1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God, which he bore into the land of Shinar to the house of his god. And he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
3 And the king spoke to Ashpenaz, the chief of his eunuchs that he should bring some of the sons of Israel, and of the royal seed, and of the nobles,
4 young men in whom was no blemish, but who were of good appearance and having understanding in all wisdom, having knowledge and understanding learning, even those with strength in them to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the writing and the language of the Chaldeans.
5 And the king set to them the portion of a day in its day, from the king's food, and the wine of his drinking, even to rear them three years, so that at their end they may stand before the king.
6 And there were among them of the sons of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
7 to whom the chief of the eunuchs gave names. For he called Daniel, Belteshazzar; and Hananiah, Shadrach; and Mishael, Meshach; and Azariah, Abed-nego.
8 And Daniel set on his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine of his drinking, and he sought of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
9 And God had given Daniel kindness and compassion before the chief of the eunuchs.
10 And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who has chosen your food and your drink. For why should he see your faces worse looking than the boys who are in your circle? And you would endanger my head to the king.
11 And Daniel said to the guardian, whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 Please, test your servants ten days. And let some of the vegetables be given to us that we may eat, and water that we may drink.
13 And let our face be seen before you, our look and the appearance of the boys who eat of the king's food. And as you see, do so with your servants.
14 And he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days.
15 And at the end of ten days he saw their appearance to be better and fatter of flesh than all the boys who were eating the king's food.
16 And it happened the guardian took away their food and the wine that they were to drink, and he gave them vegetables.
17 As for these four boys, God gave them knowledge and skill in all writing and wisdom. And Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
18 And at the end of the days that the king had said to bring them in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 And the king talked with them. And among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; and they stood before the king.
20 And in any matter of wisdom and understanding that the king asked from them, he found them ten hands better than all the magicians and the conjurers who were in all his kingdom.
21 And Daniel continued to the first year of King Cyrus.
1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar was dreaming dreams, and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep was finished from upon him.
2 And the king said to call to the magicians, and to the conjurers, and to the sorcerers and to the Chaldeans, to declare to the king his dreams. And they came and stood before the king.
3 And the king said to them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was disturbed to know the dream.
4 And the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic: O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will reveal the meaning.
5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The word is gone from me. If you will not make known the dream and its meaning to me, you will be made into mere members and your houses shall be made an outhouse.
6 But if you make known the dream, you shall receive gifts and a present and great honor from before me. Therefore, reveal the dream and its meaning to me.
7 They again answered and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will reveal its meaning.
8 The king answered and said, For I know surely that you buy time, that on account of all, you see the thing is certainly gone from me.
9 But if you will not reveal the dream to me it is your edict; for you have agreed upon lying and corrupting words to speak before me until the time has changed. Therefore, tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can reveal the meaning to me.
10 The Chaldeans replied before the king and said, There is not a man on the earth who can reveal the king's matter, because not any king, lord, or ruler has asked such a thing from any magician, or conjurer, or Chaldean.
11 And the thing that the king asks is rare. And there is no other who may reveal it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
12 Accordingly all this was exceedingly enraging and angering to the king. And he commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
13 And the decree went out that the wise men should be killed. And they sought Daniel and his companions, to be killed.
14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and insight to Arioch the king's chief of the executioners, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon.
15 He answered and said to Arioch, the king's ruling officer, Why is the decree so hasty from before the king? And Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
16 And Daniel went in and asked of the king that he would give him time, and he would show the king the meaning.
17 Then Daniel went to his house and declared the thing to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions,
18 that they might pray for the mercies of God in Heaven about this secret, that Daniel and his companions should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night, and Daniel blessed the God of Heaven.
20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God forever, even until ever, for wisdom and might are His.
21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He causes kings to pass away, and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise men, and knowledge to those who know understanding.
22 He reveals the deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells in Him.
23 I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers, who has given me wisdom and might, and has made me know what we ask of You. For You have made known to us the king's matter.
24 All on account of this Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had chosen to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said this to him, Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon. Bring me in before the king, and I will interpret the meaning to the king.
25 Then Arioch hurried to bring in Daniel before the king and thus he spoke to him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah who will make the meaning known to the king.
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 meaning?
27 Daniel answered before the king and said, The secret which the king has asked the wise men, the conjurers, the magicians, or those determining, not are able to interpret to the king.
28 But there is a God in Heaven who reveals secrets, and makes known to King Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head on your bed, are these:
29 As for you, O king, your thoughts came up on you on your bed, what should happen after this. And He who reveals secrets makes known to you what shall come to pass.
30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living man, but so that the meaning might be made known to the king, and that you might know the thoughts of your heart.
31 You, O king, were seeing. And, behold, a certain great image! This great image stood before you with a brilliant brightness, and its form was terrible.
32 The head of this image was of fine gold, its breast and its arms were of silver, its belly and its thighs were of bronze,
33 its legs were of iron, its feet were partly of iron and partly of clay.
34 You continued seeing until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and shattered them.
35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were together shattered, and they became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors. And the wind bore them away so that not any place was found for them. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
36 This is the dream, and we will tell the meaning of it before the king.
37 You O king are the king of kings. For the God of Heaven has given you the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the honor.
38 And wherever the sons of men, the animals of the field, and the fowl of the heavens dwell, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.
39 And in your place shall arise another kingdom lower than yours, and another third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule in all the earth.
40 And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron. Inasmuch as iron crushes and smashes all things, and as the iron that shatters all these, it will crush and shatter.
41 And as to that you saw, the feet and the toes were partly of potters' clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided. But there shall be in it the strength of iron, because you saw the iron mixed with clay of the potter.
42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.
43 And as you saw the iron mixed with the clay of the clay, they shall be mixed with the seed of men. But they shall not cleave to one another, even as iron does not meld with clay.
44 And in the days of these kings, the God of Heaven shall set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed. And the kingdom shall not be left to another people. It shall crush and destroy all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
45 Because you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold in pieces. The great God has made known to the king what shall occur after this, and the dream is true, and the meaning of it is trustworthy.
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and did homage to Daniel. And he commanded an offering, even to offer incense to him.
47 The king answered Daniel and said, Of truth your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings, and One revealing secrets, since you were able to reveal this secret.
48 Then the king made Daniel great and gave many great gifts to him. And he made him ruler over all the province of Babylon, and chief of the prefects over all the wise men of Babylon.
49 And Daniel asked of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel sat in the gate of the king.
1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold whose height was sixty cubits; its breadth, six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges and the magistrates. And all the officials of the provinces were ordered to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
3 And were gathered the satraps, the prefects, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4 And the herald shouted with strength: To you it is commanded O peoples, nations, and languages,
5 at the time you hear the sound of the horn, the pipe, zither, the lyre, harp, bagpipe, and all kinds of music, you shall fall down and do homage to the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.
6 And whoever does not fall down and do homage, at that moment they will be thrown into the midst of a furnace of burning fire.
7 All accordingly did this, at that time when all the people heard the sound of the horn, the pipe, zither, the lyre, harp, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, fell down, doing homage to the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
8 All accordingly at that time men, Chaldeans, came near and ate the piece of the Jews.
9 They answered and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, O king, live forever!
10 You, O king, have made a decree that every man who shall hear the sound of the horn, the pipe, zither, the lyre, harp, and the bagpipe, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and do homage to the golden image.
11 And whoever does not fall down and do homage, he should be thrown into the middle of a furnace of burning fire.
12 There are men, Jewish men, whom you have set over the business of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men do not fix attention on you, O king, on your decree They do not serve your gods, not doing homage to the golden image which you have set up.
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in anger and wrath commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king.
14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego that you are not serving my gods, and not doing homage to the golden image which I have set up?
15 Now if you are ready, at the time you hear the sound of the horn, the pipe, zither, the lyre, harp, and bagpipe, and all kinds of music, fall down and do homage to the image which I have made. But if you do not do homage, in that moment you shall be thrown into the middle of a burning furnace of fire. And who is that god who shall deliver you out of my hand?
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to return a word to you on this matter.
17 If it is that our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning, fiery furnace, even He will deliver out of your hand, O king.
18 And if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or do homage to the golden image which you have set up.
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and the form of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He spoke and commanded to heat the furnace seven times more than it was customary to heat it.
20 And he commanded mighty men of strength in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to throw them into the furnace of burning fire.
21 Then these men were bound in their slippers, their tunics, and their mantles, and their other clothes, and were thrown into the midst of the furnace of burning fire.
22 All accordingly did this, because the king's command was urgent, and the furnace was heated exceedingly, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
23 But those men, the three of them, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the furnace of burning fire.
24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was amazed. And he rose up in haste; he spoke and said to his royal officials, Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They replied and said to the king, True, O king.
25 He answered and said, Behold! I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and there is no injury among them. and the form of the fourth is like a son of the gods.
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar drew near to the door of the furnace of burning fire. He answered and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, servants of the Most High God, come out and come here. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire.
27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's officials gathered. And they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power, and the hair of their head was not singed, and their slippers were not changed, and the smell of fire did not cling on them.
28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who has sent His Angel and has delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and have changed the king's words, and have given their bodies that they might not serve and not do homage to any god except their own God.
29 And a decree is set out by me, that every people, nation, and language who speak anything amiss about the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, he will be made into members, and his house shall be made an outhouse. Because there is no other God who is able to deliver like this.
30 Then the king made Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego prosper in the province of Babylon.
1 Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, the nations, and the tongues that dwell in all the earth: Your peace be great.
2 It seemed good before me to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done with me.
3 How great are His signs! And how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His rule is from generation and generation.
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house, and flourishing in my palace.
5 I saw a dream, and it terrified me, and the thoughts on my bed and visions of my head troubled me.
6 And I made a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the meaning of the dream.
7 Then the magicians, the conjurers, the Chaldeans, and those determining came in. And I told the dream before them, but they did not make its meaning known to me.
8 But at last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. And I spoke the dream before him, saying,
9 O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret constrains you, speak to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its meaning.
10 As to the visions of my head on my bed, I was looking, and, behold, a tree was in the midst of the earth. And its height was great.
11 The tree became great and strong, and its height reached to the heaven, and its appearance to the end of all the earth.
12 Its leaves were beautiful, and its fruit plentiful, and food for all was in it. The beast of the field sought shade under it, and the birds of the heaven dwelt in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.
13 I was looking in the visions of my head on my bed. And, behold, a watcher, even a holy one, came down from the heaven.
14 He cried with might and thus he said, Cut down the tree and cut off its branches. Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beast flee from under it, and the birds leave its branches.
15 But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a fetter of iron and bronze, in the grass of the field. And let it be wet with the dew of the heaven, and his lot be with the beast in the grass of the earth.
16 Let his heart be changed from man's, and let the heart of a beast be given to him. And let seven times pass over him.
17 The word is by the decree of the watchers, and the command and the affair is of the holy ones, so that the living may know that the Most High is ruling in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He will. And He sets up over it the lowliest of men.
18 And this is the dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. And you, O Belteshazzar, speak to me its meaning. All accordingly all this the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known the meaning to me. But you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.
19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stunned for one moment, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered and said, O Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning trouble you. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream is to those who hate you, and its meaning is to your enemies.
20 The tree that you saw, which became great and strong, whose height reached to the heaven and its appearance to all the earth,
21 and its leaves being beautiful, and its fruit plentiful, and food for all being in it, under which the beast of the field dwelt, and in its branches the birds of the heaven dwelt:
22 It was you, O king, for you have become great and strong. For your greatness has grown and reaches to the heaven, and your rule is to the end of the earth.
23 And as the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from the heaven, and saying, Cut the tree down, and destroy it. Yet leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the grass of the field. And let him be wet with the dew of the heavens, and his lot be with the beast of the field, until seven times pass over him.
24 This is the meaning, O king, and this the decree of the Most High, which has come on my lord the king:
25 And you shall be driven from men, and your abode shall be with the beast of the field. And you shall be fed with grass like oxen. And you shall be wet with dew of the heaven; and seven times shall pass over you until you have known that the Most High is ruling in the kingdom of men, and He gives it to whomever He desires.
26 And in that they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots, Your kingdom shall be enduring to you after you have known that Heaven is ruling.
27 So, O king, let my counsel be pleasing to you: Even break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by pitying the humble one, whether there will be duration to your prosperity.
28 All this came on Nebuchadnezzar the king.
29 At the end of twelve months, he was walking in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
30 The king answered and said, Is this not great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?
31 The word was still in the king's mouth when a voice fell from the heaven, saying, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: The kingdom has been taken from you!
32 And you shall be driven from men, and your abode will be with the beast of the field. You shall be fed with the grass like oxen, and seven times shall pass by over you until you know that the Most High is ruling in the kingdom of men, and that He gives it to whomever He desires.
33 In its moment the thing was fulfilled on Nebuchadnezzar. And he was driven from men, and he ate the grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the heaven, until his hair had grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.
34 And at the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to the heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High. And I praised and honored Him who lives forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom from generation and generation.
35 And all those living in the earth are counted as nothing. And He does according to His will among the army of Heaven, and among those living in the earth. And no one is able to strike His hand or say to Him, What are You doing?
36 In its moment my reason and the glory of my kingdom returned to me, my majesty, and my brightness returned to me. And my advisers and my nobles sought to me. And I was re-established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added to me.
37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and honor the King of Heaven, for all His works are truth, and His ways are justice. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride.
1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his nobles. And he drank wine before the thousand.
2 When tasting the wine, Belshazzar commanded the golden and silver vessels brought, those his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, that the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines might drink with them.
3 Then they brought the vessels of gold that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was in Jerusalem. And the king, his nobles, his wives, and his concubines drank with them.
4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, and of bronze, of iron, wood, and stone.
5 In that moment fingers of a man's hand came out and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace before the lampstand. And the king saw the palm of the hand that wrote.
6 Then the king's brightness was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, and the joints of his loins shook, and his knees knocked one against this other.
7 The king cried with strength to bring in the conjurers, the Chaldeans, and those determining. The king answered and said to the wise men of Babylon, Any man who can read this writing and reveal its meaning shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold around his neck. And he shall rule third in the kingdom.
8 Then all the king's wise men came in. But they could not read the writing or make the meaning known to the king.
9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, and his face was changing on him, and his nobles were perplexed.
10 The queen came in to the banquet house because of the words of the king and his nobles. The queen answered and said, O king, live forever, do not let your thoughts terrify you, and do not let your face be changed.
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 was found in him, like the wisdom of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, your father the king, appointed him chief of the magicians, conjurers, Chaldeans and those determining.
12 because a surpassing spirit, and knowledge, and insight in interpreting of dreams, and declaring of riddles , and the loosening of knots, were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the meaning.
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, Are you that Daniel who is of the sons of the exiled of Judah, whom my father the king brought out of Judah?
14 I have even heard of you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and light, and surpassing wisdom, and understanding are found in you.
15 And now the wise men and the conjurers have been brought in before me, so that they might read this writing and interpret the meaning to me. But they were not able to interpret the meaning of the thing.
16 And I have heard of you, that you can interpret meanings, and loosen knots. Now if you can read the writing and reveal its meaning to me, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and you will rule third in the kingdom.
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another. Yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known the meaning of the thing to him.
18 As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor.
19 And for the majesty that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. He killed whom he desired, and whom he desired he kept alive. And whom he desired, he exalted; and whom he desired, he humbled.
20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit grew hard to act proudly, he was cast down from the throne of his kingdom, and his majesty was taken away from him.
21 And he was driven from the sons of men. And his heart was made like the beasts, and his abode was with the wild asses. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the heaven, until he knew that the Most High God is ruling in the kingdom of men, and that He appoints over it whomever He wills.
22 And you, his son, O Belshazzar, have not bowed your heart, though you knew all this.
23 But you have exalted yourself against the Lord of Heaven. And they have brought the vessels of His house before you. And you, and your nobles, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine with them. And you have praised the gods of silver, and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see, nor hear, and do not know. And you have not glorified the God in whose hand is your life-breath and all your ways.
24 Then the palm of the hand was sent from Him, and this writing was written.
25 And this is the writing that was written: A MINA, A MINA, A SHEKEL, AND HALF MINAS.
26 This is the meaning of the thing: A MINA: God has numbered your kingdom and finished it.
27 A SHEKEL: You are weighed in the balances and found lacking.
28 HALF MINAS: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
29 Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and a chain of gold around his neck. And they proclaimed over him, that he was the third ruler in the kingdom.
30 In that night Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans, was killed.
31 And Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, being a son of sixty-two years.
1 It seemed good before Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, that they might be over the kingdom.
2 And over them were three presidents (Daniel was one of them), so that these satraps might give account to them, and the king would not suffer loss.
3 Then this Daniel was excelling above the presidents and satraps, because a surpassing spirit was in him. And the king was planning to set him over all the kingdom.
4 Then the presidents and satraps were seeking to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom. But they were not able to find occasion or fault because he was trustworthy. And not any error or fault was found in him.
5 Then these men said, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the Law of his God.
6 Then these presidents and satraps gathered together to the king and thus they said to him, King Darius, live forever.
7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects, and the satraps, the officials and the governors, have planned together to lift up a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except from you, O king, he shall be thrown into the den of lions.
8 Now, O king, lift up the decree and sign the writing, so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not pass away.
9 All accordingly did this, King Darius signed the writing and the decree.
10 And when he had learned that the writing was signed, Daniel went to his house. And his windows were open in his roof room toward Jerusalem. He knelt on his knees three times in the day, and prayed and praised before his God, as he was doing before.
11 Then these men gathered together and found Daniel praying and seeking mercy before his God.
12 Then they came near and spoke before the king concerning the king's decree, saying, Have you not signed a decree that every man who shall ask of any god or man within thirty days, except of you, O king, that he shall be thrown into the lions' den? The king answered and said, The thing is certain, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not pass away.
13 Then they answered and said before the king, Daniel, who is of the sons of the exiled of Judah, has not set attention on you, O king, or the decree that you have signed, but he makes his prayer three times in the day.
14 Then the king, when he heard the word, was very displeased with himself, and he set his heart on Daniel, to deliver him. And he was striving until the going of the sun to deliver him.
15 Then these men gathered together before the king and said to the king, O king, know that the law of the Medes and Persians is that every decree or law which the king enacts may not be changed.
16 And the king commanded. And they brought Daniel, and they cast him into the lions' den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, Your God whom you constantly serve will deliver you.
17 And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den. And the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his nobles, that the affair may not change concerning Daniel.
18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and diversions were not brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
19 Then the king rose up in the dawn, in the daylight, and went in haste to the den of the lions.
20 And when he drew near to the den, he cried with a grieved voice to Daniel. The king answered and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, your God whom you serve constantly, is He able to deliver you from the lions?
21 Then Daniel spoke with the king, O king, live forever.
22 My God has sent His angel, and He has shut the mouths of the lions. And they have not harmed me, because in His sight innocence was found in me. And also before you, O king, I have done no harm.
23 Then the king was exceedingly glad over him. And he commanded to bring up Daniel from the den. And Daniel was brought out of the den, and no harm was found on him, because he trusted in his God.
24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men who had eaten the piece of Daniel. And they threw them into the lions' den, them, their sons and their wives. And the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones before they reached to the bottom of the den.
25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, the nations, and the languages who were living in all the earth: Your peace grow great to you.
26 A decree was given from before me that in all the domain of my kingdom there shall be trembling and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God and endures forever, and His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed. And His dominion shall be to the end.
27 He delivers and rescues, and He works signs and wonders in the heaven and in the earth, He who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
28 And this Daniel was made to prosper in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
1 In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head on his bed. Then he related the dream, giving the sum of the matters.
2 Daniel answered and said, In my vision by night I was looking. And, behold, the four winds of the heavens were stirring up the Great Sea.
3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, this one different from this one.
4 The first was like a lion and wings of an eagle were to it. I was seeing until its wings were torn off. And it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man's heart was given to it.
5 And, behold, another beast, a second, like a bear. And it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. And thus they said to it, Rise up, eat much flesh.
6 After this I was seeing, and, behold, another like a leopard, and to it were four wings of a bird on its side. And also to the beast were four heads; and dominion was given to it.
7 And after this I was seeing in the visions of the night. And, behold, the fourth beast was frightening and terrifying, and very strong! And to it were great iron teeth. It ate and crushed, and trampled what was left with its feet. And it was different from all the beasts which were before it; and to it were ten horns.
8 I was considering the horns. And behold! Another little horn came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. And behold! In this horn were eyes like the eyes of the man, and a mouth speaking great things.
9 I was seeing until the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days sat, whose robe was white as snow and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was like flames of fire, its wheels like burning fire.
10 A stream of fire came out and flowed from before Him. A thousand thousands served Him, and a myriad myriads stood before Him. The Judge sat, and the books were opened.
11 Then I was looking for the sound of the great words which the horn spoke. I was seeing until the beast was killed, and his body was destroyed and given to the burning of the fire.
12 And the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away. Yet length of life was given them for a season and a time.
13 I was looking in the visions of the night. And behold! One like the Son of Man was coming with the clouds of the heavens. And He came to the Ancient of Days. And they brought Him near before Him.
14 And dominion was given to Him, and glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
15 I, Daniel, was distressed in my spirit in the midst of its sheath, and the visions of my head terrified me.
16 And I came near one of those who stood by and asked him the truth of all this. And he told me and made me know the meaning of the things.
17 These great beasts which are four, are four kings; they shall rise up out of the earth.
18 But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.
19 Then I desired to know the truth of the fourth beast, which was different from all of them, very frightening, whose teeth were of iron and its nails bronze; who ate up and crushed, and trampled what was left with its feet,
20 and of the ten horns that were on its head, and the other which came up, and before whom three fell, even that horn that eyes were to it, and a mouth speaking great things, and its appearance was greater than his fellows.
21 I was looking, and that horn made war with the holy ones and overcame them,
22 until the Ancient of Days came. And judgment was given to the holy ones of the Most High, and the time came that the holy ones possessed the kingdom.
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all kingdoms, and shall eat up all the earth, and shall trample it down and crush it.
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings; they shall rise, and another shall rise after them. And he shall be different from the former ones, and he shall humble three kings.
25 And he shall speak words against the Most High, and he shall wear out the holy ones of the Most High. And he intends to change times and law. And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and one half time.
26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to cut off and to destroy until the end.
27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under all the heavens shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.
28 Until now is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts terrified me much, and my face changed on me. But I kept the matter in my heart.
1 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, a vision was seen by me, Daniel, after that which was seen by me at the beginning.
2 And I saw in the vision, and it happened in my seeing that I was at Shushan, the palace, which is in the province of Elam. And in a vision I saw, and I was by the Ulai Canal.
3 Then I lifted up my eyes and saw. And behold! A ram was standing before the canal, and to it were two horns. And the two horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last.
4 I saw the ram thrusting westward and northward and southward, so that all beasts might not stand before him, and none could deliver out of his hand. But he did according to his will and became great.
5 And I was considering. And behold! A male of the goats came from the west, over the face of all the earth and did not touch the ground. And the he-goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes.
6 And he came to the ram with two horns which I had seen standing before the canal. And he ran to it in the fury of his power.
7 And I saw him reaching over against the ram. And he became enraged against him. And he struck the ram and shattered his two horns. And there was no power in the ram to stand before him. But he threw him down to the ground and trampled him. And no one could deliver the ram from his hand.
8 And the male of the goats became very great. And when he was mighty, the great horn was shattered. And in my vision four came up in its place toward the four winds of the heavens.
9 And out of one of them came a little horn which became very great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the land of beauty.
10 And it became great, even to the host of the heavens. And it caused some of the host and of the heavens to fall to the ground, and it trampled them.
11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the ruler of the host. And the continual sacrifice was lifted up by him, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.
12 And a host was given with the continual sacrifice because of transgression. And it threw the truth down to the ground, and it worked and prospered.
13 And I heard a certain holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that one who spoke, Until when is the vision, the continual sacrifice and the desolating transgression, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled?
14 And he said to me, Until two thousand, three hundred evenings and mornings, then the sanctuary is declared right.
15 And it happened when I, Daniel, had seen the vision, then I sought the meaning. And, behold, the appearance of a mighty man stood before me.
16 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, and he called and said, Gabriel, make this one understand the vision.
17 And he came over against my place. And when he came, I was afraid and fell on my face. But he said to me, O son of man, understand, for the vision is for the time of the end.
18 And as he was speaking with me, I was stunned and on my face toward the ground. But he touched me and made me stand on my place.
19 And he said, Behold, I will make you know what shall happen in the last end of the indignation. For it is for the time appointed for the end.
20 The ram which you saw with two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
21 And the shaggy goat is the king of Javan (Greece). And the great horn between his eyes is the first king.
22 And as for that which was shattered, and four stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in its power.
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when those transgressing have finished, a king, strong of face and skilled at intrigues, shall stand up.
24 And mighty shall be his power, but not by his own power. And being wonderful he shall destroy, and he shall prosper, and work, and destroy the mighty one, and the holy people.
25 And also through his skill he will make deceit succeed in his land. And he will lift himself up in his heart, and be at ease; he shall destroy many. And he shall stand up against the Ruler of rulers, but he shall be shattered without a hand.
26 And the morning and evening vision that was told is true. But you shall shut up the vision, for it shall be for many days.
27 And I, Daniel, was sick. And I was sick for days. And I arose and did the king's business. And I was amazed at the vision; but there was no understanding.
1 In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans,
2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood by the scrolls the number of the years, which had been a Word of Jehovah to Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
3 And I set my face toward the Lord God, to seek by prayer and holy desires, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.
4 And I prayed to Jehovah my God, and confessed, saying, O Lord, the great and awesome God, keeping the covenant and kindness of those who love Him, and to those who keep His commandments,
5 we have sinned and have done iniquity and have done evilly, and we have rebelled, even by departing from Your commandments and from Your judgments.
6 And we have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our rulers, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7 O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us the shame of our faces, as it is this day to the men of Judah, and to those living in Jerusalem, and to all Israel, who are near and who are afar through all the lands where You have driven them for their unfaithfulness which they have done against You.
8 O Lord, to us is shame of face, to our kings, to our rulers and to our fathers, because we have sinned against You.
9 To the Lord our God belong mercies and pardons, for we have rebelled against Him,
10 and we have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws which he gave before us by His servants the prophets.
11 Yea, all Israel has transgressed Your Law and turned aside, not obeying Your voice. And the curse has poured out on us, and the oath that is written in the Law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against Him.
12 And He has raised up His words which He spoke against us, and against our judges who judge us, by bringing on us a great evil, which under the whole heavens has not been done as it has been done to Jerusalem.
13 As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this evil has come on us. And we have not made our prayer before the face of Jehovah our God that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth.
14 And Jehovah has watched the evil and has made it come on us. For Jehovah our God is righteous in all His works which He does; and we did not obey His voice.
15 And now, O Lord our God, who brought out Your people from the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and made for Yourself a name, as it is this day, we have sinned; we have done evilly.
16 O Lord, I pray, according to all Your righteousness, let Your anger and Your fury be turned back from Your city Jerusalem, Your mountain of holiness. For because of our sins and of the iniquity of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become a reproach to all those around us.
17 And now, listen, O our God, to the prayer of Your servant and his supplications, and cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary that is desolate, for the sake of the Lord.
18 O my God, stretch out Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our ruins and the city which is called with Your name on it. For we do not make our prayers fall before You on account of our righteousnesses, but because of Your great mercies.
19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, attend to us and work! Do not delay, for Your own sake, O my God, for Your name is called on Your city and on Your people.
20 And while I was speaking and praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and making my cry fall before Jehovah my God for the holy mountain of my God,
21 and while I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, touched me when I being weary in my weariness, about the time of the evening sacrifice.
22 And he gave discernment to me and spoke with me, and said, O Daniel, I have now come out to give you skill in understanding.
23 At the beginning of your prayers the Word came forth, and I have come to declare it. For you are greatly beloved, and to discern the matter and understand the vision:
24 Seventy weeks are decreed as to your people, and as to your holy city, to shut up the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to atone for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.
25 Know, then, and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem, to Messiah the Ruler, shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. The broad place shall be built again, and the wall, even in times of distress.
26 And after sixty-two weeks, Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself. And the people of a coming ruler shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end shall be with the flood, and are determined the desolations, and war shall be until the end.
27 And he shall confirm a covenant with the many for one week. And in the middle of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease. And on a corner of the altar will be abominations that desolate, even until the end. And that which was decreed shall pour out on the desolated.
1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a thing was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. And the thing was true, and a great conflict. And he understood the thing and had understanding of the vision.
2 In those days, I, Daniel, was mourning three weeks of days.
3 I ate no desirable food, and flesh and wine did not come into my mouth. I did not anoint myself at all until three weeks of days were fulfilled.
4 And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the hand of the great river, and I lifted up my eyes and saw; and behold, a certain man was clothed in linen, whose loins were wrapped in fine gold from Uphaz;
5 - - -
6 and his body was like the beryl, and his face looked like lightning. And his eyes were like torches of fire; and his arms and his feet in color like polished metal and the sound of his words were as the noise 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 trembling fell on them so that they fled to hide themselves.
8 And I was left alone, and I saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me, for my glory was turned within me into corruption, and I kept no strength.
9 Yet I heard the sound of his words. And when I heard the sound of his words, even I was lying on my face, stunned, and my face was toward the ground.
10 And, behold, a hand touched me and set me shaking on my knees and the palms of my hands.
11 And he said to me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you and stand in your place, for I am now sent to you. And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood, trembling.
12 And he said to me, Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you gave your heart to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.
13 But the king of the kingdom of Persia stood against me twenty-one days. But, behold, Michael, one of the first rulers, came to help me. And I remained there with the kings of Persia.
14 And I have come to make you understand what shall happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision is yet for many days.
15 And when he had spoken such words to me, I put my face to the ground, and I became speechless.
16 And, behold, one in form as the sons of men touched my lips. And I opened my mouth and spoke and said to him who stood before me, O lord, because of the vision my pangs have turned on me, and I have no strength left.
17 For how can the servant of my lord speak with this my lord? For as for me, from now onward no power is left in me; yea, there is no breath left in me.
18 And he added, and touched me, one in form as a man, and made me strong.
19 And he said, O man greatly beloved, do not fear. Peace to you. Be strong. Yea, be strong! And when he had spoken to me I was made strong. And I said, Speak, my lord, for you have made me strong.
20 And he said, Do you know why I have come to you? And now I will return to fight with the ruler of Persia. And when I have gone out, even, behold, the ruler of Greece shall come.
21 But I will tell you what is inscribed in the Writing of Truth. And no one makes himself strong with me in these things except Michael your Ruler.
1 And I, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I was standing for one who strengthens, and for a stronghold for him.
2 And now I will declare the truth to you: Behold! Three kings shall stand up in Persia; and the fourth shall be rich in all greater riches. And when he is made strong by his riches he shall stir up all the kingdom of Greece.
3 And a mighty king shall stand up and shall rule with great authority and do according to his will.
4 And when he stands up his kingdom shall be shattered and shall be divided to the four winds of the heavens, and not to his posterity, and not according to his authority with which he ruled. For his kingdom shall be pulled up and not to others besides these.
5 And the king of the south shall be strong. And one of his rulers, even he will be strong on him, and he will rule. His rule shall be a great rule.
6 And at the end of the years they shall join together, and the king of the south's daughter shall come to the king of the north to make full equity, but she shall not keep the power of the arm. And he will not stand, and not his arm. But she and those who brought her shall be given up, also her boy, and he making her strong in these times.
7 But the shoots of her roots will stand in his place, and he shall come to the army and will enter into the fortress of the king of the north. And he will act against them and will show strength.
8 And he will also bring their gods with their molten images, with silver and gold vessels of their possessions, into exile to Egypt. And for years he will stand away from the king of the north.
9 And the king of the south will come into his kingdom and will return to his own land.
10 But his sons shall be stirred up and shall gather a multitude of great forces. And coming one shall come and overflow and pass through. And he will return to his fortress and be stirred up.
11 And the king of the south will be bitter and will go out and fight with him, with the king of the north. And he shall raise a great multitude, but the multitude shall be given into his hand.
12 And having borne away the multitude, his heart will be lifted up. And he will cause myriads to fall, but he shall not be strong.
13 For the king of the north shall return and raise a greater multitude than the former. And at the end of times, years, coming he shall come with a great army and with much baggage.
14 And in those times many shall stand up against the king of the south. And the sons of the breakers of your people shall rise up to make stand the vision, but they shall stumble.
15 And the king of the north shall come and pour out a siege mound and seize a guarded fortification. And the arms of the south shall not stand, and his choice people, for there will be no firmness to stand.
16 But he who comes against him will do as he wills, and none shall stand before him. And he shall stand in the glorious land, and annihilation shall be in his hand.
17 And he shall set his face to go in with the might of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; and he shall do. And he shall give the daughter of women to him, to destroy it. But she shall not stand, and not be for him.
18 And he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall capture many. But a ruler shall make cease his reproach for him, but his reproach shall return to him.
19 And he shall turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall and shall not be found.
20 And one passing over, a tax exacter, shall stand in his place, for the glory of the kingdom. But within one of the days he will be shattered, but not in anger and not in battle.
21 And a despised one shall stand up on his place, and they shall not give to him the honor of the king. But he shall come in while at ease and make strong the kingdom by intrigues.
22 And the arms of the overflow shall be swept from before his face, and they will be shattered, and also the ruler of a covenant.
23 And after they join themselves to him, he will practice deceit; for he shall come and shall be strong with a few people.
24 He will go in safely, even into the rich places of the province. And he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers. He shall plunder and spoil and scatter goods among them. And he shall devise his plots against the strongholds, even for a time.
25 And he will stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great army. And the king of the south will be stirred up to battle with a great and very mighty army. But he shall not stand, for they will devise plots against him.
26 Yea, those who eat his food shall shatter him, and his army shall overflow. And many will fall down slain.
27 And both of them, the kings, shall have in their hearts to do evil, and they will speak lies at one table but will not prosper, for the end still shall be at the appointed time.
28 And he will return to his land with great wealth. And his heart shall be against the holy covenant. And he will act, and he shall return to his land.
29 At the appointed time he will return and come against the south, but it will not be as the former or as the latter.
30 For the ships of Kittim will come against him, and he will be pained and turn back and be furious against the holy covenant. And he will work, and he will return and heed the forsakers of the holy covenant.
31 And forces will stand away from him, and they will pollute the sanctuary, the stronghold. And they shall turn aside the continual sacrifice, and they will place the abomination that desolates.
32 And he will defile by flatteries those who do evil against the covenant. But the people who know their God will be strong and will work.
33 And those who ponder among the people will instruct many, and they will stumble by the sword and by flame, by exile and spoil for days.
34 And when they shall stumble, they will be helped with a little help, but many will join them with hypocrisy.
35 And many of those who ponder shall stumble, to refine and to purge them, and to make white to the time of the end; for it is yet for the appointed time.
36 And the king shall do according to his will. And he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god; he shall even speak marvelous things against the God of gods and shall prosper until the fury is finished. For that which is decreed shall be done.
37 He shall not consider the God of his fathers, and not the desire of women; yea, he will not come to any god. For he shall magnify himself above all.
38 But in his place he shall honor the god of strongholds, and he shall honor a god whom his fathers did not know, with gold and silver and with precious stones, and desirable things.
39 And he will act in the fortifications of the strongholds with an alien god, whom he shall acknowledge. He shall multiply in glory, and he shall cause them to rule over many and shall divide the land for a price.
40 And at the end time, the king of the south will press against him. And the king of the north shall come against him like a tempest, with chariots and with horsemen and with many ships. And he shall go into the lands and shall overflow and pass over.
41 And he shall go in to the glorious land, and many will be stumbled. But these shall escape out of his hand: Edom and Moab, and the chief of the sons of Ammon.
42 And his hand will stretch out against the lands, and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
43 But he will rule over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all Egypt's desirable things. And the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.
44 But news shall trouble him from the east and from the north. And he will go out with great fury to destroy and to devote many to destruction.
45 And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas, in the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall go to his end, and there is not a helper for him.
1 And at that time, Michael shall stand up, the great Ruler who stands for the sons of your people. And there shall be a time of distress, such as has not been from the being of a nation until that time. And at that time, your people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the Book.
2 And many of the sleeping ones in the dust of the ground shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to reproaches and to everlasting abhorrence.
3 And those who act wisely shall shine as the shining of the expanse, and those turning many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.
4 But you, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, to the end time. Many shall roam around, and knowledge shall be increased.
5 And I, Daniel, saw, and, behold, Two others stood there, the one on this side, and one on that side of the river's lip.
6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was on top of the waters of the river, Until when is the end of the wonders?
7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was on top of the waters of the river, and he held up his right and his left hand to the heavens and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and a half. And when they have made an end of dispersing the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
8 And I heard, but I did not understand. and I said, O my lord, what shall be the end of these things?
9 And He said, Go, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed until the end time.
10 Many shall be purified and made white and tested. But the wicked ones shall do wickedly. And not one of the wicked ones shall understand, but the ones acting wisely shall understand.
11 And from the time the continual sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that desolates given up, a thousand, two hundred and ninety days shall occur.
12 Blessed is he who waits and comes to the thousand, three hundred and thirty-five days.
13 But you go on to the end, for you shall rest and stand for your lot at the end of the days.