Daniel 2:20-12:13
New King James Version
20 Daniel answered and said:
(A)“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
(B)For wisdom and might are His.
21 And He changes (C)the times and the seasons;
(D)He removes kings and raises up kings;
(E)He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 (F)He reveals deep and secret things;
(G)He knows what is in the darkness,
And (H)light dwells with Him.
23 “I thank You and praise You,
O God of my fathers;
You have given me wisdom and might,
And have now made known to me what we (I)asked of You,
For You have made known to us the king’s [a]demand.”
Daniel Explains the Dream
24 Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation.”
25 Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said thus to him, “I have found a man of the [b]captives of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation.”
26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?”
27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. 28 (J)But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar (K)what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these: 29 As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; (L)and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be. 30 (M)But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, (N)and that you may [c]know the thoughts of your heart.
31 “You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. 32 (O)This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and [d]thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of [e]clay. 34 You watched while a stone was cut out (P)without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 (Q)Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became (R)like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that (S)no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image (T)became a great mountain (U)and filled the whole earth.
36 “This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. 37 (V)You, O king, are a king of kings. (W)For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; 38 (X)and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—(Y)you are this head of gold. 39 But after you shall arise (Z)another kingdom (AA)inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40 And (AB)the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. 41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, (AC)so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly [f]fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. 44 And in the days of these kings (AD)the God of heaven will set up a kingdom (AE)which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; (AF)it shall [g]break in pieces and [h]consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45 (AG)Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”
Daniel and His Friends Promoted
46 (AH)Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering (AI)and incense to him. 47 The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly (AJ)your God is the God of (AK)gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.” 48 (AL)Then the king promoted Daniel (AM)and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and (AN)chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Also Daniel petitioned the king, (AO)and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel (AP)sat in [i]the gate of the king.
The Image of Gold
3 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was [j]sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then a herald cried [k]aloud: “To you it is commanded, (AQ)O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; 6 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall (AR)be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”
7 So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Daniel’s Friends Disobey the King
8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans (AS)came forward and accused the Jews. 9 They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, (AT)“O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image; 11 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12 (AU)There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have (AV)not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.”
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in (AW)rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, (AX)good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. (AY)And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, (AZ)we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our (BA)God whom we serve is able to (BB)deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we (BC)worship the gold image which you have set up.”
Saved in Fiery Trial
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore, because the king’s command was [l]urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his [m]counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?”
They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”
25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, (BD)walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like (BE)the[n] Son of God.”
Nebuchadnezzar Praises God
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the [o]mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the (BF)Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. 27 And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men (BG)on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.
28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His (BH)Angel[p] and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! 29 (BI)Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the (BJ)God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be (BK)cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; (BL)because there is no other God who can deliver like this.”
30 Then the king [q]promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream
4 Nebuchadnezzar the king,
(BM)To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:
Peace be multiplied to you.
2 I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders (BN)that the Most High God has worked for me.
3 (BO)How great are His signs,
And how mighty His wonders!
His kingdom is (BP)an everlasting kingdom,
And His dominion is from generation to generation.
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace. 5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, (BQ)and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head (BR)troubled me. 6 Therefore I issued a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 (BS)Then the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told them the dream; but they did not make known to me its interpretation. 8 But at last Daniel came before me (BT)(his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; (BU)in him is the Spirit of the Holy God), and I told the dream before him, saying: 9 “Belteshazzar, (BV)chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.
10 “These were the visions of my head while on my bed:
I was looking, and behold,
(BW)A tree in the midst of the earth,
And its height was great.
11 The tree grew and became strong;
Its height reached to the heavens,
And it could be seen to the ends of all the earth.
12 Its leaves were lovely,
Its fruit abundant,
And in it was food for all.
(BX)The beasts of the field found shade under it,
The birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches,
And all flesh was fed from it.
13 “I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was (BY)a watcher, (BZ)a holy one, coming down from heaven. 14 He cried [r]aloud and said thus:
(CA)‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,
Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.
(CB)Let the beasts get out from under it,
And the birds from its branches.
15 Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth,
Bound with a band of iron and bronze,
In the tender grass of the field.
Let it be wet with the dew of heaven,
And let him graze with the beasts
On the grass of the earth.
16 Let his heart be changed from that of a man,
Let him be given the heart of a beast,
And let seven (CC)times[s] pass over him.
17 ‘This decision is by the decree of the watchers,
And the sentence by the word of the holy ones,
In order (CD)that the living may know
(CE)That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men,
(CF)Gives it to whomever He will,
And sets over it the (CG)lowest of men.’
18 “This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, (CH)since all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, (CI)for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you.”
Daniel Explains the Second Dream
19 Then Daniel, (CJ)whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts (CK)troubled him. So the king spoke, and said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you.”
Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may (CL)the dream [t]concern those who hate you, and its interpretation [u]concern your enemies!
20 (CM)“The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and which could be seen by all the earth, 21 whose leaves were lovely and its fruit abundant, in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home— 22 (CN)it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, (CO)and your dominion to the end of the earth.
23 (CP)“And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, (CQ)and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven [v]times pass over him’; 24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: 25 They shall (CR)drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you (CS)eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven [w]times shall pass over you, (CT)till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and (CU)gives it to whomever He chooses.
26 “And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that (CV)Heaven[x] rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; (CW)break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. (CX)Perhaps there may be (CY)a [y]lengthening of your prosperity.”
Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation
28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of the twelve months he was walking [z]about the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king (CZ)spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?”
31 (DA)While the word was still in the king’s mouth, (DB)a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! 32 And (DC)they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven [aa]times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.”
33 That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
Nebuchadnezzar Praises God
34 And (DD)at the end of the [ab]time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him (DE)who lives forever:
For His dominion is (DF)an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation.
35 (DG)All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;
(DH)He does according to His will in the army of heaven
And among the inhabitants of the earth.
(DI)No one can restrain His hand
Or say to Him, (DJ)“What have You done?”
36 At the same time my reason returned to me, (DK)and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was (DL)restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was (DM)added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, (DN)praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, (DO)all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. (DP)And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.
Belshazzar’s Feast
5 Belshazzar the king (DQ)made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. 2 While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels (DR)which his [ac]father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought the gold (DS)vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank wine, (DT)and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.
5 (DU)In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6 Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his (DV)knees knocked against each other. 7 (DW)The king cried [ad]aloud to bring in (DX)the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; (DY)and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” 8 Now all the king’s wise men came, (DZ)but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly (EA)troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were [ae]astonished.
10 The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came to the banquet hall. The queen spoke, saying, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change. 11 (EB)There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your [af]father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your [ag]father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. 12 Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and [ah]explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, (EC)whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”
The Writing on the Wall Explained
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke, and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel [ai]who is one of the captives from Judah, whom my [aj]father the king brought from Judah? 14 I have heard of you, that (ED)the [ak]Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now (EE)the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not give the interpretation of the thing. 16 And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and [al]explain enigmas. (EF)Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
17 Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O king, (EG)the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your [am]father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor. 19 And because of the majesty that He gave him, (EH)all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he (EI)executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down. 20 (EJ)But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. 21 Then he was (EK)driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, (EL)till he [an]knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.
22 “But you his son, Belshazzar, (EM)have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. 23 (EN)And you have [ao]lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the (EO)vessels of [ap]His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, (EP)which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand (EQ)and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. 24 Then the [aq]fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.
25 “And this is the inscription that was written:
[ar]MENE, MENE, [as]TEKEL, [at]UPHARSIN.
26 This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; 27 TEKEL: (ER)You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; 28 PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the (ES)Medes and (ET)Persians.”[au] 29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him (EU)that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Belshazzar’s Fall
30 (EV)That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. 31 (EW)And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
The Plot Against Daniel
6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; 2 and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, (EX)because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. 4 (EY)So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”
6 So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: (EZ)“King Darius, live forever! 7 All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have (FA)consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the (FB)law of the Medes and Persians, which [av]does not alter.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
Daniel in the Lions’ Den
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open (FC)toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees (FD)three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
11 Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12 (FE)And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: “Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?”
The king answered and said, “The thing is true, (FF)according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which [aw]does not alter.”
13 So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, (FG)who is [ax]one of the captives from Judah, (FH)does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
14 And the king, when he heard these words, (FI)was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he [ay]labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15 Then these men [az]approached the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is (FJ)the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
16 So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.” 17 (FK)Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, (FL)and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.
Daniel Saved from the Lions
18 Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no [ba]musicians were brought before him. (FM)Also his sleep [bb]went from him. 19 Then the (FN)king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 And when he came to the den, he cried out with a [bc]lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, (FO)has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
21 Then Daniel said to the king, (FP)“O king, live forever! 22 (FQ)My God sent His angel and (FR)shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.”
23 Now the king was 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 injury whatever was found on him, (FS)because he believed in his God.
Darius Honors God
24 And the king gave the command, (FT)and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, (FU)their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den.
25 (FV)Then King Darius wrote:
To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:
Peace be multiplied to you.
26 (FW)I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must (FX)tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.
(FY)For He is the living God,
And steadfast forever;
His kingdom is the one which shall not be (FZ)destroyed,
And His dominion shall endure to the end.
27 He delivers and rescues,
(GA)And He works signs and wonders
In heaven and on earth,
Who has delivered Daniel from the [bd]power of the lions.
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius (GB)and in the reign of (GC)Cyrus the Persian.
Vision of the Four Beasts
7 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, (GD)Daniel [be]had a dream and (GE)visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling [bf]the main facts.
2 Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. 3 And four great beasts (GF)came up from the sea, each different from the other. 4 The first was (GG)like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a (GH)man’s heart was given to it.
5 (GI)“And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’
6 “After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had (GJ)four heads, and dominion was given to it.
7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, (GK)a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, (GL)and it had ten horns. 8 I was considering the horns, and (GM)there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes (GN)of a man, (GO)and a mouth speaking [bg]pompous words.
Vision of the Ancient of Days
9 “I(GP) watched till thrones were [bh]put in place,
And (GQ)the Ancient of Days was seated;
(GR)His garment was white as snow,
And the hair of His head was like pure wool.
His throne was a fiery flame,
(GS)Its wheels a burning fire;
10 (GT)A fiery stream issued
And came forth from before Him.
(GU)A thousand thousands ministered to Him;
Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.
(GV)The [bi]court was seated,
And the books were opened.
11 “I watched then because of the sound of the [bj]pompous words which the horn was speaking; (GW)I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
13 “I was watching in the night visions,
And behold, (GX)One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days,
And they brought Him near before Him.
14 (GY)Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all (GZ)peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is (HA)an everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away,
And His kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed.
Daniel’s Visions Interpreted
15 “I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit [bk]within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16 I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 ‘Those great beasts, which are four, are four [bl]kings which arise out of the earth. 18 But (HB)the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’
19 “Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; 20 and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke [bm]pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.
21 “I was watching; (HC)and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, (HD)and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.
23 “Thus he said:
‘The fourth beast shall be
(HE)A fourth kingdom on earth,
Which shall be different from all other kingdoms,
And shall devour the whole earth,
Trample it and break it in pieces.
24 (HF)The ten horns are ten kings
Who shall arise from this kingdom.
And another shall rise after them;
He shall be different from the first ones,
And shall subdue three kings.
25 (HG)He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,
Shall (HH)persecute[bn] the saints of the Most High,
And shall (HI)intend to change times and law.
Then (HJ)the saints shall be given into his hand
(HK)For a time and times and half a time.
26 ‘But(HL) the court shall be seated,
And they shall (HM)take away his dominion,
To consume and destroy it forever.
27 Then the (HN)kingdom and dominion,
And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,
Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.
(HO)His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
(HP)And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’
28 “This is the end of the [bo]account. As for me, Daniel, (HQ)my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I (HR)kept the matter in my heart.”
Vision of a Ram and a Goat
8 In[bp] the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me—to me, Daniel—after the one that appeared to me (HS)the first time. 2 I saw in the vision, and it so happened while I was looking, that I was in (HT)Shushan,[bq] the [br]citadel, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision that I was by the River Ulai. 3 Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and there, standing beside the river, was a ram which had two horns, and the two horns were high; but one was (HU)higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. 4 I saw the ram pushing westward, northward, and southward, so that no animal could [bs]withstand him; nor was there any that could deliver from his hand, (HV)but he did according to his will and became great.
5 And as I was considering, suddenly a male goat came from the west, across the surface of the whole earth, without touching the ground; and the goat had a notable (HW)horn between his eyes. 6 Then he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing beside the river, and ran at him with furious power. 7 And I saw him confronting the ram; he was moved with rage against him, [bt]attacked the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram to withstand him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled him; and there was no one that could deliver the ram from his hand.
8 Therefore the male goat grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in place of it (HX)four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven. 9 (HY)And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, (HZ)toward the east, and toward the (IA)Glorious Land. 10 (IB)And it grew up to (IC)the host of heaven; and (ID)it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11 (IE)He even exalted himself as high as (IF)the Prince of the host; (IG)and by him (IH)the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of [bu]His sanctuary was cast down. 12 Because of transgression, (II)an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast (IJ)truth down to the ground. He (IK)did all this and prospered.
13 Then I heard (IL)a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression [bv]of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?”
14 And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred [bw]days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.”
Gabriel Interprets the Vision
15 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and (IM)was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me (IN)one having the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice (IO)between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, (IP)“Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” 17 So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and (IQ)fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.”
18 (IR)Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; (IS)but he touched me, and stood me upright. 19 And he said, “Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; (IT)for at the appointed time the end shall be. 20 The ram which you saw, having the two horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia. 21 And the [bx]male goat is the [by]kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes (IU)is the first king. 22 (IV)As for the broken horn and the four that stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation, but not with its power.
23 “And in the latter time of their kingdom,
When the transgressors have reached their fullness,
A king shall arise,
(IW)Having fierce [bz]features,
Who understands sinister schemes.
24 His power shall be mighty, (IX)but not by his own power;
He shall destroy [ca]fearfully,
(IY)And shall prosper and thrive;
(IZ)He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.
25 “Through(JA) his cunning
He shall cause deceit to prosper under his [cb]rule;
(JB)And he shall exalt himself in his heart.
He shall destroy many in their prosperity.
(JC)He shall even rise against the Prince of princes;
But he shall be (JD)broken without human [cc]means.
26 “And the vision of the evenings and mornings
Which was told is true;
(JE)Therefore seal up the vision,
For it refers to many days in the future.”
27 (JF)And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king’s business. I was [cd]astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.
Daniel’s Prayer for the People
9 In the first year (JG)of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through (JH)Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
3 (JI)Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 4 And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O (JJ)Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, 5 (JK)we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. 6 (JL)Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. 7 O Lord, (JM)righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You.
8 “O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. 9 (JN)To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. 10 We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets. 11 Yes, (JO)all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the (JP)Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him. 12 And He has (JQ)confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster; (JR)for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to Jerusalem.
13 (JS)“As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; (JT)yet we have not made our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth. 14 Therefore the Lord has (JU)kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for (JV)the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice. 15 And now, O Lord our God, (JW)who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made Yourself (JX)a name, as it is this day—we have sinned, we have done wickedly!
16 “O Lord, (JY)according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, (JZ)Your holy mountain; because for our sins, (KA)and for the iniquities of our fathers, (KB)Jerusalem and Your people (KC)are a reproach to all those around us. 17 Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, (KD)and (KE)for the Lord’s sake [ce]cause Your face to shine on [cf]Your sanctuary, (KF)which is desolate. 18 (KG)O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes (KH)and see our desolations, and the city (KI)which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. 19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”
The Seventy-Weeks Prophecy
20 Now while I was speaking, 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, 21 yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man (KJ)Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, [cg]being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. 22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. 23 At the beginning of your supplications the [ch]command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly (KK)beloved; therefore (KL)consider the matter, and understand the vision:
24 “Seventy [ci]weeks are determined
For your people and for your holy city,
To finish the transgression,
[cj]To make an end of sins,
(KM)To make reconciliation for iniquity,
(KN)To bring in everlasting righteousness,
To seal up vision and prophecy,
(KO)And to anoint [ck]the Most Holy.
25 “Know therefore and understand,
That from the going forth of the command
To restore and build Jerusalem
Until (KP)Messiah (KQ)the Prince,
There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks;
The [cl]street shall be built again, and the [cm]wall,
Even in troublesome times.
26 “And after the sixty-two weeks
(KR)Messiah shall [cn]be cut off, (KS)but not for Himself;
And (KT)the people of the prince who is to come
(KU)Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The end of it shall be with a flood,
And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 Then he shall confirm (KV)a [co]covenant with (KW)many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
(KX)Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the [cp]desolate.”
Vision of the Glorious Man
10 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, whose (KY)name was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, [cq]but the appointed time was long; and he understood the message, and had understanding of the vision. 2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. 3 I ate no [cr]pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
4 Now on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, that is, the [cs]Tigris, 5 I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in (KZ)linen, whose waist was (LA)girded with gold of Uphaz! 6 His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, (LB)and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude.
7 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. 8 Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my [ct]vigor was turned to [cu]frailty in me, and I retained no strength. 9 Yet I heard the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of his words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.
Prophecies Concerning Persia and Greece
10 (LC)Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. 11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, (LD)man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.
12 Then he said to me, (LE)“Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, (LF)your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13 (LG)But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, (LH)Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people (LI)in the latter days, (LJ)for the vision refers to many days yet to come.”
15 When he had spoken such words to me, (LK)I [cv]turned my face toward the ground and became speechless. 16 And suddenly, (LL)one having the likeness of the [cw]sons of men (LM)touched my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke, saying to him who stood before me, “My lord, because of the vision (LN)my sorrows have [cx]overwhelmed me, and I have retained no strength. 17 For how can this servant of my lord talk with you, my lord? As for me, no strength remains in me now, nor is any breath left in me.”
18 Then again, the one having the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me. 19 (LO)And he said, “O man greatly beloved, (LP)fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!”
So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”
20 Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight (LQ)with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece will come. 21 But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against these, (LR)except Michael your prince.
Warring Kings of North and South
11 “Also (LS)in the first year of (LT)Darius the Mede, I, even I, stood up to confirm and strengthen him.) 2 And now I will tell you the truth: Behold, three more kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than them all; by his strength, through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. 3 Then (LU)a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion, and (LV)do according to his will. 4 And when he has arisen, (LW)his kingdom shall be broken up and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not among his posterity (LX)nor according to his dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom shall be uprooted, even for others besides these.
Warring Kings of North and South
5 “Also the king of the South shall become strong, as well as one of his princes; and he shall gain power over him and have dominion. His dominion shall be a great dominion. 6 And at the end of some years they shall join forces, for the daughter of the king of the South shall go to the king of the North to make an agreement; but she shall not retain the power of her [cy]authority, and neither he nor his [cz]authority shall stand; but she shall be given up, with those who brought her, and with him who begot her, and with him who strengthened her in those times. 7 But from a branch of her roots one shall arise in his place, who shall come with an army, enter the fortress of the king of the North, and deal with them and prevail. 8 And he shall also carry their gods captive to Egypt, with their [da]princes and their precious articles of silver and gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the North.
9 “Also the king of the North shall come to the kingdom of the king of the South, but shall return to his own land. 10 However his sons shall stir up strife, and assemble a multitude of great forces; and one shall certainly come (LY)and overwhelm and pass through; then he shall return (LZ)to his fortress and stir up strife.
11 “And the king of the South shall be (MA)moved with rage, and go out and fight with him, with the king of the North, who shall muster a great multitude; but the (MB)multitude shall be given into the hand of his enemy. 12 When he has taken away the multitude, his heart will be [db]lifted up; and he will cast down tens of thousands, but he will not prevail. 13 For the king of the North will return and muster a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come at the end of some years with a great army and much equipment.
14 “Now in those times many shall rise up against the king of the South. Also, [dc]violent men of your people shall exalt themselves [dd]in fulfillment of the vision, but they shall (MC)fall. 15 So the king of the North shall come and (MD)build a siege mound, and take a fortified city; and the [de]forces of the South shall not withstand him. Even his choice troops shall have no strength to resist. 16 But he who comes against him (ME)shall do according to his own will, and (MF)no one shall stand against him. He shall stand in the Glorious Land with destruction in his [df]power.
17 “He shall also (MG)set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and [dg]upright ones with him; thus shall he do. And he shall give him the daughter of women to destroy it; but she shall not stand with him, (MH)or be for him. 18 After this he shall turn his face to the coastlands, and shall take many. But a ruler shall bring the reproach against them to an end; and with the reproach removed, he shall turn back on him. 19 Then he shall turn his face toward the fortress of his own land; but he shall (MI)stumble and fall, (MJ)and not be found.
20 “There shall arise in his place one who imposes taxes on the glorious kingdom; but within a few days he shall be destroyed, but not in anger or in battle. 21 And in his place (MK)shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue. 22 With the [dh]force of a (ML)flood they shall be swept away from before him and be broken, (MM)and also the prince of the covenant. 23 And after the league is made with him (MN)he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. 24 He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, [di]spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time.
25 “He shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South with a great army. And the king of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for they shall devise plans against him. 26 Yes, those who eat of the portion of his delicacies shall destroy him; his army shall [dj]be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. 27 Both these kings’ hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the (MO)appointed time. 28 While returning to his land with great riches, his heart shall be moved against the holy covenant; so he shall do damage and return to his own land.
The Northern King’s Blasphemies
29 “At the appointed time he shall return and go toward the south; but it shall not be like the former or the latter. 30 (MP)For ships from [dk]Cyprus shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return in rage against the holy covenant, and do damage.
“So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. 31 And [dl]forces shall be mustered by him, (MQ)and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. 32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall [dm]corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. 33 And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. 34 Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by [dn]intrigue. 35 And some of those of understanding shall fall, (MR)to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.
36 “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall (MS)exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. 37 He shall regard neither the [do]God of his fathers nor the desire of women, (MT)nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. 38 But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. 39 Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for [dp]gain.
The Northern King’s Conquests
40 “At the (MU)time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him (MV)like a whirlwind, with chariots, (MW)horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. 41 He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: (MX)Edom, Moab, and the [dq]prominent people of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of (MY)Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow (MZ)at his heels. 44 But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. 45 And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and (NA)the glorious holy mountain; (NB)yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him.
Prophecy of the End Time
12 “At that time Michael shall stand up,
The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
(NC)And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time.
And at that time your people (ND)shall be delivered,
Every one who is found (NE)written in the book.
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
(NF)Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame (NG)and everlasting [dr]contempt.
3 Those who are wise shall (NH)shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
(NI)And those who turn many to righteousness
(NJ)Like the stars forever and ever.
4 “But you, Daniel, (NK)shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall (NL)run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
5 Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that (NM)riverbank. 6 And one said to the man clothed in (NN)linen, who was above the waters of the river, (NO)“How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?”
7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he (NP)held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him (NQ)who lives forever, (NR)that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; (NS)and when the power of (NT)the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.
8 Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?”
9 And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 (NU)Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, (NV)but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but (NW)the wise shall understand.
11 “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.
13 “But you, go your way till the end; (NX)for you shall rest, (NY)and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.”
Footnotes
- Daniel 2:23 Lit. word
- Daniel 2:25 Lit. sons of the captivity
- Daniel 2:30 Understand
- Daniel 2:32 Or sides
- Daniel 2:33 Or baked clay, also vv. 34, 35, 42
- Daniel 2:42 Or brittle
- Daniel 2:44 Or crush
- Daniel 2:44 Lit. put an end to
- Daniel 2:49 The king’s court
- Daniel 3:1 About 90 feet
- Daniel 3:4 Lit. with strength
- Daniel 3:22 Or harsh
- Daniel 3:24 High officials
- Daniel 3:25 Or a son of the gods
- Daniel 3:26 Lit. door
- Daniel 3:28 Or angel
- Daniel 3:30 Lit. caused to prosper
- Daniel 4:14 Lit. with strength
- Daniel 4:16 Possibly years
- Daniel 4:19 be for
- Daniel 4:19 for
- Daniel 4:23 Possibly years
- Daniel 4:25 Possibly years
- Daniel 4:26 God
- Daniel 4:27 prolonging
- Daniel 4:29 Or upon
- Daniel 4:32 Possibly years
- Daniel 4:34 Lit. days
- Daniel 5:2 Or ancestor
- Daniel 5:7 Lit. with strength
- Daniel 5:9 perplexed
- Daniel 5:11 Or ancestor
- Daniel 5:11 Or ancestor
- Daniel 5:12 Lit. untying knots
- Daniel 5:13 Lit. who is of the sons of the captivity
- Daniel 5:13 Or ancestor
- Daniel 5:14 Or spirit of the gods
- Daniel 5:16 Lit. untie knots
- Daniel 5:18 Or ancestor
- Daniel 5:21 Recognized
- Daniel 5:23 Exalted
- Daniel 5:23 The temple
- Daniel 5:24 Lit. palm
- Daniel 5:25 Lit. a mina (50 shekels) from the verb “to number”
- Daniel 5:25 Lit. a shekel from the verb “to weigh”
- Daniel 5:25 Lit. and half-shekels from the verb “to divide”; pl. of Peres, v. 28
- Daniel 5:28 Aram. Paras, consonant with Peres
- Daniel 6:8 Lit. does not pass away
- Daniel 6:12 Lit. does not pass away
- Daniel 6:13 Lit. of the sons of the captivity
- Daniel 6:14 strove
- Daniel 6:15 Lit. thronged before
- Daniel 6:18 Exact meaning unknown
- Daniel 6:18 Or fled
- Daniel 6:20 Or grieved
- Daniel 6:27 Lit. hand
- Daniel 7:1 Lit. saw
- Daniel 7:1 Lit. the head or chief of the words
- Daniel 7:8 Lit. great things
- Daniel 7:9 Or set up
- Daniel 7:10 Or judgment
- Daniel 7:11 Lit. great
- Daniel 7:15 Lit. in the midst of its sheath
- Daniel 7:17 Representing their kingdoms, v. 23
- Daniel 7:20 Lit. great things
- Daniel 7:25 Lit. wear out
- Daniel 7:28 Lit. word
- Daniel 8:1 The Hebrew language resumes in Dan. 8:1.
- Daniel 8:2 Or Susa
- Daniel 8:2 Or fortified palace
- Daniel 8:4 Lit. stand before him
- Daniel 8:7 Lit. struck
- Daniel 8:11 The temple
- Daniel 8:13 Or making desolate
- Daniel 8:14 Lit. evening-mornings
- Daniel 8:21 shaggy male
- Daniel 8:21 Lit. king, representing his kingdom, Dan. 7:17, 23
- Daniel 8:23 Lit. countenance
- Daniel 8:24 Or extraordinarily
- Daniel 8:25 Lit. hand
- Daniel 8:25 Lit. hand
- Daniel 8:27 amazed
- Daniel 9:17 Be gracious
- Daniel 9:17 The temple
- Daniel 9:21 Or being weary with weariness
- Daniel 9:23 Lit. word
- Daniel 9:24 Lit. sevens, and so throughout the chapter
- Daniel 9:24 So with Qr., LXX, Syr., Vg.; Kt., Theodotion To seal up
- Daniel 9:24 The Most Holy Place
- Daniel 9:25 Or open square
- Daniel 9:25 Or moat
- Daniel 9:26 Suffer the death penalty
- Daniel 9:27 Or treaty
- Daniel 9:27 Or desolator
- Daniel 10:1 Or and of great conflict;
- Daniel 10:3 desirable
- Daniel 10:4 Heb. Hiddekel
- Daniel 10:8 Lit. splendor
- Daniel 10:8 Lit. ruin
- Daniel 10:15 Lit. set
- Daniel 10:16 Theodotion, Vg. the son; LXX a hand
- Daniel 10:16 Or turned upon
- Daniel 11:6 Lit. arm
- Daniel 11:6 Lit. arm
- Daniel 11:8 Or molded images
- Daniel 11:12 Proud
- Daniel 11:14 Or robbers, lit. sons of breakage
- Daniel 11:14 Lit. to establish
- Daniel 11:15 Lit. arms
- Daniel 11:16 Lit. hand
- Daniel 11:17 Or bring equitable terms
- Daniel 11:22 Lit. arms
- Daniel 11:24 booty
- Daniel 11:26 Or overflow
- Daniel 11:30 Heb. Kittim, western lands, especially Cyprus
- Daniel 11:31 Lit. arms
- Daniel 11:32 pollute
- Daniel 11:34 Or slipperiness, flattery
- Daniel 11:37 Or gods
- Daniel 11:39 profit
- Daniel 11:41 Lit. chief of the sons of Ammon
- Daniel 12:2 Lit. abhorrence
Hosea 1:1-9:13
New King James Version
Hosea’s Unfaithful Wife
1 The word of the Lord that came to Hosea the son of Beeri, in the days of (A)Uzziah, (B)Jotham, (C)Ahaz, and (D)Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of (E)Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
The Family of Hosea
2 When the Lord began to speak by Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea:
(F)“Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry
And children of harlotry,
For (G)the land has committed great [a]harlotry
By departing from the Lord.”
3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. 4 Then the Lord said to him:
“Call his name Jezreel,
For in a little while
(H)I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu,
(I)And bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.
5 (J)It shall come to pass in that day
That I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”
6 And she conceived again and bore a daughter. Then God said to him:
“Call her name [b]Lo-Ruhamah,
(K)For I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel,
[c]But I will utterly take them away.
7 (L)Yet I will have mercy on the house of Judah,
Will save them by the Lord their God,
And (M)will not save them by bow,
Nor by sword or battle,
By horses or horsemen.”
8 Now when she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. 9 Then God said:
“Call his name [d]Lo-Ammi,
For you are not My people,
And I will not be your God.
The Restoration of Israel
10 “Yet (N)the number of the children of Israel
Shall be as the sand of the sea,
Which cannot be measured or numbered.
(O)And it shall come to pass
In the place where it was said to them,
‘You are [e]not My (P)people,’
There it shall be said to them,
‘You are (Q)sons of the living God.’
11 (R)Then the children of Judah and the children of Israel
Shall be gathered together,
And appoint for themselves one head;
And they shall come up out of the land,
For great will be the day of Jezreel!
The Lord’s Love for His Unfaithful People
God’s Unfaithful People
2 “Bring[h] charges against your mother, [i]bring charges;
For (S)she is not My wife, nor am I her Husband!
Let her put away her (T)harlotries from her sight,
And her adulteries from between her breasts;
3 Lest (U)I strip her naked
And expose her, as in the day she was (V)born,
And make her like a wilderness,
And set her like a dry land,
And slay her with (W)thirst.
4 “I will not have mercy on her children,
For they are the (X)children of harlotry.
5 For their mother has played the harlot;
She who conceived them has behaved shamefully.
For she said, ‘I will go after my lovers,
(Y)Who give me my bread and my water,
My wool and my linen,
My oil and my drink.’
6 “Therefore, behold,
(Z)I will hedge up your way with thorns,
And [j]wall her in,
So that she cannot find her paths.
7 She will [k]chase her lovers,
But not overtake them;
Yes, she will seek them, but not find them.
Then she will say,
(AA)‘I will go and return to my (AB)first husband,
For then it was better for me than now.’
8 For she did not (AC)know
That I gave her grain, new wine, and oil,
And multiplied her silver and gold—
Which they prepared for Baal.
9 “Therefore I will return and take away
My grain in its time
And My new wine in its season,
And will take back My wool and My linen,
Given to cover her nakedness.
10 Now (AD)I will uncover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers,
And no one shall deliver her from My hand.
11 (AE)I will also cause all her mirth to cease,
Her feast days,
Her New Moons,
Her Sabbaths—
All her appointed feasts.
12 “And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees,
Of which she has said,
‘These are my wages that my lovers have given me.’
So I will make them a forest,
And the beasts of the field shall eat them.
13 I will punish her
For the days of the Baals to which she burned incense.
She decked herself with her earrings and jewelry,
And went after her lovers;
But Me she forgot,” says the Lord.
God’s Mercy on His People
14 “Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
Will bring her into the wilderness,
And speak [l]comfort to her.
15 I will give her her vineyards from there,
And (AF)the Valley of Achor as a door of hope;
She shall sing there,
As in (AG)the days of her youth,
(AH)As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.
16 “And it shall be, in that day,”
Says the Lord,
“That you will call Me [m]‘My Husband,’
And no longer call Me [n]‘My Master,’
17 For (AI)I will take from her mouth the names of the Baals,
And they shall be remembered by their name no more.
18 In that day I will make a (AJ)covenant for them
With the beasts of the field,
With the birds of the air,
And with the creeping things of the ground.
Bow and sword of battle (AK)I will shatter from the earth,
To make them (AL)lie down safely.
19 “I will betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me
In righteousness and justice,
In lovingkindness and mercy;
20 I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness,
And (AM)you shall know the Lord.
21 “It shall come to pass in that day
That (AN)I will answer,” says the Lord;
“I will answer the heavens,
And they shall answer the earth.
22 The earth shall answer
With grain,
With new wine,
And with oil;
They shall answer [o]Jezreel.
23 Then (AO)I will sow her for Myself in the earth,
(AP)And I will have mercy on her who had [p]not obtained mercy;
Then (AQ)I will say to those who were [q]not My people,
‘You are [r]My people!’
And they shall say, ‘You are my God!’ ”
Israel Will Return to God
3 Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by a (AR)lover[s] and is committing adultery, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans.”
2 So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver, and one and one-half homers of barley. 3 And I said to her, “You shall (AS)stay with me many days; you shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man—so, too, will I be toward you.”
4 For the children of Israel shall abide many days (AT)without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, without (AU)ephod or (AV)teraphim. 5 Afterward the children of Israel shall return and (AW)seek the Lord their God and (AX)David their king. They shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the (AY)latter days.
God’s Charge Against Israel
4 Hear the word of the Lord,
You children of Israel,
For the Lord brings a (AZ)charge[t] against the inhabitants of the land:
“There is no truth or mercy
Or (BA)knowledge of God in the land.
2 By swearing and lying,
Killing and stealing and committing adultery,
They break all restraint,
With bloodshed [u]upon bloodshed.
3 Therefore (BB)the land will mourn;
And (BC)everyone who dwells there will waste away
With the beasts of the field
And the birds of the air;
Even the fish of the sea will be taken away.
4 “Now let no man contend, or rebuke another;
For your people are like those (BD)who contend with the priest.
5 Therefore you shall stumble (BE)in the day;
The prophet also shall stumble with you in the night;
And I will destroy your mother.
6 (BF)My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being priest for Me;
(BG)Because you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.
7 “The more they increased,
The more they sinned against Me;
(BH)I[v] will change [w]their glory into shame.
8 They eat up the sin of My people;
They set their [x]heart on their iniquity.
9 And it shall be: (BI)like people, like priest.
So I will punish them for their ways,
And [y]reward them for their deeds.
10 For (BJ)they shall eat, but not have enough;
They shall commit harlotry, but not increase;
Because they have ceased obeying the Lord.
The Idolatry of Israel
11 “Harlotry, wine, and new wine (BK)enslave the heart.
12 My people ask counsel from their (BL)wooden idols,
And their [z]staff informs them.
For (BM)the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray,
And they have played the harlot against their God.
13 (BN)They offer sacrifices on the mountaintops,
And burn incense on the hills,
Under oaks, poplars, and terebinths,
Because their shade is good.
(BO)Therefore your daughters commit harlotry,
And your brides commit adultery.
14 “I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry,
Nor your brides when they commit adultery;
For the men themselves go apart with harlots,
And offer sacrifices with a (BP)ritual harlot.
Therefore people who do not understand will be trampled.
15 “Though you, Israel, play the harlot,
Let not Judah offend.
(BQ)Do not come up to Gilgal,
Nor go up to (BR)Beth[aa] Aven,
(BS)Nor swear an oath, saying, ‘As the Lord lives’—
16 “For Israel (BT)is stubborn
Like a stubborn calf;
Now the Lord will let them forage
Like a lamb in [ab]open country.
17 “Ephraim is joined to idols,
(BU)Let him alone.
18 Their drink [ac]is rebellion,
They commit harlotry continually.
(BV)Her [ad]rulers [ae]dearly love dishonor.
19 (BW)The wind has wrapped her up in its wings,
And (BX)they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
Impending Judgment on Israel and Judah
5 “Hear this, O priests!
Take heed, O house of Israel!
Give ear, O house of the king!
For [af]yours is the judgment,
Because (BY)you have been a snare to Mizpah
And a net spread on Tabor.
2 The revolters are (BZ)deeply involved in slaughter,
Though I rebuke them all.
3 (CA)I know Ephraim,
And Israel is not hidden from Me;
For now, O Ephraim, (CB)you commit harlotry;
Israel is defiled.
4 “They[ag] do not direct their deeds
Toward turning to their God,
For (CC)the spirit of harlotry is in their midst,
And they do not know the Lord.
5 The (CD)pride of Israel testifies to his face;
Therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity;
Judah also stumbles with them.
6 “With their flocks and herds
(CE)They shall go to seek the Lord,
But they will not find Him;
He has withdrawn Himself from them.
7 They have (CF)dealt treacherously with the Lord,
For they have begotten [ah]pagan children.
Now a New Moon shall devour them and their heritage.
8 “Blow(CG) the ram’s horn in Gibeah,
The trumpet in Ramah!
(CH)Cry aloud at (CI)Beth Aven,
‘Look behind you, O Benjamin!’
9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke;
Among the tribes of Israel I make known what is sure.
10 “The princes of Judah are like those who (CJ)remove a landmark;
I will pour out My wrath on them like water.
11 Ephraim is (CK)oppressed and broken in judgment,
Because he willingly walked by (CL)human precept.
12 Therefore I will be to Ephraim like a moth,
And to the house of Judah (CM)like rottenness.
13 “When Ephraim saw his sickness,
And Judah saw his (CN)wound,
Then Ephraim went (CO)to Assyria
And sent to King Jareb;
Yet he cannot cure you,
Nor heal you of your wound.
14 For (CP)I will be like a lion to Ephraim,
And like a young lion to the house of Judah.
(CQ)I, even I, will tear them and go away;
I will take them away, and no one shall rescue.
15 I will return again to My place
Till they [ai]acknowledge their offense.
Then they will seek My face;
In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”
A Call to Repentance
6 Come,(CR) and let us return to the Lord;
For (CS)He has torn, but (CT)He will heal us;
He has stricken, but He will [aj]bind us up.
2 (CU)After two days He will revive us;
On the third day He will raise us up,
That we may live in His sight.
3 (CV)Let us know,
Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord.
His going forth is established (CW)as the morning;
(CX)He will come to us (CY)like the rain,
Like the latter and former rain to the earth.
Impenitence of Israel and Judah
4 “O Ephraim, what shall I do to you?
O Judah, what shall I do to you?
For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud,
And like the early dew it goes away.
5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets,
I have slain them by (CZ)the words of My mouth;
And [ak]your judgments are like light that goes forth.
6 For I desire (DA)mercy[al] and (DB)not sacrifice,
And the (DC)knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
7 “But like [am]men they transgressed the covenant;
There they dealt treacherously with Me.
8 (DD)Gilead is a city of evildoers
And [an]defiled with blood.
9 As bands of robbers lie in wait for a man,
So the company of (DE)priests (DF)murder on the way to Shechem;
Surely they commit (DG)lewdness.
10 I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel:
There is the [ao]harlotry of Ephraim;
Israel is defiled.
11 Also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed for you,
When I return the captives of My people.
Israel Has Rebelled Against God
7 “When I would have healed Israel,
Then the iniquity of Ephraim was uncovered,
And the wickedness of Samaria.
For (DH)they have committed fraud;
A thief comes in;
A band of robbers [ap]takes spoil outside.
2 They [aq]do not consider in their hearts
That (DI)I remember all their wickedness;
Now their own deeds have surrounded them;
They are before My face.
3 They make a (DJ)king glad with their wickedness,
And princes (DK)with their lies.
4 “They(DL) are all adulterers.
Like an oven heated by a baker—
He ceases stirring the fire after kneading the dough,
Until it is leavened.
5 In the day of our king
Princes have made him sick, [ar]inflamed with (DM)wine;
He stretched out his hand with scoffers.
6 They prepare their heart like an oven,
While they lie in wait;
[as]Their baker sleeps all night;
In the morning it burns like a flaming fire.
7 They are all hot, like an oven,
And have devoured their judges;
All their kings have fallen.
(DN)None among them calls upon Me.
8 “Ephraim (DO)has mixed himself among the peoples;
Ephraim is a cake unturned.
9 (DP)Aliens have devoured his strength,
But he does not know it;
Yes, gray hairs are here and there on him,
Yet he does not know it.
10 And the (DQ)pride of Israel testifies to his face,
But (DR)they do not return to the Lord their God,
Nor seek Him for all this.
Futile Reliance on the Nations
11 “Ephraim(DS) also is like a silly dove, without [at]sense—
(DT)They call to Egypt,
They go to (DU)Assyria.
12 Wherever they go, I will (DV)spread My net on them;
I will bring them down like birds of the air;
I will chastise them
(DW)According to what their congregation has heard.
13 “Woe to them, for they have fled from Me!
Destruction to them,
Because they have transgressed against Me!
Though (DX)I redeemed them,
Yet they have spoken lies against Me.
14 (DY)They did not cry out to Me with their heart
When they wailed upon their beds.
“They [au]assemble together for grain and new (DZ)wine,
[av]They rebel against Me;
15 Though I disciplined and strengthened their arms,
Yet they devise evil against Me;
16 They return, but not [aw]to the Most High;
(EA)They are like a treacherous bow.
Their princes shall fall by the sword
For the (EB)cursings of their tongue.
This shall be their derision (EC)in the land of Egypt.
The Apostasy of Israel
8 “Set the [ax]trumpet to your mouth!
He shall come (ED)like an eagle against the house of the Lord,
Because they have transgressed My covenant
And rebelled against My law.
2 (EE)Israel will cry to Me,
‘My God, (EF)we know You!’
3 Israel has rejected the good;
The enemy will pursue him.
4 “They(EG) set up kings, but not by Me;
They made princes, but I did not acknowledge them.
From their silver and gold
They made idols for themselves—
That they might be cut off.
5 Your [ay]calf [az]is rejected, O Samaria!
My anger is aroused against them—
(EH)How long until they attain to innocence?
6 For from Israel is even this:
A (EI)workman made it, and it is not God;
But the calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.
7 “They(EJ) sow the wind,
And reap the whirlwind.
The stalk has no bud;
It shall never produce meal.
If it should produce,
(EK)Aliens would swallow it up.
8 (EL)Israel is swallowed up;
Now they are among the Gentiles
(EM)Like a vessel in which is no pleasure.
9 For they have gone up to Assyria,
Like (EN)a wild donkey alone by itself;
Ephraim (EO)has hired lovers.
10 Yes, though they have hired among the nations,
Now (EP)I will gather them;
And they shall [ba]sorrow a little,
Because of the [bb]burden of (EQ)the king of princes.
11 “Because Ephraim has made many altars for sin,
They have become for him altars for sinning.
12 I have written for him (ER)the great things of My law,
But they were considered a strange thing.
13 For the sacrifices of My offerings (ES)they sacrifice flesh and eat it,
(ET)But the Lord does not accept them.
(EU)Now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins.
They shall return to Egypt.
14 “For(EV) Israel has forgotten (EW)his Maker,
And has built [bc]temples;
Judah also has multiplied (EX)fortified cities;
But (EY)I will send fire upon his cities,
And it shall devour his [bd]palaces.”
Judgment of Israel’s Sin
9 Do(EZ) not rejoice, O Israel, with joy like other peoples,
For you have played the harlot against your God.
You have made love for (FA)hire on every threshing floor.
2 The threshing floor and the winepress
Shall not feed them,
And the new wine shall fail in her.
3 They shall not dwell in (FB)the Lord’s land,
(FC)But Ephraim shall return to Egypt,
And (FD)shall eat unclean things in Assyria.
4 They shall not offer wine offerings to the Lord,
Nor (FE)shall their (FF)sacrifices be pleasing to Him.
It shall be like bread of mourners to them;
All who eat it shall be defiled.
For their bread shall be for their own life;
It shall not come into the house of the Lord.
5 What will you do in the appointed day,
And in the day of the feast of the Lord?
6 For indeed they are gone because of destruction.
Egypt shall gather them up;
Memphis shall bury them.
(FG)Nettles shall possess their valuables of silver;
Thorns shall be in their tents.
7 The (FH)days of punishment have come;
The days of recompense have come.
Israel knows!
The prophet is a (FI)fool,
(FJ)The spiritual man is insane,
Because of the greatness of your iniquity and great enmity.
8 The (FK)watchman of Ephraim is with my God;
But the prophet is a [be]fowler’s snare in all his ways—
Enmity in the house of his God.
9 (FL)They are deeply corrupted,
As in the days of (FM)Gibeah.
He will remember their iniquity;
He will punish their sins.
10 “I found Israel
Like grapes in the (FN)wilderness;
I saw your fathers
As the (FO)firstfruits on the fig tree in its first season.
But they went to (FP)Baal Peor,
And [bf]separated themselves to that shame;
(FQ)They became an abomination like the thing they loved.
11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird—
No birth, no pregnancy, and no conception!
12 Though they bring up their children,
Yet I will bereave them to the last man.
Yes, (FR)woe to them when I depart from them!
13 Just (FS)as I saw Ephraim like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place,
So Ephraim will bring out his children to the murderer.”
Footnotes
- Hosea 1:2 Spiritual adultery
- Hosea 1:6 Lit. No-Mercy
- Hosea 1:6 Or That I may forgive them at all
- Hosea 1:9 Lit. Not-My-People
- Hosea 1:10 Heb. lo-ammi, v. 9
- Hosea 2:1 Heb. Ammi, Hos. 1:9, 10
- Hosea 2:1 Heb. Ruhamah, Hos. 1:6
- Hosea 2:2 Or Contend with
- Hosea 2:2 Or contend
- Hosea 2:6 Lit. wall up her wall
- Hosea 2:7 Or pursue
- Hosea 2:14 Lit. to her heart
- Hosea 2:16 Heb. Ishi
- Hosea 2:16 Heb. Baali
- Hosea 2:22 Lit. God Will Sow
- Hosea 2:23 Heb. lo-ruhamah
- Hosea 2:23 Heb. lo-ammi
- Hosea 2:23 Heb. ammi
- Hosea 3:1 Lit. friend or husband
- Hosea 4:1 A legal complaint
- Hosea 4:2 Lit. touching
- Hosea 4:7 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; scribal tradition, Syr., Tg. They will change
- Hosea 4:7 So with MT, LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg.; scribal tradition My glory
- Hosea 4:8 Desires
- Hosea 4:9 repay
- Hosea 4:12 Diviner’s rod
- Hosea 4:15 Lit. House of Idolatry or Wickedness
- Hosea 4:16 Lit. a large place
- Hosea 4:18 Or has turned aside
- Hosea 4:18 Lit. shields
- Hosea 4:18 Heb. difficult; a Jewish tradition shamefully love, ‘Give!’
- Hosea 5:1 Or to you
- Hosea 5:4 Or Their deeds will not allow them to turn
- Hosea 5:7 Lit. strange
- Hosea 5:15 Lit. become guilty or bear punishment
- Hosea 6:1 Bandage
- Hosea 6:5 Or the judgments on you
- Hosea 6:6 Or faithfulness or loyalty
- Hosea 6:7 Or Adam
- Hosea 6:8 Lit. foot-tracked
- Hosea 6:10 Spiritual adultery
- Hosea 7:1 plunders
- Hosea 7:2 Lit. do not say to
- Hosea 7:5 Lit. with the heat of
- Hosea 7:6 So with MT, Vg.; Syr., Tg. Their anger; LXX Ephraim
- Hosea 7:11 Lit. heart
- Hosea 7:14 So with MT, Tg.; Vg. thought upon; LXX slashed themselves for (cf. 1 Kin. 18:28)
- Hosea 7:14 So with MT, Syr., Tg.; LXX omits They rebel against Me; Vg. They departed from Me
- Hosea 7:16 Or upward
- Hosea 8:1 ram’s horn, Heb. shophar
- Hosea 8:5 Golden calf image
- Hosea 8:5 Or has rejected you
- Hosea 8:10 Or begin to diminish
- Hosea 8:10 Or oracle or proclamation
- Hosea 8:14 Or palaces
- Hosea 8:14 Or citadels
- Hosea 9:8 One who catches birds in a trap or snare
- Hosea 9:10 Or dedicated
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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