Nebuchadnezzar's Golden Image

3 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits^[a] and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on ^(A)the plain of Dura, in ^(B)the province of Babylon. ² Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather ^(C)the satraps, the prefects, and ^(D)the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ³ Then ^(E)the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ⁴ And the herald ^(F)proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O ^(G)peoples, nations, and languages, ⁵ that when you hear the ^(H)sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you ^(I)are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. ⁶ And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately ^(J)be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” ⁷ Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all ^(K)the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

The Fiery Furnace

⁸ Therefore at that time certain ^(L)Chaldeans ^(M)came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. ⁹ They declared^[b] to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! ¹⁰ You, O king, ^(N)have made a decree, that every man who ^(O)hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, ^(P)shall fall down and worship the golden image. ¹¹ And whoever does not fall down and worship ^(Q)shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. ¹² There are certain Jews whom you have ^(R)appointed over the affairs of ^(S)the province of Babylon: ^(T)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, ^(U)pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar ^(V)in furious rage commanded that ^(W)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. ¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? ¹⁵ Now if you are ready when ^(X)you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good.^[c] But if you do not worship, ^(Y)you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And ^(Z)who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

^16 (AA)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ If this be so, ^(AB)our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.^{[d] 18} But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was ^(AC)filled with fury, and the expression of his face ^(AD)was changed against ^(AE)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. ²⁰ And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army ^(AF)to bind ^(AG)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. ²¹ Then these men were ^(AH)bound in their cloaks, their tunics,^[e] their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. ²² Because the king's order was ^(AI)urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up ^(AJ)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. ²³ And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell ^(AK)bound into the burning fiery furnace.

²⁴ Then King Nebuchadnezzar was ^(AL)astonished and rose up ^(AM)in haste. He declared to his ^(AN)counselors, “Did we not cast three men ^(AO)bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” ²⁵ He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, ^(AP)walking in the midst of the fire, and they ^(AQ)are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like ^(AR)a son of the gods.”

²⁶ Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, ^(AS)“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the ^(AT)Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then ^(AU)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. ²⁷ And the ^(AV)satraps, the prefects, the governors, and ^(AW)the king's counselors gathered together and saw that ^(AX)the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their ^(AY)cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. ²⁸ Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of ^(AZ)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who ^(BA)has sent his angel and ^(BB)delivered his servants, who ^(BC)trusted in him, and set aside^[f] the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than ^(BD)serve and worship any god except their own God. ²⁹ Therefore ^(BE)I make a decree: Any ^(BF)people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of ^(BG)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego ^(BH)shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” ³⁰ Then the king promoted ^(BI)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in ^(BJ)the province of Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

4 ^[g] King Nebuchadnezzar to all ^(BK)peoples, nations, and languages, ^(BL)that dwell in all the earth: ^(BM)Peace be multiplied to you! ² It has seemed good to me to show the ^(BN)signs and wonders that the ^(BO)Most High God has done for me.

Nebuchadnezzar's Second Dream

^4 [h] I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. ⁵ I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and ^(BT)the visions of my head alarmed me. ⁶ So ^(BU)I made a decree that ^(BV)all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. ⁷ Then ^(BW)the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but ^(BX)they could not make known to me its interpretation. ⁸ At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named ^(BY)Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is ^(BZ)the spirit of the holy gods^[i]—and I told him the dream, saying, ⁹ “O Belteshazzar, ^(CA)chief of the magicians, because I know that ^(CB)the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no ^(CC)mystery is too difficult for you, tell me ^(CD)the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. ^10 (CE)The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and ^(CF)behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. ^11 (CG)The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. ^12 (CH)Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. ^(CI)The beasts of the field found shade under it, and ^(CJ)the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

¹³ “I saw in ^(CK)the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, ^(CL)a watcher, ^(CM)a holy one, came down from heaven. ¹⁴ He ^(CN)proclaimed aloud and said thus: ^(CO)‘Chop down the tree and ^(CP)lop off its branches, ^(CQ)strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. ^(CR)Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. ¹⁵ But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. ¹⁶ Let his mind be changed from a man's, and let a beast's mind be given to him; ^(CS)and let seven periods of time ^(CT)pass over him. ¹⁷ The sentence is by the decree of ^(CU)the watchers, the decision by the word of ^(CV)the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High ^(CW)rules the kingdom of men ^(CX)and gives it to whom he will and ^(CY)sets over it the lowliest of men.’ ¹⁸ This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O ^(CZ)Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because ^(DA)all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for ^(DB)the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Daniel Interprets the Second Dream

¹⁹ Then Daniel, whose name was ^(DC)Belteshazzar, was ^(DD)dismayed for a while, and ^(DE)his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, ^(DF)may the dream be for those who hate you ^(DG)and its interpretation for your enemies! ^20 (DH)The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, ^21 (DI)whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived— ^22 (DJ)it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. ^(DK)Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, ^(DL)and your dominion to the ends of the earth. ²³ And because the king saw ^(DM)a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ^(DN)‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till ^(DO)seven periods of time pass over him,’ ²⁴ this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, ^25 (DP)that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made ^(DQ)to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and ^(DR)seven periods of time shall pass over you, till ^(DS)you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. ²⁶ And as it was commanded ^(DT)to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. ²⁷ Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by ^(DU)practicing righteousness, ^(DV)and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, ^(DW)that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

Nebuchadnezzar's Humiliation

²⁸ All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. ²⁹ At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, ³⁰ and the king answered and said, ^(DX)“Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by ^(DY)my mighty power as a royal residence and for ^(DZ)the glory of my majesty?” ^31 (EA)While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, ^32 (EB)and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, ^(EC)until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” ³³ Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. ^(ED)He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws.

Nebuchadnezzar Restored

^34 (EE)At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and ^(EF)my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored ^(EG)him who lives forever,

³⁶ At the same time ^(EN)my reason returned to me, and for ^(EO)the glory of my kingdom, ^(EP)my majesty and splendor returned to me. ^(EQ)My counselors and ^(ER)my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was ^(ES)added to me. ³⁷ Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, ^(ET)praise and extol and honor the ^(EU)King of heaven, ^(EV)for all his works are right and his ways are just; and ^(EW)those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

The Handwriting on the Wall

5 ^(EX)King Belshazzar ^(EY)made a great feast for a thousand of his ^(EZ)lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.

^2 (FA)Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that ^(FB)the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father^[j] had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. ³ Then they brought in ^(FC)the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. ⁴ They drank wine and ^(FD)praised the ^(FE)gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

^5 (FF)Immediately ^(FG)the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw ^(FH)the hand as it wrote. ^6 (FI)Then the king's color changed, ^(FJ)and his thoughts alarmed him; ^(FK)his limbs gave way, and ^(FL)his knees knocked together. ^7 (FM)The king called loudly to bring in ^(FN)the enchanters, the ^(FO)Chaldeans, and ^(FP)the astrologers. The king declared^[k] to the wise men of Babylon, ^(FQ)“Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and ^(FR)shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” ⁸ Then all the king's wise men came in, but ^(FS)they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. ⁹ Then King Belshazzar was greatly ^(FT)alarmed, and his ^(FU)color changed, and his ^(FV)lords were perplexed.

¹⁰ The queen,^[l] because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, ^(FW)“O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you ^(FX)or your color change. ¹¹ There is a man in your kingdom ^(FY)in whom is the spirit of the holy gods.^[m] In the days of your father, ^(FZ)light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king—^(GA)made him chief of the magicians, ^(GB)enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, ^12 (GC)because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and ^(GD)understanding ^(GE)to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and ^(GF)solve problems were found in this Daniel, ^(GG)whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.”

Daniel Interprets the Handwriting

¹³ Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “You are that Daniel, one of ^(GH)the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. ¹⁴ I have heard of you that ^(GI)the spirit of the gods^[n] is in you, and that ^(GJ)light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. ¹⁵ Now ^(GK)the wise men, the ^(GL)enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but ^(GM)they could not show the interpretation of the matter. ^16 (GN)But I have heard that you can give interpretations and ^(GO)solve problems. ^(GP)Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, ^(GQ)you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and ^(GR)shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

¹⁷ Then Daniel answered and said before the king, ^(GS)“Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. ¹⁸ O king, the ^(GT)Most High God ^(GU)gave ^(GV)Nebuchadnezzar your father ^(GW)kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. ¹⁹ And because of the greatness that he gave him, ^(GX)all peoples, nations, and languages ^(GY)trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. ²⁰ But ^(GZ)when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, ^(HA)he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. ^21 (HB)He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, ^(HC)until he knew that the ^(HD)Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. ²² And you his son,^{[o] (HE)}Belshazzar, ^(HF)have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, ²³ but you have lifted up yourself against ^(HG)the Lord of heaven. And ^(HH)the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. ^(HI)And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, ^(HJ)but the God in whose hand is your breath, and ^(HK)whose are all your ways, ^(HL)you have not honored.

²⁴ “Then from his presence ^(HM)the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. ²⁵ And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. ²⁶ This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered^[p] the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; ²⁷ Tekel, ^(HN)you have been weighed^[q] in the balances and found wanting; ²⁸ Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to ^(HO)the Medes and ^(HP)Persians.”^[r]

²⁹ Then ^(HQ)Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel ^(HR)was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

^30 (HS)That very night ^(HT)Belshazzar the ^(HU)Chaldean king was killed. ^31 [s] And ^(HV)Darius ^(HW)the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

Daniel and the Lions' Den

6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom ^(HX)120 ^(HY)satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; ² and over them ^(HZ)three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these ^(IA)satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. ³ Then this Daniel became ^(IB)distinguished above all ^(IC)the other high officials and ^(ID)satraps, because ^(IE)an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned ^(IF)to set him over the whole kingdom. ⁴ Then ^(IG)the high officials and ^(IH)the satraps ^(II)sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, ^(IJ)but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, ^(IK)and no error or fault was found in him. ⁵ Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

⁶ Then these ^(IL)high officials and ^(IM)satraps came by agreement^[t] to the king and said to him, “O ^(IN)King Darius, live forever! ⁷ All the ^(IO)high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the ^(IP)counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an ^(IQ)injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. ⁸ Now, O king, establish ^(IR)the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to ^(IS)the law of ^(IT)the Medes and the Persians, ^(IU)which cannot be revoked.” ⁹ Therefore King Darius signed the document and ^(IV)injunction.

¹⁰ When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where ^(IW)he had windows in his upper chamber open ^(IX)toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees ^(IY)three times a day and prayed and ^(IZ)gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. ¹¹ Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. ¹² Then they ^(JA)came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign ^(JB)an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of ^(JC)the Medes and Persians, ^(JD)which cannot be revoked.” ¹³ Then they answered and said before the king, ^(JE)“Daniel, who is one ^(JF)of the exiles ^(JG)from Judah, ^(JH)pays no attention to you, O king, or ^(JI)the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition ^(JJ)three times a day.”

¹⁴ Then ^(JK)the king, when he heard these words, ^(JL)was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. ¹⁵ Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no ^(JM)injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”

¹⁶ Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared^[u] to Daniel, “May ^(JN)your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” ^17 (JO)And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, ^(JP)and the king sealed it ^(JQ)with his own signet and with the signet of his ^(JR)lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. ¹⁸ Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; ^(JS)no diversions were brought to him, and ^(JT)sleep fled from him.

¹⁹ Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. ²⁰ As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of ^(JU)the living God, ^(JV)has your God, whom you serve continually, ^(JW)been able to deliver you from the lions?” ²¹ Then Daniel said to the king, ^(JX)“O king, live forever! ²² My God ^(JY)sent his angel ^(JZ)and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless ^(KA)before him; ^(KB)and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” ²³ Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and ^(KC)no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. ²⁴ And the king commanded, and ^(KD)those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.

²⁵ Then King Darius wrote to all ^(KE)the peoples, nations, and languages ^(KF)that dwell in all the earth: ^(KG)“Peace be multiplied to you. ^26 (KH)I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion ^(KI)people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,

²⁸ So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and ^(KP)the reign of ^(KQ)Cyrus the Persian.

Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts

7 In the first year of ^(KR)Belshazzar king of Babylon, ^(KS)Daniel saw a dream and ^(KT)visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter. ² Daniel declared,^[v] “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, ^(KU)the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. ³ And four great beasts ^(KV)came up out of the sea, different from one another. ⁴ The first was like a lion and had eagles' wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it. ⁵ And behold, ^(KW)another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Arise, devour much flesh.’ ⁶ After this I looked, and behold, another, like a ^(KX)leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and ^(KY)dominion was given to it. ⁷ After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, ^(KZ)terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; ^(LA)it devoured and broke in pieces ^(LB)and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and ^(LC)it had ten horns. ⁸ I considered the horns, and behold, ^(LD)there came up among them another horn, a little one, ^(LE)before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and ^(LF)a mouth speaking great things.

The Ancient of Days Reigns

⁹ “As I looked,

¹¹ “I looked then because of the sound of ^(LS)the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, ^(LT)the beast was killed, and its body destroyed ^(LU)and given over to be burned with fire. ¹² As for the rest of the beasts, ^(LV)their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

The Son of Man Is Given Dominion

¹³ “I saw in the night visions,

Daniel's Vision Interpreted

¹⁵ “As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me^[w] was anxious, and ^(MB)the visions of my head alarmed me. ¹⁶ I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things. ^17 (MC)‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. ¹⁸ But ^(MD)the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’

¹⁹ “Then I desired to know the truth about ^(ME)the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, ^20 (MF)and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. ²¹ As I looked, this horn ^(MG)made war with the saints and prevailed over them, ²² until the ^(MH)Ancient of Days came, and ^(MI)judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when ^(MJ)the saints possessed the kingdom.

²³ “Thus he said: ‘As for ^(MK)the fourth beast,

²⁸ “Here is the end of the matter. ^(MU)As for me, Daniel, my ^(MV)thoughts greatly alarmed me, ^(MW)and my color changed, but ^(MX)I kept the matter in my heart.”

The Exiles Return

2 ^(A)Now these were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles ^(B)whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried captive to Babylonia. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town. ² They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, ^(C)Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.

The number of the men of the people of Israel: ^3 (D)the sons of Parosh, 2,172. ⁴ The sons of Shephatiah, 372. ⁵ The sons of Arah, 775. ⁶ The sons of Pahath-moab, namely the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,812. ⁷ The sons of Elam, 1,254. ⁸ The sons of Zattu, 945. ⁹ The sons of Zaccai, 760. ¹⁰ The sons of Bani, 642. ¹¹ The sons of Bebai, 623. ¹² The sons of Azgad, 1,222. ¹³ The sons of Adonikam, 666. ¹⁴ The sons of Bigvai, 2,056. ¹⁵ The sons of Adin, 454. ¹⁶ The sons of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, 98. ¹⁷ The sons of Bezai, 323. ¹⁸ The sons of Jorah, 112. ¹⁹ The sons of Hashum, 223. ²⁰ The sons of Gibbar, 95. ²¹ The sons of Bethlehem, 123. ²² The men of Netophah, 56. ²³ The men of Anathoth, 128. ²⁴ The sons of Azmaveth, 42. ²⁵ The sons of Kiriath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743. ²⁶ The sons of Ramah and Geba, 621. ²⁷ The men of Michmas, 122. ²⁸ The men of Bethel and Ai, 223. ²⁹ The sons of Nebo, 52. ³⁰ The sons of Magbish, 156. ³¹ The sons of ^(E)the other Elam, 1,254. ³² The sons of Harim, 320. ³³ The sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 725. ³⁴ The sons of Jericho, 345. ³⁵ The sons of Senaah, 3,630.

³⁶ The priests: the ^(F)sons of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, 973. ³⁷ The sons of Immer, 1,052. ³⁸ The ^(G)sons of Pashhur, 1,247. ³⁹ The sons of Harim, 1,017.

⁴⁰ The Levites: the sons of ^(H)Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah, 74. ⁴¹ The singers: the sons of ^(I)Asaph, 128. ⁴² The sons of the ^(J)gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, and the sons of Shobai, in all 139.

^43 (K)The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, ⁴⁴ the sons of Keros, the sons of Siaha, the sons of Padon, ⁴⁵ the sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagabah, the sons of Akkub, ⁴⁶ the sons of Hagab, the sons of Shamlai, the sons of Hanan, ⁴⁷ the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah, ⁴⁸ the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam, ⁴⁹ the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, the sons of Besai, ⁵⁰ the sons of Asnah, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephisim, ⁵¹ the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, ⁵² the sons of Bazluth, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, ⁵³ the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, ⁵⁴ the sons of Neziah, and the sons of Hatipha.

^55 (L)The sons of Solomon's servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Hassophereth, the sons of Peruda, ⁵⁶ the sons of Jaalah, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, ⁵⁷ the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, and the sons of Ami.

⁵⁸ All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon's servants were 392.

⁵⁹ The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, ^(M)though they could not prove their fathers' houses or their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: ⁶⁰ the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, and the sons of Nekoda, 652. ⁶¹ Also, of the sons of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, and the sons of ^(N)Barzillai (who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name). ⁶² These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but they were not found there, and ^(O)so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. ⁶³ The ^(P)governor told them that they were not ^(Q)to partake of the most holy food, until there should be a priest to consult ^(R)Urim and Thummim.

^64 (S)The whole assembly together was 42,360, ⁶⁵ besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337, and they had 200 male and female ^(T)singers. ⁶⁶ Their horses were 736, their mules were 245, ⁶⁷ their camels were 435, and their donkeys were 6,720.

^68 (U)Some of the heads of families, when they came to the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, made freewill offerings for the house of God, to erect it on its site. ⁶⁹ According to their ability they gave to ^(V)the treasury of the work 61,000 darics^[a] of gold, 5,000 minas^[b] of silver, and 100 priests' garments.

^70 (W)Now the priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of Israel^[c] in their towns.

Rebuilding the Altar

3 ^(X)When the seventh month came, and the children of Israel were in the towns, the people gathered as one man to Jerusalem. ² Then arose Jeshua the son of Jozadak, with his fellow priests, and ^(Y)Zerubbabel the son of ^(Z)Shealtiel with his kinsmen, and they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, ^(AA)as it is written in the Law of Moses the ^(AB)man of God. ³ They set the altar in its place, ^(AC)for fear was on them because of the peoples of the lands, and ^(AD)they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, burnt offerings morning and evening. ^4 (AE)And they kept the Feast of Booths, ^(AF)as it is written, ^(AG)and offered the daily burnt offerings by number according to the rule, as each day required, ⁵ and after that the regular burnt ^(AH)offerings, the offerings at the new moon ^(AI)and at all the appointed feasts of the Lord, and the offerings of everyone who made a freewill offering to the Lord. ⁶ From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord. But the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid. ⁷ So they gave money to the masons and the carpenters, ^(AJ)and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians ^(AK)to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, ^(AL)according to the grant that they had from Cyrus king of Persia.

Rebuilding the Temple

⁸ Now in the second year after their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, ^(AM)Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and ^(AN)Jeshua the son of Jozadak made a beginning, together with the rest of their kinsmen, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity. They ^(AO)appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to ^(AP)supervise the work of the house of the Lord. ⁹ And ^(AQ)Jeshua with his sons and his brothers, and Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together ^(AR)supervised the workmen in the house of God, along with the ^(AS)sons of Henadad and the Levites, their sons and brothers.

¹⁰ And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments came forward with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord, ^(AT)according to the directions of David king of Israel. ¹¹ And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord,

And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. ¹² But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers' houses, ^(AV)old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy, ¹³ so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people's weeping, for the people shouted with a great shout, and the sound was heard far away.

Daniel and the Lions' Den

6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom ^(A)120 ^(B)satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; ² and over them ^(C)three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these ^(D)satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. ³ Then this Daniel became ^(E)distinguished above all ^(F)the other high officials and ^(G)satraps, because ^(H)an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned ^(I)to set him over the whole kingdom. ⁴ Then ^(J)the high officials and ^(K)the satraps ^(L)sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, ^(M)but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, ^(N)and no error or fault was found in him. ⁵ Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

⁶ Then these ^(O)high officials and ^(P)satraps came by agreement^[a] to the king and said to him, “O ^(Q)King Darius, live forever! ⁷ All the ^(R)high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the ^(S)counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an ^(T)injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. ⁸ Now, O king, establish ^(U)the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to ^(V)the law of ^(W)the Medes and the Persians, ^(X)which cannot be revoked.” ⁹ Therefore King Darius signed the document and ^(Y)injunction.

¹⁰ When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where ^(Z)he had windows in his upper chamber open ^(AA)toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees ^(AB)three times a day and prayed and ^(AC)gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. ¹¹ Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. ¹² Then they ^(AD)came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign ^(AE)an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of ^(AF)the Medes and Persians, ^(AG)which cannot be revoked.” ¹³ Then they answered and said before the king, ^(AH)“Daniel, who is one ^(AI)of the exiles ^(AJ)from Judah, ^(AK)pays no attention to you, O king, or ^(AL)the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition ^(AM)three times a day.”