Day 198 of 365

¹Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits, and its breadth six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

²Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

³Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

⁴Then the herald cried aloud, "To you it is commanded, peoples, nations, and languages,

⁵that whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up;

⁶and whoever doesn't fall down and worship shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."

⁷Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

⁸Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and brought accusation against the Jews.

⁹They answered Nebuchadnezzar the king, "O king, live for ever.

¹⁰You, O king, have made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image;

¹¹and whoever doesn't fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

¹²There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, have not regarded you: they do not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up."

¹³Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.

¹⁴Nebuchadnezzar answered them, "Is it on purpose, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my god, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

¹⁵Now if you are ready whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image which I have made, well: but if you do not worship, you shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that god that shall deliver you out of my hands?"

¹⁶Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, "Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

¹⁷If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

¹⁸But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up."

¹⁹Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Therefore he spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

²⁰He commanded certain mighty men who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

²¹Then these men were bound in their cloaks, trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

²²Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

²³These three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

²⁴Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up quickly. He spoke and said to his ministers, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered the king, "True, O king."

²⁵He answered, "Look, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are unharmed; and the aspect of the fourth is like a son of the gods."

²⁶Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace. He spoke and said, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God, come forth, and come here." Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came forth out of the midst of the fire.

²⁷The satraps, the prefects, and the governors, and the king's ministers, being gathered together, saw these men, that the fire had no power on their bodies, nor was the hair of their head singed, neither were their trousers changed, nor had the smell of fire passed on them.

²⁸Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel, and delivered his servants who trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

²⁹Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which speak anything evil against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be reduced to rubble; because there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way."

³⁰Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

¹"Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.

²It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked toward me.

³How great are his signs and how mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

⁴I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.

⁵I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

⁶Therefore I made a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

⁷Then came in the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners; and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known to me its interpretation.

⁸But finally 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 told the dream before him, saying,

⁹"Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, 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 its interpretation.

¹⁰Thus were the visions of my head on my bed: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth; and its height was great.

¹¹The tree grew, and was strong, and its height reached to the sky, and its sight to the end of all the earth.

¹²The leaves of it were beautiful, and its fruit much, and in it was food for all. The animals of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of the sky lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

¹³I saw in the visions of my head on my bed, and behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from the sky.

¹⁴He cried aloud, and said this, "Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit. Let the animals get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches.

¹⁵Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of the sky: and let his portion be with the animals in the grass of the earth.

¹⁶Let his mind be changed from man's, and let an animal's mind be given to him; and let seven times pass over him.

¹⁷The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whoever he will, and sets up over it the lowest of men.

¹⁸This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and you, Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation. But you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you."

¹⁹Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken mute for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered, Belteshazzar, "Do not let the dream, or the interpretation, trouble you." Belteshazzar answered, "My lord, the dream concerns those who hate you, and its interpretation to your adversaries.

²⁰The tree that you saw, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached to the sky, and its sight to all the earth;

²¹whose leaves were beautiful, and its fruit much, and in it was food for all; under which the animals of the field lived, and on whose branches the birds of the sky had their habitation.

²²It is you, O king, that are grown and become strong; for your greatness is grown, and reaches to the sky, and your dominion to the end of the earth.

²³Whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from the sky, and saying, 'Cut down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of the sky: and let his portion be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him.

²⁴This is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which is come on my lord the king:

²⁵that you shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field, and you shall be made to eat grass as oxen, and shall be wet with the dew of the sky, and seven times shall pass over you; until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.

²⁶Whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree; your kingdom shall be restored to you. After that you shall have known that the heavens do rule.

²⁷Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if there may be a lengthening of your prosperity."

²⁸All this came on the king Nebuchadnezzar.

²⁹At the end of twelve months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon.

³⁰The king spoke and said, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?"

³¹While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from the sky, saying, "O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken. The kingdom has departed from you,

³²and you shall be driven from men; and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field; you shall be made to eat grass as oxen; and seven times shall pass over you; until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whoever he wants."

³³The same hour was the thing fulfilled on Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and ate grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the sky, until his hair was grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.

³⁴"At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him who lives forever. For his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation.

³⁵All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing; and he does according to his will in the host of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or tell him, "What have you done?"

³⁶At the same time my understanding returned to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me; and my counselors and my lords sought me out; and I was established in my kingdom, and even more greatness was added to me.

³⁷Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble."

¹Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

²Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink from them.

³Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, drank from them.

⁴They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

⁵In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

⁶Then the king's face was turned pale, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his thighs gave way, and his knees began knocking together.

⁷The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever shall read this writing, and show me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom."

⁸Then came in all the king's wise men; but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation.

⁹Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his face turned pale, and his lords were perplexed.

¹⁰Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house. The queen spoke and said, "O king, live forever; do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your face be changed.

¹¹There 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, were found in him; and king Nebuchadnezzar your father, the king, I say, your father, made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners;

¹²because an extraordinary spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and explaining riddles, and solving problems, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation."

¹³Then was Daniel brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Are you that Daniel, who are of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?

¹⁴I have heard of you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and extraordinary wisdom are found in you.

¹⁵Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known to me its interpretation; but they could not show the interpretation of the thing.

¹⁶But I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations, and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing, and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom."

¹⁷Then Daniel answered before the king, "Keep your gifts for yourself, and give your rewards to another;. Nevertheless I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

¹⁸You king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty.

¹⁹And because of the greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would he killed, and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he raised up, and whom he would he put down.

²⁰But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was removed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.

²¹And he was driven from the sons of men, and his mind was made like the animals', and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the sky; until he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and that he sets up over it whomever he wants.

²²You his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this,

²³but have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And they have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see, nor hear, nor know. And the God in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your ways, you have not glorified.

²⁴Then was the part of the hand sent from before him, and this writing was inscribed.

²⁵This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

²⁶This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God has numbered your kingdom, and brought it to an end;

²⁷TEKEL; you are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting.

²⁸PERES; your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians."

²⁹Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

³⁰In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean King was slain.

³¹Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

¹It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;

²and over them three administrators, of whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might give account to them, and that the king might not suffer loss.

³Then this Daniel was distinguished above the administrators and the satraps, because an extraordinary spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

⁴Then the administrators and the satraps sought to find a charge against Daniel regarding the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful. Neither was there any error or fault found in him.

⁵Then these men said, "We will not find any charge against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God."

⁶Then these administrators and satraps assembled together to the king, and said this to him, "King Darius, live forever.

⁷All the administrators of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong decree, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

⁸Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed."

⁹Therefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

¹⁰When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before.

¹¹Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.

¹²Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's decree. "Haven't you signed a decree, that every man who shall make 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, "The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed."

¹³Then they answered and said before the king, "That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, doesn't regard you, O king, nor the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day."

¹⁴Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him. And he labored until the going down of the sun to rescue him.

¹⁵Then these men assembled together to the king, and said to the king, "Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree nor statute which the king establishes may be changed."

¹⁶Then 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 serve continually, he will deliver you."

¹⁷A stone was brought, and placed on the opening of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.

¹⁸Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were instruments of music brought before him. And his sleep fled from him.

¹⁹Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions.

²⁰When he came near to the den to Daniel, he cried with a lamentable voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God. Is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?"

²¹Then said Daniel to the king, "O king, live forever.

²²My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me; because before him innocence was found in me; and also before you, O king, have I done no wrong."

²³Then was the king exceedingly glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

²⁴The king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den.

²⁵Then king Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: "Peace be multiplied to you.

²⁶I 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 steadfast forever. His kingdom shall not be destroyed; and his dominion shall be to the end.

²⁷He delivers and rescues, and he works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions."

²⁸So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.