Beginning
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, being at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace,
2 Saw a dream which made me afraid. And the thoughts upon my bed, and the visions of my head troubled me.
3 Therefore I made a decree, that they should bring all the wise men of Babel before me, that they might declare to me the interpretation of the dream.
4 So came the enchanters, the astrologers, the Chaldeans and the soothsayers, to whom I told the dream. But they could not show me the interpretation thereof.
5 Till at the last, Daniel came before me, (whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, who has the spirit of the holy gods in him). And before him I told the dream, saying,
6 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the enchanters, because I know, that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
7 “Thus were the visions of my head in my bed. And behold, I saw a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great;
8 “A great tree and strong. And the height thereof reached to heaven, and the sight thereof to the ends of all the earth.
9 “The boughs thereof were fair and the fruit thereof much. And in it was food for all. It made a shadow under it for the beasts of the field. And the birds of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof. And all flesh fed from it.
10 “I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and behold, a watchman and a holy one came down from heaven,
11 “And cried aloud, and said, ‘Cut down the tree, and break off his branches. Shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit, that the beasts may flee from under it, and the birds from his branches.
12 ‘Nevertheless, leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and with a band of iron and brass bind it among the grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts among the grass of the field.
13 ‘Let his heart be changed from man’s nature, and let a beast’s heart be given to him, and let seven times pass over him.
14 ‘The command is according to the decree of the watchmen, and according to the word of the holy ones, to the intent that living men may know that the most High has power over the kingdom of men; and gives it to whomever he will; and appoints over it the lowest among men.’
15 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Therefore, you, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof. For all the wise men of my kingdom are unable to show me the interpretation. But you are able. For the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
16 Then Daniel (whose name was Belteshazzar) was astonished for one hour. And his thoughts troubled him. And the king spoke and said, “Belteshazzar, let neither the dream, nor the interpretation thereof, trouble you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, the dream is for those who hate you, and the interpretation thereof for your enemies.
17 “The tree that you saw, which was great and mighty, whose height reached to the heaven, and the sight thereof through all the world,
18 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much; and in it was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the birds of the heaven sat -
19 it is you, O king, who is great and mighty. For your greatness has grown, and reaches to Heaven; and your dominion to the ends of the Earth.
20 “And whereas the king saw a watchman, and a holy one, who came down from heaven, and said, ‘Cut down the tree, and destroy it, yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth. And, with a band of iron and brass, bind it among the grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him’,
21 “This is the interpretation, O king. And it is the decree of the Most High, who has come upon my lord the king;
22 “That they shall drive you from men. And your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass, as the oxen. And, they shall wet you with the dew of heaven. And seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the most High bears rule over the kingdom of men; and gives it to whomever he will.
23 “And whereas they said that one should ‘leave the stump of the tree roots’, your kingdom shall remain yours. After that, you shall know that the heavens rule.
24 “Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you. And break off your sins by righteousness; and your iniquities by mercy towards the poor. Lo, let there be a healing of your error.”
25 All these things came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
26 At the end of twelve months, he walked in the royal palace of Babel.
27 And the king spoke and said, “Is not this great Babel that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?”
28 While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came down from heaven, saying, “O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you be it spoken, ‘Your kingdom has departed from you.
29 “‘And they shall drive you from men. And your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you to eat grass, as the oxen. And seven times shall pass over you, until you know, that the most High bears rule over the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.’”
30 That very same hour was this thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar. And he was driven from men, and ate grass as the oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown as eagles feathers, and his nails like birds claws.
31 And at the end of these days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven. And my understanding was restored to me. And I gave thanks to the most High. And I praised and honored him who lives forever, whose power is an everlasting power, and whose kingdom is from generation to generation.
32 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. And according to his will, he works in the army of heaven, and in the inhabitants of the earth. And none can stay his hand, nor say to him, “What are you doing?”
33 At the same time was my understanding restored to me. And I returned to the honor of my kingdom. My glory and my beauty was restored to me, and my counselors and my princes sought me. And I was re-established in my kingdom, and my glory was added to me.
34 Now therefore, I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and magnify the king of heaven, whose works are all truth; and his ways judgment. And those who walk in pride, he is able to humble.
5 King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his princes and drank wine before the thousand.
2 And Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring him the golden and silver vessels, which his father, Nebuchadnezzar, had brought from the Temple in Jerusalem; that the king and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink from them.
3 Then were brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the Temple of the Lord’s House at Jerusalem. And the king and his princes, his wives and his concubines, drank from them.
4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
5 At the same hour, appeared fingers of a man’s hand, which wrote over near the candlestick, upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace. And the king saw the palm of the hand that wrote.
6 Then the king’s countenance was changed. And his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened, and his knees struck against each other.
7 Therefore, the king loudly cried that they should bring the astrologers, the Chaldeans and the soothsayers. And the king spoke, and said to the wise men of Babel, “Whoever can read this writing, and declare me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and shall have a chain of gold around his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom!”
8 Then came all the king’s wise men, but they could neither read the writing, nor show the king the interpretation.
9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed, and his princes were astonished.
10 Now the queen, by reason of the talk of the king and his princes, came into the banquet house. And the queen spoke, and said, “O king, live forever. Let not your thoughts trouble you, nor your countenance change.
11 “There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him whom the king Nebuchadnezzar, your father, the king, I say, your father, made chief of the enchanters, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
12 “Because a more excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding (for he expounded dreams, and declared hard sentences, and dissolved doubts) were found in him, even in Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now, let Daniel be called. And he will declare the interpretation.”
13 Then Daniel was brought before the king. And the king spoke and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom my father the king brought out of Jewry?
14 “Now, I have heard of you; that the spirit of the holy gods is in you; and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.
15 “Now therefore, wise men and astrologers have been brought before me, that they should read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof. But they could not declare the interpretation of the thing.
16 “Then I heard of you; that you could show interpretations, and dissolve doubts. Now, if you can read the writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, you shall be clothed with purple, and shall 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, “Keep your rewards to yourself, and give your gifts to another. I will still read the writing to the king and show him the interpretation.
18 “O king, hear. The most high God gave to Nebuchadnezzar, your father, a kingdom, and majesty, and honor, and glory.
19 “And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled, and feared before him. He put to death whom he would. He struck whom he would; whom he would he set up, and whom he would he put down.
20 “But when his heart was puffed up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his honor from him.
21 “And he was driven from the sons of men. And his heart was made like the beasts. And his dwelling was with the wild asses. They fed him with grass, like oxen. And his body was wet with the dew of the heaven, till he knew that the most high God bore rule over the kingdom of men, and that he appoints whomever he pleases over it.
22 “And you, his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all these things,
23 “But have lifted yourself up against the Lord of Heaven. And they have brought the vessels of his House before you. And you and your princes, your wives and your concubines have drunk wine in them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor understand. And the God in whose hand your breath is, and all your ways, him have you not glorified.
24 “Then was the palm of the hand sent from him and has written this writing.
25 “And this is the writing that he has written, ‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL UPHARSIN’.
26 “This is the interpretation of the thing. MENE, God has numbered your kingdom, and has finished it.
27 TEKEL, you are weighed in the balance, and are found too light.
28 PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Then, at the commandment of Belshazzar, they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
30 The same night was Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans, killed.
31 And Darius of the Medes took the kingdom, being sixty-two years old.
6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty governors, who should be over the whole kingdom;
2 And over these, three rulers, (of whom Daniel was one); that the governors might be accountable to them. And the king should be protected.
3 Now this Daniel was preferred above the rulers and governors, because the spirit was excellent in him. And the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4 Therefore, the rulers and governors sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom. But they could find no charge or fault. For he was so faithful that there was no blame or fault found in him.
5 Then said these men, “We shall not find a charge against this Daniel, unless we find it against him concerning the Law of his God.”
6 Therefore, the rulers and these governors went together to the king, and said to him, “King Darius, live forever.
7 “All the rulers of your kingdom, the officers and governors, the counselors and dukes, have consulted together to make a decree for the king, and to establish a statute: that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
8 “Now, O king, confirm the decree, and seal the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which alters not.”
9 Therefore, king Darius sealed the writing and the decree.
10 Now when Daniel understood that he had sealed the writing, he went into his house, and his window being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed and praised his God, as he always did.
11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying, and making supplication to his God.
12 So they came and spoke to the king concerning the king’s decree, “Have you not sealed the decree, that every man who shall make a request to 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, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which alters not.”
13 Then they answered, and said to the king, “This Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, does not regard you, O king, or the decree that you have sealed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
14 When the king heard these words, he was very displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel, to deliver him. And he labored till the Sun went down, to deliver him.
15 Then these men came together, and said to the king, “Understand, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is that no decree or statute which the king confirms, may be altered.”
16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spoke, and said to Daniel, “Your God, whom you always serve, he will deliver you.”
17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his princes, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.
18 Then the king went to his palace and fasted, and no instruments of music were brought before him, and he did not sleep.
19 Then the king arose early in the morning, and went quickly to the den of lions.
20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice to Daniel. And the king spoke, and said to Daniel, “O Daniel, the servant of the living God, was not your God (whom you always serve) able to deliver you from the lions?
21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!
22 My God has sent his Angel and has shut the lion’s mouths. And they have not hurt me. For I was justified before him. And to you, O king, I have done no harm!”
23 Then was the King exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel out of the den. So, Daniel was brought out of the den, and no manner of harm was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
24 And by the commandment of the king, these men who had accused Daniel were brought, and were cast into the den of lions; they, their children, and their wives. And the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces, before they ever hit the ground of the den.
25 Afterward, King Darius wrote, “To all people, nations and languages, who dwell in all the world: Peace be multiplied to you.
26 “I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom, men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and remains forever. And his kingdom shall not perish. And his dominion shall be everlasting.
27 “He rescues and delivers. And he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus of Persia.
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