singed, neither were their coats changed,
nor the smell of fire had passed on them. Then 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 yielded
their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any God
except their own God. Therefore, I make a decree that
every people, nation, and language which speak anything amiss against
the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut in
pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill, because there
is no other God that can deliver after this sort. Then the king
promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. Daniel Chapter 4 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto
all people, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth,
peace be multiplied unto you. I thought it good to show the
signs and wonders that the High God hath wrought 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. I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest
in mine house and flourishing in my palace. I saw a dream which
made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of
my head troubled me. Therefore made I a decree to
bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they
might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.
Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and
the soothsayers, and I told the dream before them, but they did
not make known unto me the interpretation 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 before him I told the dream, 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. Thus
were the visions of mine head in my bed. I saw, and behold
a tree in the midst of the earth, and the 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 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 boughs thereof,
And all flesh was fed of it. I saw in the visions of my head
upon my bed, And behold, a Watcher, an unholy one, came down 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 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 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 pass over him This matter is by the decree of the watchers,
and the demand 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 the basest of men. This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar,
have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare
the interpretation thereof, 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. Then Daniel,
whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for one hour,
and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake and said, Belteshazzar,
let not the dream or the interpretation thereof trouble thee. Belteshazzar
answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee,
and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies. The tree that
thou sawest, which grew and was strong, whose height reached
unto the heaven, and the sight thereof, to all the 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,
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. And whereas the king saw a Watcher
and an Holy One coming down from heaven and saying, Hew the tree
down and destroy it, yet 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 him. This is the interpretation,
O King, and this is the decree of the Most High, which is come
upon my Lord the King. that they shall drive thee from
men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field,
and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall
wet thee 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 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. Wherefore, O King, let my counsel
be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness,
and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, if it may
be a lengthening of thy tranquillity. All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he
walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spake and
said, Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house
of the kingdom by the might of my power and for the honor of
my majesty? 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 from
thee, and they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall
be with the beasts of the field. They shall make thee 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
it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled
upon Nebuchadnezzar, and he was driven from men, and did eat
grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till
his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like
birds' claws. And at the end of the days, I,
Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding
returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised
and honored him that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting
dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation. 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? At the same time, my reason returned
unto me, and for the glory of my kingdom mine honour and brightness
returned unto me, and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me,
and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added
unto me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise
and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are
truth and his ways judgment, and those that walk in pride
he is able to abase. Daniel chapter 5 Belshazzar the king made a great
feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, whilst he tasted
the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels
which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which
was in Jerusalem, that the king and his princes, his wives, and
his concubines 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 princes, his wives,
and his concubines drank in them. They drank wine and praised the
gods of gold and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and
of stone. In the same hour came forth fingers
of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon
the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, and the king saw
the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was
changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his
loins were loosed and his knees smoked one against the other.
The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans,
and the soothsayers. And the king spake and said to
the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and
show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet,
and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third
ruler in the kingdom. Then came in all the king's wise
men, but they could not read the writing, nor make known to
the king the interpretation thereof. Then was King Belshazzar greatly
troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords
were astonished. Now the queen, by reason of the
words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet-house,
and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever, let not
thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed.
There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the
holy gods. And in the days of thy father
light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods,
was found in him, whom the king, Nebuchadnezzar thy father—the
king, I say, thy father—made master of the magicians, astrologers,
Chaldeans, and soothsayers. For as much as an excellent spirit
and knowledge and understanding Interpreting of dreams and showing
of hard sentences and dissolving of doubts were found in the same
Daniel whom the king named Belteshazzar Now let Daniel be called and
he will show the interpretation Then was Daniel brought in before
the king and the king spake and said unto Daniel Art thou that
Daniel? which art of the children of
the captivity of Judah, whom the king, my father, brought
out of Jewry. I have even heard of thee, that
the Spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding
and excellent wisdom is found in thee. And now the wise men,
the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should
read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof.
But they could not show the interpretation of the thing. And I have heard
of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve
doubts. Now, if thou canst read the writing,
and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed
with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt
be the third ruler in the kingdom.' Then Daniel answered and said
before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards
to another. Yet I will read the writing unto
the king, and make known to him the interpretation. O thou king,
the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty,
and glory, and honour. And for the majesty that he gave
him, all people, nations, and languages trembled and feared
before him. Whom he would, he slew, and whom
he would, he kept alive, and whom he would, he set up, and
whom he would, he put down. But when his heart was lifted
up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his
kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. And he was
driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the
beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses. They fed
him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew
of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God ruled in the
kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. And
thou, his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart.
Though thou knewest all this, but hast lifted up thyself against
the Lord of heaven, and they have brought the vessels of his
house before thee, and thou and thy lords, thy wives, and thy
concubines have drunk wine in them, and thou hast praised the
gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which
see not, nor hear, nor know. And the God in whose hand thy
breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified? Then was the part of the hand
sent from him, and this writing was written. And this is the
writing that was written, Mene, Mene, Tikal, Ufarsin. This is the interpretation of
the thing. Mene, God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it.
Tikal, Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. Pires, thy kingdom is divided
and given to the Medes and Persians. Then commanded Belshazzar, and
they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about
his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should
be the third ruler in the kingdom. In that night was Belshazzar
the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the
kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. Daniel Chapter
6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty
princes, which should be over the whole kingdom. And over these
three presidents, of whom Daniel was first, that the princes might
give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes
because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king thought
to set him over the whole realm. Then the presidents and princes
sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom,
but they could find none occasion nor fault, forasmuch as he was
faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against
this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law
of his God. Then these presidents and princes
assembled together to the king and said thus unto him King Darius
live forever All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors
and the princes, the councillors and the captains have consulted
together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree
that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty
days, save of thee, O King, he shall be cast into the den of
lions. Now, O King, establish the decree, and sign the writing,
that it be not changed according to the law of the Medes and Persians,
which altereth not." Wherefore King Darius signed the writing
and the decree. Now when Daniel knew that the
writing was signed, he went into his house, and his windows being
open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three
times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he
did aforetime. Then these men assembled and
found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
Then they came near and spake before the king concerning the
king's decree. Has thou not signed a decree
that every man that shall ask a petition of any god or man
within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the
den of lions? The king answered and said, The
thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians,
which altereth not. Then answered they, and said
before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the
captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree
that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
Then the king, when he heard these words, was so displeased
with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him, and
he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him. Then
these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king,
Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, that
no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. Then the king commanded, and
they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now
the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God, whom thou servest
continually, he will deliver thee. And a stone was brought
and laid upon the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with
his own signet and with the signet of his lord's, that the purpose
might not be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to
his palace and passed the night fasting. Neither were instruments
of music brought before him, and his sleep went from him.
Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste
unto the den of lions. And when he came to the den,
he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel. And the king spake
and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, Is
thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the
lions?' Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and
hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me. Forasmuch
as before him innocency was found in me, And also before thee,
O king, have I done no hurt. Then was the king exceedingly
glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out
of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of
the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he
believed in his God. And the king commanded, and they
brought those men which had accused Daniel. And they cast them into
the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives. And
the lions had the mastery of them, and break all their bones
in pieces, or ever they came at the bottom of the den. Then
King Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages that dwell
in all the earth, Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree that
in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the
God of Daniel, for he is the living God and steadfast forever,
and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion
shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and
he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath
delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. So this Daniel
prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the
Persian. Daniel chapter 9 In the first year of Darius the
son of Ahasuerus of the seed of the Medes, which was made
king over the realm of the Chaldeans, in the first year of his reign,
I, Daniel, understood by books the number of the years whereof
the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he
would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications,
with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. And I prayed unto the
Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and
dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him,
and to them that keep his commandments, We have sinned, and have committed
iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing
from Thy precepts and from Thy judgments. Neither have we hearkened
unto Thy servants the prophets, which spake in Thy name to our
kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the
land. O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto Thee, but unto us confusion
of faces, as at this day. To the men of Judah, and to the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near,
and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou
hast driven them, because of their trespass, that they have
trespassed against thee. O Lord, to us belongeth confusion
of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers,
because we have sinned against thee. To the Lord our God belong
mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against Him.
Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God to walk in
His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets.
Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that
they might not obey thy voice. Therefore the curse is poured
upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the
servant of God, because we have sinned against him. And he hath
confirmed his words which he spake against us and against
our judges that judged us by bringing upon us a great evil. For under the whole heaven hath
not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem. As it is written
in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us. Yet made
we not our prayer before the Lord our God that we might turn
from our iniquities and understand thy truth. Therefore hath the
Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us. For the Lord
our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth, for we
obeyed not his voice. And now, O Lord our God, that
has brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with
a mighty hand, and has gotten thee renown, as at this day we
have sinned, we have done wickedly. O Lord, according to all thy
righteousness I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury
be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain,
because for our sins and for the iniquities of our fathers,
Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that
are about us. Now therefore, O our God, hear
the prayer of thy servant and his supplications, and cause
thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate. For the Lord's
sake, O my God, incline thine ear, and hear, open thine eyes,
and behold our desolations and the city which is called by thy
name. for we do not present our supplications
before thee for our righteousness, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hearken and do! Defer not for thine own sake,
O my God, for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
And whilst I was speaking and praying and confessing my sin
and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication
before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God, yea,
whilst I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I
had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly
swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
And he informed me and talked with me and said, O Daniel, I
am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the
beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and
I am come to show thee, for thou art greatly beloved. Therefore
understand the matter and consider the vision. Seventy weeks are
determined upon Thy people and upon Thy holy city to finish
the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation
for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and
to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. Know, therefore, and understand,
that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and
to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks,
and threescore and two weeks. The street shall be built again,
and the wall even in troublous times. And after threescore and
two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself. And
the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the
city and the sanctuary, and the end thereof shall be with a flood,
and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall
confirm the covenant with many for one week. And in the midst
of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to
cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make
it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be
poured upon the desolate.